Embryo Glue: The 5 Secrets Everyone Should Know Post-Embryo Transfer

There may be no more anxiety-ridden interval than the time between the embryo transfer and the first pregnancy test. Simply stated, it is sort of terrible. Those nine days can feel like nine years. Every symptom you feel (or don’t feel) can take your mind to places you didn’t think it was possible to go. However, while the rollercoaster of emotions is real, the good news is that you are not alone. Nearly every woman who has come before you and every woman who will come after you find the time between the transfer and the pregnancy test to be incredibly stressful. Here are five tips on how to best deal with your emotions during the transfer-to-test interval.

  1. Movement: Standing up after the embryo transfer is finished ranks up there on many women’s top 10 list of scariest activities while going through fertility treatment. The “if I move these embryos are going to fall out sensation” is super common, but it isn’t super credible. In fact, there is absolutely NO medical evidence to show that movement, be it in the form of a trip to the ladies room or a bumpy car ride home, will negatively impact your chances of pregnancy. Don’t sideline yourself just because you had an embryo transfer.  Movement won’t be the factor that makes or brakes the pregnancy.
  2. Diet: Food gets a lot of credit and a lot of flak when it comes to fertility. Pineapples will make your embryo stick, and hot dogs will make your embryos not stick. And although who doesn’t love a sweet pineapple in the middle of July, there is no evidence that food will improve or harm your chances of pregnancy. Bottom line, don’t lose sleep over what you have and have not taken in—your “intake” will not impact if your embryo takes up a permanent spot in your uterus.
  3. Exercise: There may be no more controversial words than exercise and fertility. These two engender A LOT of emotions. And while it may seem like it from what you hear and what you read, in reality exercise and fertility are by no means oil and water. Exercise—be it walking, running, cycling, or swimming—is not a no no post-transfer. While you may have to curtail your specific activity based on if you had a fresh or frozen embryo transfer, breaking a sweat won’t break your chances of pregnancy.  We do usually recommend a 48-hour period of relaxation after the transfer—but after that, most forms of exercise are okay. Just touch base with your doctor.   We will say, for those of you who will look back and blame yourself if the transfer does not work, we recommend you don’t engage in any activity that will make you think twice.  We can tell you there is no sound data to suggest moderate exercise after an embryo transfer will lower implantation rates, but we want you to have zero regrets!
  4. Coffee: Don’t say sayonara to Starbucks just because you had an embryo transfer. Coffee is not the culprit for your infertility and is cool (or hot!) post-transfer. While you should taper the amount of caffeine you ingest (<200mg/day), you can continue to indulge your caffeine kick.
  5. Stress: It’s nearly impossible not to count down the days from the transfer to the pregnancy test. The anxiety, anticipation, and stress mount as the time between these two events is minimized. These emotions are totally normal. Everyone has them. Engaging in activities that can help alleviate your stress is recommended but not mandatory  (although de-stressing will do your mind good, it won’t make a difference on the outcome of the transfer). On the flip side, if you can’t take your stress level below a 10 no matter what you do, don’t freak out. Stress post-transfer has not been demonstrated to decrease the chances of pregnancy.  

It’s important to always remember that whether you DO or DO NOT get pregnant, post-embryo transfer has to do with the quality of the embryo, the genetics of the embryo, and your uterine lining—not what you DID or DID NOT do. Unfortunately, you can live your best you and still not get pregnant. And while we don’t have all the answers for what makes some transfers work and others not, we promise to keep searching for that evasive “embryo glue”—and if we find it, we won’t keep it a secret!