A fear which is wide-spread among IVF patients
is – will my embryo fall out if I stand up or walk around after the embryo
transfer ? This is quite a reasonable worry – after all, if the embryos are
transferred through the uterus through the cervix, then why can’t they come out
through the same
route? However, if you understand the
anatomy of the uterus , these doubts will vanish and you will fell much more
confident and comfortable during your 2ww.
Women imagine that when the doctor
puts the embryos inside the uterus, they are deposited inside a space within
the uterus in which the microscopic embryos can roll freely! They believe that if they rest, the embryos
will settle down and stick to the wall of the cavity. After all, when you stick
two pages together with glue, don’t you leave them undisturbed for some time to
allow the glue to set ? They are worried that if they walk about, the embryos
will be disturbed from their resting place , and may fall out of the cavity.
In reality, the uterus is a muscular organ ,
about the size of your fist. When people hear the word ‘uterine cavity’, they
imagine that there is a real cavity within the uterus ( like a cave, perhaps) ,
but this is not true. The cavity we talk about is not a true cavity , but just
a potential cavity . The walls of the uterus are in contact with each other –
after all, there cannot be any empty areas inside the
body ! For example, press your palms together. There is no real space between them
, since your palms are touching each other. What happens when you insert a
small ball in between your palms ? The ball has created a space for itself ! In
the same way , a uterus which doesn’t have an embryo inside it carries only a
potential space. Only when the embryo grows in size will this space enlarge. Do
you know that at 5 weeks of gestation your embryo is just the size of a sesame seed
? Imagine what will happen if you keep a seed between your pressed palms and
move your hands in whatever way you might wish to ? There is no way the seed will
be dislodged - it is safe , snug and
secure in its resting place. This is exactly what happens to your embryos
inside your uterus ! Nothing you do can
dislodge an embryo – NOTHING (even jumping or running) ! If the embryo is healthy
and if your endometrial layer is receptive , the embryo will stick to the wall and
bury itself inside the lining (just like a seed does , when planted in fertile
soil). External physical activity cannot influence this natural biological
process which occurs in utero.
A lot women refuse to go to the bathroom for a
few hours after the embryo transfer, because they are scared that if they pee,
their embryo will fall out of the uterus. They just end up making themselves
completely miserable – and I worry that an overdistended bladder can actually
cause uterine contractions needlessly ! Others are scared that if they cough or
sneeze after the transfer, they will ruin their chances of success. Please do
not obsess – remember that nature has designed the body with enough
intelligence, that you don’t need to worry at all !
After the transfer, the uterus can contract (for
example , during an orgasm, which often occurs while sleeping during the 2ww ), but the progesterone produced
during the luteal phase will prevent these uterine contractions from dislodging
the embryo. Intercourse and orgasm cannot cause any harm after the transfer –
after all, fertile couples do have sexual intercourse during the 2ww, and they
get pregnant all the time.
After an embryo transfer , bed rest is
absolutely unnecessary. I have heard from women who have been forced to spend 2
weeks in bed after the embryo transfer – and many of them have done so because
of their doctor’s orders ! ( I think the reason some doctors continue to give
this outdated advise is a clever way of subtly blaming the patient if the cycle
fails ! “ You didn’t get pregnant even though I did such a good job with your
IVF treatment , because you did not rest properly “ is their subliminal message)
. Even a couple of days in bed can do you harm , physically and emotionally.
Bed rest may increase body aches and back pain , and makes your physically
uncomfortable. Resting may actually
reduce uterine blood flow by reducing pelvic circulation. Bed rest creates havoc
with your mental well-being as well !
When you lie down in bed all the time and have nothing to do, your mind will
start to play all sorts of games with you. The end result is an unhealthy obsession
with your body’s symptoms and signs – and this often causes panic , which does
not help after a stressful IVF cycle. The bed rest, rather than resting your mind,
often causes more stress !
Please do not restrict your normal day-to-day
activities after an embryo transfer. Use
your common sense, and do not do any strenuous activity which might cause you
to blame yourself if your cycle fails ! And what happens if your mother in law
enforces house arrest ? Remember that she has been brainwashed , and is
following well-meaning but misguided advise, based on centuries of myths and
misconceptions about bed rest and pregnancy. She is not trying to harass you –
she is just trying to help you to have a baby , based on her personal ( but
flawed) world view ! Please don’t rock the boat by flatly refusing to listen to
her – just give her this article to read , so she understands why bed rest does
not help! And if she is still
unconvinced, please share this with her -
Bed rest has not been scientifically proven to improve pregnancy rate after
embryo transfer(PMID: 19590224).
