After an embryo transfer: what should you do, and what can you safely carry on doing?
After an embryo transfer, bed rest is not needed. You can walk out, empty your bladder and go home, and from the next day carry on with your usual work at the office or at home. Avoid great heat, such as very hot baths and saunas, excessive bending and crowded places, and wait for the blood test about two weeks later instead of testing early.
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This video is in Konkani; the guide on this page is in English.
This is one of the commonest questions couples ask us after an embryo transfer. Many are unsure what to do once the embryo is placed, they listen to others, and a lot of wrong information spreads. In this 16-minute talk our doctor answers their questions one by one.
Why are you asked to come with a full bladder?
You are asked to drink water before the transfer and not to pass urine, so that your bladder is full. There are two reasons.
- It straightens the womb. The womb normally lies at an angle; a full bladder brings it into a straight line, so the transfer is easier and safer, with less chance of bleeding.
- It gives a clear scan. The transfer is done through the vagina while an ultrasound probe on the tummy guides it, and that scan shows clearly when the bladder is full.
The scan shows exactly how deep the thin transfer tube (catheter) has gone. The usual rule, our doctor explains, is to place the embryo about one to one and a half centimetres below the top of the womb. The whole cycle is described in the IVF process explained.
Does the embryo transfer hurt?
Many women worry about this. For most, the transfer goes easily, with little discomfort: a speculum, a steel instrument with a beak that opens, is placed in the vagina, and a soft, thin tube is passed into the womb. Much of the discomfort comes from worry, because a tense woman tightens the muscles low in the pelvis, so staying relaxed helps.
For a few women, who are very anxious or whose passage is narrow for anatomical reasons, the transfer can be painful. The doctor can usually tell this beforehand and do the transfer under light anaesthesia, with a few minutes of sleep. A woman who wants to stay awake and watch can instead have a small spinal (back) anaesthetic that numbs only the lower body. Your husband can be with you in the room if you wish.
Do you need bed rest after the transfer?
No. Women often ask how long to rest, or whether to lie with the legs raised. Our doctor's answer: published research has found that resting or not resting makes no difference, and some studies even favour staying active, so bed rest is not advised.
After the transfer you lie still for about a minute, then walk out, empty your bladder and go home. Passing urine does not disturb the embryo, which sits inside the womb, separate from the bladder. For a transfer of frozen embryos, see frozen embryo transfer explained.
Can you go back to work?
Yes. Carry on with your routine. If you go to an office, you can go back the very next day; if you have a job, do your job; if you look after the home, carry on with the housework. Leave out hard gym workouts.
Why should you avoid great heat?
Our doctor stresses this one, and notes that it has some backing in the medical literature: a lot of heat is not good during fertility treatment.
- Avoid working in very hot places, such as a hot kitchen.
- Avoid saunas, spas and other very hot spots.
- Bathe in lukewarm water, not very hot water, while treatment is going on and also during pregnancy.
Can you bend, lift things or climb stairs?
Bending presses on the tummy, so avoid excessive bending. To pick something up, bend at the knees and keep your back straight. Walking and climbing stairs are fine: just go calmly and slowly, and take care not to fall.
Can you travel after the transfer?
Yes. If there is a car at home, our doctor suggests using it, because the ride is steadier. A two-wheeler is fine too: ride calmly, do not rush, and watch for the potholes on our roads. Train and air travel are also fine, and you need no wheelchair at the airport; you may wear a mask there.
Should you avoid crowds and visitors?
Our doctor raises this himself. As in the COVID years, stay away from crowded places for the two weeks after a transfer: you cannot know who has a cough, a cold or another infection, and a fever in these days is better avoided. Skip family functions and social gatherings until the test, and keep visitors at home few. He adds that this risk is small and largely theoretical.
Is sex safe after the transfer?
As far as the textbooks and research go, sex after a transfer is not forbidden and does not change the outcome. There is only a small, theoretical risk: during intercourse, and with breast stimulation, the womb can contract. Our doctor's own advice, which he says not all the medical literature shares, is to avoid intercourse if you can for the 14 days until the pregnancy test.
When should you take the pregnancy test?
The test is a blood test about 14 to 15 days after the transfer. Some women do a home urine test four or five days after the transfer and send it to the doctor to check. Our doctor calls this panic: a test that early cannot answer the question, and it only adds worry. Until the test, take your medicines exactly as prescribed and do not stop any on your own. Speak to your doctor without delay if you have heavy bleeding, severe tummy pain, fever, breathlessness or a swollen, tight tummy.
How can the family help?
Many couples reach IVF after years of trying, and the woman often carries great stress, sometimes with family pressure for it to work this time. Our doctor asks families to support her instead, keep her happy and calm, and tell her it is all right whether or not she becomes pregnant, because not everything is in our hands. Meditation, breathing exercises and mild yoga can help her stay calm, as long as nothing presses on the tummy.
What if the test is negative?
Even when every step goes well, a cycle can sometimes fail, and no one can prevent that. IVF failure has many causes: the eggs, the sperm, a womb lining that is not quite right, or sometimes none that can be seen. So a negative result should not be blamed on the woman or on her routine. If it happens more than once, see repeated IVF failure: what next.
About this guide
This guide is by the Pai Hospital Team. IVF and embryo transfers are done in Goa. More of our talks in Konkani are on the Konkani fertility videos page.
Contact
Heartbeats IVF contact no: 95185 02773 (WhatsApp)
Our locations: Vasco · Margao · Panjim
This article is for education only and is not personal medical advice; please speak to your own doctor about your situation.
Your questions
Do I need bed rest after an embryo transfer?
No. Published research has found that bed rest makes no difference. After about a minute of rest you can walk out, empty your bladder and go home, and then carry on with your usual routine.
When can I go back to work?
From the very next day, if you work in an office. Routine work at a job or at home is fine; leave out hard gym workouts and very hot workplaces.
Can I take a hot bath after the transfer?
Bathe in lukewarm water instead. Great heat, from very hot baths, saunas, spas or a hot workplace, is better avoided during fertility treatment and in pregnancy.
Can I travel by scooter, car, train or plane?
Yes. A car gives a steadier ride, but a two-wheeler is fine if you ride calmly and steer clear of potholes. Train and air travel are fine too; wear a mask in crowded places such as airports.
Can we have sex after the embryo transfer?
It is not forbidden, but there is a small theoretical risk that intercourse or breast stimulation makes the womb contract. Our doctor advises avoiding it, if you can, until the pregnancy test.
Can I do a home pregnancy test a few days after the transfer?
It is better not to. A urine test four or five days after the transfer cannot give a reliable answer and only adds to the worry. Wait for the blood test, about 14 to 15 days after the transfer.
Or call +91 95185 02773
This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.