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Advice after embryo transfer / article
Just thought some of you ladies would like to read this article I found. These articles are quite common. I work for a docotr and have access to medical articles and studies and I thought this was interesting. Hope it helps.
One of the old wife's tales which still plagues every IVF patient is the myth that they need "strict" bed rest after the embryo transfer. Many patients are scared that the embryo will fall out if they walk around - after all, if it was inserted artificially, isn't there a risk that it can "fall out" through the " track " through which the doctor inserted it ?
I remind my patients that God designed the body with enough sense that walking, running, coughing and sneezing do not cause an embryo to fall out ! Embryos are safe and secure in the womb , and just because they have spent 48 hours in the incubator in the IVF lab does not change anything ! IVF allows us to mimic nature , and once the embryo has reached the uterus, it's exactly like an embryo "made in the bedroom" ( embryos do not have a memory !) After all, when fertile couples have sex and get pregnant naturally, they continue leading a completely normal life after sex , so why should IVF make any difference ? Enough medical studies have been done by many IVF clinic which prove that embryo implantation and pregnancy rates are not affected by rest; and patients can walk out just 10 minutes after the embryo transfer.
In fact, enforced bed rest can have a very unhealthy effect on the patient. Being forced to lie down in bed when you are well can be demoralising, so say the least. Taking a bed pan ( during "strict bed rest") can be extremely humiliating. Also, if you are forced to lie in bed, then you tend to spend all your time thinking about what the outcome is going to be - a very unhelpful process, because the outcome is no longer in your hands. As it is, during the dreaded 2ww ( two week wait between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test), each minute seems to last for an hour. Lying in bed makes the time crawl even more slowly !
So why do some doctors still insist their patients take "bed rest" after embryo transfer. I think this is a very clever way of "victim blaming" ! If the patient does not get pregnant, they can always "blame" the patient for the failure, because she did not "rest" properly. The biggest tragedy is when the family members start believing this untruth.
I think patients ( and their loved ones) need to understand that activity does not have any impact on the embryo inside the uterus, because it is protected from external influences in its uterine haven. Implantation is a biological process which is not affect by external activity - or by gravity ! We suggest patients take it easy at home for 48 hours after the embryo transfer , after which we encourage them to resume work, so they can keep themselves gainfully occupied. This is actually more for their peace of mind, rather than because it changes the outcome. I always tell patients that if resting helped to increase pregnancy rates by even 1%, we'd happily keep them in hospital for even 15 days after the transfer !
There is a difference between transfer and implantation ! While embryo transfer is a simple mechanical procedure, implantation is a complex biochemical event which involves a dance of exchanged signals between the endometrium and the embryo - something which cannot be influenced by diet or activity !
Being infertile is bad enough - don't make it worse by forcing yourself to rest in bed when you don't need to !
Posted by Dr Aniruddha
One of the old wife's tales which still plagues every IVF patient is the myth that they need "strict" bed rest after the embryo transfer. Many patients are scared that the embryo will fall out if they walk around - after all, if it was inserted artificially, isn't there a risk that it can "fall out" through the " track " through which the doctor inserted it ?
I remind my patients that God designed the body with enough sense that walking, running, coughing and sneezing do not cause an embryo to fall out ! Embryos are safe and secure in the womb , and just because they have spent 48 hours in the incubator in the IVF lab does not change anything ! IVF allows us to mimic nature , and once the embryo has reached the uterus, it's exactly like an embryo "made in the bedroom" ( embryos do not have a memory !) After all, when fertile couples have sex and get pregnant naturally, they continue leading a completely normal life after sex , so why should IVF make any difference ? Enough medical studies have been done by many IVF clinic which prove that embryo implantation and pregnancy rates are not affected by rest; and patients can walk out just 10 minutes after the embryo transfer.
In fact, enforced bed rest can have a very unhealthy effect on the patient. Being forced to lie down in bed when you are well can be demoralising, so say the least. Taking a bed pan ( during "strict bed rest") can be extremely humiliating. Also, if you are forced to lie in bed, then you tend to spend all your time thinking about what the outcome is going to be - a very unhelpful process, because the outcome is no longer in your hands. As it is, during the dreaded 2ww ( two week wait between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test), each minute seems to last for an hour. Lying in bed makes the time crawl even more slowly !
So why do some doctors still insist their patients take "bed rest" after embryo transfer. I think this is a very clever way of "victim blaming" ! If the patient does not get pregnant, they can always "blame" the patient for the failure, because she did not "rest" properly. The biggest tragedy is when the family members start believing this untruth.
I think patients ( and their loved ones) need to understand that activity does not have any impact on the embryo inside the uterus, because it is protected from external influences in its uterine haven. Implantation is a biological process which is not affect by external activity - or by gravity ! We suggest patients take it easy at home for 48 hours after the embryo transfer , after which we encourage them to resume work, so they can keep themselves gainfully occupied. This is actually more for their peace of mind, rather than because it changes the outcome. I always tell patients that if resting helped to increase pregnancy rates by even 1%, we'd happily keep them in hospital for even 15 days after the transfer !
There is a difference between transfer and implantation ! While embryo transfer is a simple mechanical procedure, implantation is a complex biochemical event which involves a dance of exchanged signals between the endometrium and the embryo - something which cannot be influenced by diet or activity !
Being infertile is bad enough - don't make it worse by forcing yourself to rest in bed when you don't need to !
Posted by Dr Aniruddha
Well, I got Pg both times but lost them both and my hubby kept saying it was because it was so unhealthy to lay around for so long then get up and go back to my daily routine. He thought it was too stressful on my body that way. That's why I figured next time I will just do 2 days. I have a freind who had IUI and went out to eat imediatly after and is now almost 5 months....SO yes, I guess it is. Good Luck to you to hun.
Wow, 1 week. That is allot. My cousin who had her IVF done at the same place I did got up after laying down for 5 minutes and then went home and then relaxed the rest of the day and then resumed normal activity and she is pregnant with twins. I guess it is all relative. Good luck!
WOW, very interesting. My Dr always makes me stay in bed for 1 week and I was thinking next time I was just going to stay in bed for 2 days and then gradualy start back to life. This helps me know that is the right decision. THNX!!!!
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