What is Embryo Transfer?
There are many factors that significantly affect the success rate of IVF treatment. One of the most important of these factors is the embryo transfer and processing process. It is highly probable that the desired success in IVF treatment will be achieved after the successful embryo transfer stage and an environment in which the obtained embryo can develop healthily.
What is embryo transfer?
It is the last stage of IVF treatment. For this reason, it is possible to say that it is the factor that significantly increases the success rate for embryo transfer. Considering this possibility, couples should make a choice by thoroughly researching the success rate of the center they will choose for the procedure, the experience of the doctor and the healthy birth rate before starting IVF treatment.
Before embryo transfer
Before the embryo transfer, the team applying the treatment should make some preparations. For example; such as the preparation of instruments such as catheters, which are necessary for the comfortable and easy embryo transfer. Determining the most suitable instruments for the female uterus is among the preliminary preparations.
On the morning of the day of embryo transfer, final checks are made and the best and healthy embryos are selected.
Then, the selected embryos are delivered by the embryologist to the physician who will perform the procedure in a device called a catheter for transfer. The transfer is done by leaving the embryos in the uterus with the help of ultrasound performed by the physician from the abdomen.
Embryo transfer is a painless procedure and does not require anesthesia unless the patient has a special condition. The process is completed in about 5-10 minutes.
After the procedure, hormone drugs in the form of injections or suppositories to support the uterus are started to allow the embryo to attach and develop easily. If pregnancy is achieved, hormone support continues until the 10th week of pregnancy.
Approximately 12 days after the embryo transfer, a blood pregnancy test is performed and if pregnancy does not occur, the treatment is terminated.
Embryo transfer
The last stage of IVF treatment before the pregnancy test .
As a result of fertilization of sperm and egg, an embryo is obtained. The best quality 1-2 embryos selected from among the embryos formed are left inside the mother's uterus and pregnancy is expected.
It is decided when the embryo transfer will be made by evaluating many reasons such as the age of the woman, the treatment process, the number and quality of the embryos obtained.
The embryo transfer process is usually performed on the 2nd, 3rd or 5th day after the egg is collected if there is no adverse situation.
Embryo transfer is an easy and very short procedure that does not require anesthesia as it is painless.
The transfer process is performed with abdominal ultrasound. During the procedure, the woman's urine bag is requested to be full. Therefore, you need to be cramped when you go for the procedure. The reason for using ultrasound during the transfer is to easily find the path that the catheter will follow into the uterus.
Before starting the procedure, the doctor first checks the entrance to the uterus, called the cervix, with a vaginal instrument (speculum). Doa then cleans this area with a warm liquid.
Meanwhile, the embryos selected in the embryologist laboratory are made ready for transfer. Embryos are drawn into a soft, long-thin catheter made of silicone connected to the syringe. Embryos in the prepared catheter are passed through the cervix by the doctor and left into the uterine cavity. Thus, the embryo transfer process is completed.
Before starting the procedure, your embryologist will inform you in detail about the status of your embryos and they can also give you a picture if you wish.
After the transfer, the patient is taken to his room to rest for 15-20 minutes and is asked to rest there for 1-2 hours.
The patient is discharged after the situations to be considered and the next process are explained by the nurses. Thus, in vitro fertilization treatment is terminated.
After that, it is waited until the day of the pregnancy test, that is, the 12th day. If the result is positive, what to do in the ongoing process is evaluated.
Some of the questions that are asked after embryo transfer are as follows;
Is sexual intercourse prohibited after the transfer?
Experts think that sexual intercourse after embryo transfer may pose some risks for women.
The most important of these is the risk of tearing the enlarged ovaries during sexual intercourse. If such a result occurs, it can cause severe pain in the woman and even significant intra-abdominal bleeding. Therefore, if your doctor does not approve, sexual intercourse should be avoided for a certain period of time during and after the treatment.
Is it possible to do sports and exercise after the transfer?
It is thought that after the transfer, especially heavy and fast-paced sports can prevent the embryo trying to hold on. In addition, since heavy exercises increase the average body temperature, it is thought that the increase in body temperature will play a negative role in the adhesion and development of the embryo. Although there is no scientific evidence on this subject, experts do not recommend heavy exercise after transfer for precautionary purposes.
In general, they do not see any harm in doing light exercises such as walking, not exceeding 30 minutes a day.
How should the nutrition be after the transfer?
Not only after embryo transfer, but also before and after IVF treatment, people should pay attention to their nutrition.
It should not be forgotten that a healthy baby will develop in a healthy body. Before starting the treatment, you will be given the nutritional list recommended by your doctor after the transfer and you will be asked to eat accordingly when possible.
In this process, nutrition will be supported with folic acid and vitamins as supplements.
When is it possible to start daily life after the transfer?
After the transfer, many patients can easily return to their daily life, there are no restrictions on this. Apart from resting for 1-2 hours after the transfer, you can continue your life by avoiding excessive heavy work, sports and stress.
At this stage, the most important situation that will negatively affect pregnancy is stress. Therefore, you should definitely stay away from stress.
If you think that there will be situations that may cause stress in your business life and social environment, it will be beneficial for you to stay away from these environments for a while. Because stress is a completely negative factor for the baby. If you wish, you can get psychological support at this point to eliminate the negativities.
In short, after embryo transfer, patients can return to normal life, where there is no very stressful environment. In addition, as long as they are not exposed to chemicals that may harm their health, there is no harm in returning to work and daily life. On the contrary, if there is no stress in their work and social lives, it can even lead to positive results.
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