What Precautions Should Be Taken After Embryo Transfer in IVF?

• 05 Apr, 2022
• IVF and Infertility
• infertility
• Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Nishi Singh
• Author: Prime IVF Centre

During your IVF treatment in Delhi, the day when your doctor transfers the embryo into the uterus, you move a step closer to your dream of getting pregnant after all the hurdles you have gone through. 

Embryo transfer is the milestone of the IVF procedure that marks the beginning of IVF pregnancy. Once the transfer of embryos is done, the waiting period to confirm pregnancy starts.

While you impatiently wait for the pregnancy confirmation news that may take around two weeks from the embryo transfer date, you will need to follow certain precautions and take care of certain aspects.

This article discusses the various measures and necessary precautions after an embryo transfer in IVF.

Table of Contents

Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye

1. What are the Precautions that should be taken after embryo transfer?

2. Relax and Follow Medical Prescription

3. Eat a well-balanced diet, and Keep yourself hydrated

4. Take Folic Acid Supplement

5. Avoid Vigorous Physical Activity

6. Avoid Sexual Intercourse

7. Do Not Ignore troubling symptoms

8. Keep away from heat and harmful chemicals

9. FAQs

   Takeaway

What are the Precautions that should be taken after embryo transfer?

Embryo transfer is a crucial step during IVF treatment; expert IVF specialists mainly do this. Once the embryo transfer is done, the wait for pregnancy starts. There are various precautions that one should consider after the embryo transfer. The crucial precautions taken after embryo transfer are: -

• Avoid stress
• Eat a healthy & balanced diet
• Avoid Vigorous Physical Activity
• Avoid Sexual Intercourse
• Do Not Ignore symptoms & Take Expert advice
• Keep away from heat and harmful chemicals 

1. Relax and Follow Medical Prescription

Keep all your strenuous activities aside and relax for a couple of days after embryo transfer. As a precaution after embryo transfer in IVF, your doctor may advise bed rest all the time. However, you need not worry about the falling off of the embryo after transfer. Bed rest or relaxation is often recommended for the hormonal and psychological changes the body undergoes after embryo transfer.

Always nurture positive thoughts, and avoid taking too much stress. Meditation, Listening to music, talking with loved ones, doing activities of interest, or revisiting hobbies, are great ways to destress and relax.

Also, continue with prescribed supplements and medications. Talk to your doctor if you happen to miss them by any chance. Most women will need to continue with progesterone for a few days after transfer. Progesterone is an essential hormone that supports a healthy pregnancy. Hence, try not to skip your medications.

2. Eat a well-balanced diet, and Keep yourself hydrated

The period after embryo transfer is a great time to start early with healthy eating in pregnancy. Maintaining a healthy weight through a well-balanced diet is an expert-recommended tip for pregnant women.

Consider having various fresh green leafy vegetables and fruits rich in calcium, iron, proteins, vitamin B, and other micronutrients. Simultaneously, keeping yourself hydrated with enough fluid and water intake is required during pregnancy.

You can talk with your doctor about taking the necessary prenatal vitamins, starting even after the embryos get transferred.

3. Take Folic Acid Supplement

You can always start with your daily dose of folic acid supplements after the transfer of embryos. According to studies, your body will require at least 400mcg of folic acid every day during pregnancy. This essential vitamin B9 aids foetal neural development and prevents neural tube defects. It also lowers the risk of congenital deformities in the unborn.

Women who are at risk of developing foetal abnormalities may be advised for extra doses of the folic acid supplement every day. Your doctor will prescribe a folic acid supplement as a part of prenatal vitamin prescription during pregnancy and after embryo transfer.

4. Avoid Vigorous Physical Activity

Post embryo transfer, you will need to refrain from any kind of strenuous physical activities- that can strain you physically and mentally. Some of the precautions to be taken after embryo transfer in IVF regarding physical activities include:

• Do not bend, jump, run, jog, swim, and lift heavy weight after embryo transfer and during your pregnancy term. 
• Excess physical exertion can impact your child’s development and lead to pregnancy complications.

Instead, opt for light exercising, walking, strolling in the park, beach, and yoga. Yoga asanas are ideal exercises to do during pregnancy. Regular practising of these postures under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor can improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

5. Avoid Sexual Intercourse

Among the various precautions to take after embryo transfer in IVF, it is important that you keep away from sexual activities for sometime. Your reproductive tract is now hosting a developing embryo and calls for a “pelvic rest.” Refrain from sexual activity for at least two weeks after Embryo transfer.

Sexual activity can impose pressure on the uterus causing constant uterine contractions. These contractions can disturb the embryo present in the uterus and interfere with implantation and embryo development. Sometimes, it can lead to early pregnancy loss. Talk to your doctor about how long you will need to keep away from sexual intercourse after the embryos are transferred.

6. Do Not Ignore troubling symptoms

Sometimes, women who have been under hormonal interventions for a long time may develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). In OHSS, the ovaries get inflamed and painful, leading to an array of mild or severe symptoms. You will need to check on the following signs of OHSS and reach out to your doctor immediately.

• Severe abdominal pain
• Bloating in the abdominal region
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

Though most of the time, these symptoms seem mild and should not be ignored. Ignoring these signs can increase the severity of the condition leading to more complications. 

If you have a bloated abdomen or have sudden abdominal pain, connect with your doctor immediately.

7. Keep away from heat and harmful chemicals

Maintaining the right body temperature is the key. Studies suggest that the human body can increase its temperature to more than 108 degrees Fahrenheit. But, excess heat in the uterus- beyond 102 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, can disrupt pregnancy hormones, embryo implantation, and foetal development.

Avoid exposure to heat like-hot tubs, steam baths, or saunas, and also avoid eating hot temperature foods that can increase body heat like;

• Raw papaya, caffeine, sesame seeds, spicy food, and black pepper.
• Spinach, broccoli, onions, garlic, ginger can increase body temperature through their energies
• Certain types of meat and fish.

Avoid exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are chemicals that can affect the body's hormones, placental function, and baby growth in-utero. The EDCs such as bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and many others are present in many household products.

Here,the precaution after embryo transfer in IVF is to be wary while purchasing such products . Choose naturally organic, BPA-free, paraben-free, chemical-free, or EDC eliminated products.

Takeaway

When you have come a long way after the stumbling blocks of infertility and the extensive IVF process, taking ample care, rest, and less physical stress after embryo transfer is vital.

Hope this article has cleared your question as to what precautions should be taken after embryo transfer in IVF? Following these precautionary measures for two weeks after embryo transfer will ensure the initial implantation and embryo development are taken care of. Consult your doctor if you find any kind of discomfort or pain.

Prime IVF Centre in Gurgaon, established by a team of very passionate, highly experienced, and committed doctors, provides you with comprehensive infertility solutions. We ensure your IVF journey remains stress-free with high ethical standards, complete transparency at affordable rates.