There is no difference in the IVF outcome, if a woman restricts herself to bed; or if she carries on normal activities after embryo transfer.Will moving after an embryo transfer cause my embryos to get dislodged from the uterus ? Does being physically active affect the ability of my embryos to implant ?

The common worry

Every woman undergoing the 2ww is very worried about carrying on with her routine daily activities, because of her fear that these will affect the outcome of her IVF cycle. To add insult to injury, many IVF specialists also ask women to take bed-rest after embryo transfer ! Does restricting normal activities make any sense ? Will bed-rest really help ?

No adverse effects

There are many scientific publications which address this issue. These confirm that normal activity after embryo transfer has no adverse effect on embryo implantation. There is no difference in the IVF outcome, if a woman restricts herself to bed; or if she carries on normal activities after embryo transfer.

Recent research in fact suggests that strict bed rest after embryo transfer might actually reduce the chances of conception ! Please carry on with your routine activities , but do not do anything which will cause you to blame yourself if your cycle fails

Read more-What precautions should I take after the embryo transfer?

Is it safe to take antibiotics or pain killers after the embryo transfer ?

Most women know that drugs can have harmful effects on the fetus; and that they should only take those medicines which their doctor prescribes during pregnancy only . It's quite logical to therefore conclude that the drugs you take during the 2ww can harm your developing embryo.

This is why many women will not take even a painkiller after the embryo transfer, without checking with their doctor ! However, paradoxically, it's very safe to take medicines after the embryo transfer ! In order that the drug you consume reach the embryo, the embryo has to establish a blood supply from you.

This happens only when the embryo implants itself into the uterine lining; which is around the time when you get a positive pregnancy test. So, until then, it is safe to take pain-killers or antibiotics, because these will not reach the embryo and harm it. However, once you get a positive pregnancy test, please consult your doctor before taking any medicines.

Read more-Why it's safe to take antibiotics ( and other prescription medicines) after the embryo transfer