Exercise after IVF transfer

[margept]

I had my transfer on 2/9 and was on bedrest for the rest of that day and the entire next day.  The RE told me that I could walk for exercise until my blood test on 2/18.  I would really like to go cross country skiing today, which is not too strenuous, but I don't want to jeopordize anything.  Does anyone have any thoughts on exercise between transfer and hcg test?  Thanks for your thoughts!

[aleasa]

uh oh... I am 3 days til beta test and went for a long leisure bike ride yesterday along our beautiful Chicago lake front resting when needed, but pooped out a lot.  Was blue so needed to get some circulation exercise, I thought.

Also, why don't these women who are are so curious use the temperature charting method to detect pregnancy?  I see no posts on that, wouldn't that help?  My temp today is 98.6 where I'm usually at 97.7 and made me feel like that was good news in addition to a lot of stuff going on in the lower tummy area!  I figure it's unswelling and healing but maybe some babies growing too? Who knows?!    

Me: 37, irregular af
DH: 31, minor factor fixed with IVF
TTC: 4 yrs but knew about IVF need.
First IVF cycle June

4/20 - start BCP
5/23 - start Lupron 10 units, stop bcp
6/3 - start Gonal-F 300mg and lower Lupron to 5
6/8   11:30pm Trigger shot.  
6/10 - ER with 14 eggs!  10 mature, 8 embryos (8, 8, 6, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4 cell counts-ish)
6/16 - ET - transferred 2!  2 Vivelle patches every other day, 3x progesterone inserts.
6/26 - 1st Beta scheduled

[Shayne Plosker, MD]

Dear margept - as you can see from the comments, a wide range of advice and everyone just wants to make sure you have the best shot at success. I don't think a walk is harmful at al. Ditto some low key cross country skiing as long as you don't push too hard. Although I am in Florida now I am from Canada and cross-country skiing is very meditative and a good way to decompress from a stressful IVF cycle. There is a concern that high core body temperature can increase the risk of miscarriage. Our bodies are great at maintaining our core temperature at 37C or 98.6F, but even so I am not a big fan of strenuous exercise during the time from transfer until that first pregnancy test. Plus you might still have some good-sized cysts on your ovaries (even after egg retrieval the follicles reaccumulate fluid and become corpus luteums) and you do not want to risk rupturing them with strenuous exercise. Good luck!

[margept]

thanks for all of the advice.  In the end, I decided it would not be worth the risk and went for a walk instead.  good luck to all of you...

[elizabeth250]

My doctor told me not to do anything until my blood test on the 18th.  I would not go skiing or anything that would make your heart rate increase.  During this time is when the egg is attaching and any strenuous exercise could damage that.  You can lay low just a few more days.. Can't you?

[lynda544]

Oh I so remember feeling that way to after my transfer. My MD is very conservative. No sex, exercise etc. for 10 weeks. I started spotting early on so I was afraid to risk it. Now at 11 weeks, I'm so glad I took it easy. I did not realize it but IVF is very stressful. I'm exhausted. It is easy for me to say, but try to rest and take it easy. If it doesn't work this time you don't want to feel guilty or "think what if".

[Jenny5]

Just take it easy.My Re even with timed BD says not to have intercourse and to take it easy. Don't jeoportize anything cause ivf is not an easy road. Good luck