- Hi there, welcome to fertile minds.
I'm Dr. Iris Wang, specialist obstetrician, gynecologist
and fertility specialist with IVF Australia.
Today, I'm going to be explaining how you can prepare
yourself for the embryo transfer procedure.
As it is a very important day in your IVF treatment.
Now let's get straight into it.
So let's talk about how it is done.
The embryo transfer procedure is a very straightforward
simple procedure.
Despite the fact that IVF treatment involves so much
technology and is so complicated.
So in embryo transfer procedure, we put the embryo back
into the uterus using a very fine catheter, trans-vaginally
via the cervix, and then into the middle of the uterus.
We also use a transabdominal ultrasound to improve
the accuracy of the transfer.
That is why we ask you to come with a half filled bladder
because that will help us in visualizing the uterus
on the ultrasound.
Of course, before we get to that point,
there's a lot of identification process that goes on
because we want to make sure the right embryo goes back
to the right patient, right?
So we ask you to bring a photo ID to help
with that process.
And then the first step of checking happens
at the desk when you first check in
with the office staff, and then secondly
it will happen in the embryo transfer room
with the doctor and the embryologist.
And then finally, you will be able to do the ID check
on the embryo dish together with your doctor
and the scientists via the TV monitor.
On the TV monitor, you will also be able to see your embryo
being magnified as seen from the embryologist's
perspective using the microscope.
So that's a part that the patients all love,
it's really cool to be able to see your embryo.
And then from there on you will be to see the process
happening via the ultrasound.
So you can see that this is a very straightforward procedure
and it takes about five minutes.
There's no pain and there's no need for anaesthetics.
And of course, when you're finished
and leave the transfer room, you feel
like you were abandoned and you abandoned
for the next 10 to 12 days waiting
for the pregnancy test result.
So I just want to give you some pointers about what to do.
Now firstly, it's very important whenever your doctor
and your fertility nurse have advised you to use any
medication they ask you to use, keep using them,
don't forget.
Secondly, keep calm and then the third thing is to help
yourself doing that,
try and keep yourself busy with projects around the house,
keep yourself busy with your work,
whatever it is to take your mind off your cycle.
So you don't keep thinking it
and you don't keep overthinking it.
And then another very important thing is don't do your home
pregnancy test because sometimes the medication
we give you can give your erroneous readings.
So just wait calmly until the scheduled day
of the pregnancy test at the clinic.
Now I think I should also talk about a few things
that people often ask about and maybe debunking
some of the myths that we'll talk about.
So let's start with heating and overheating.
Now this advice really comes from pregnancy advice.
The idea is that a pregnant woman is working very
hard to make sure she provides the baby
with a good environment to grow.
So as part of this healthy, growing environment,
the temperature has been stable,
the bluff flow has to be plentiful to provide
for the embryo.
And when we overheat, we could get a heat stroke
and we dehydrate.
So when there's dehydration, uterine perfusion goes down,
placental profusion goes down
and that can potentially affect the pregnancy.
So that's where all that pregnancy advice comes from.
And of course, people that extend it to people
who are trying to get pregnant.
So it's not unreasonable. Now, however,
we don't actually have any scientific proof
as to how hot is too hot.
And we don't have any information as to the kind of damages
overheating can do to a pregnancy or implantation.
So in the absence of any scientific proof,
we'll just give you general advice.
And the general advice is don't let your body go over
39 degrees Celsius and always drink plenty of fluids
to avoid dehydration.
Another common myth is about heavy lifting.
So this really is a myth.
There is no proof whatsoever that heavy lifting
causes miscarriages or implantation failure.
And a very important thing I want to say is once
the embryo is inside the uterus, it is in,
it does not fall out.
So even if the embryo didn't take,
it will be cleared by the body's own scavenger system.
Even at that point, embryo still does not fall out.
So if you use that same principle,
you can see that after the embryo transfer,
you don't need to lie down for periods of time.
You can just get up and go.
You don't need to go home and lie down for days.
We want you to keep moving, keep active.
As well as using that same principle,
you can imagine that after the embryo transfer,
it is perfectly okay to go to the bathroom,
particularly in view of the fact
that we asked you to come with a half full bladder.
So after you had the embryo transfer, it is quite important
and quite necessary and totally safe to go to the bathroom.
Okay, and I talked a little bit about exercises,
We like you to keep active,
have some moderate exercises
but possibly not extremely strenuous exercises.
Again, referring to what I said about overheating.
Now, sometimes after the transfer,
there might be a little bit
of blood from the instrument and on contact.
So this is nothing worry about, don't panic.
Now we often give you a pad for that purpose.
It doesn't mean a tampon is somehow bad for you,
it just means sometimes a lot of times in fact,
you're using vagina pessaries and topical medication.
So it just makes things a bit messy,
so we usually just give you a pad to use
and the bleeding will never last for days on end.
Okay, so finally, I think I need to address a very
common question about acupuncture.
Now, there is no scientific proof acupuncture
before or after transfer will improve your pregnancy right
after IVF treatment
but there's good evidence that acupuncture helps with mental
wellbeing and certainly helps reduce stress level
and anxiety levels associated with an IVF cycle.
So if you find that helps you by all means, go ahead.
Because there's no proof that acupuncture is harmful
to your IVF cycle.
Okay, just want to recap,
we talked a bit about what embryo transfer involves.
And we also talked about how to look after yourself
after the embryo transfer and we also talked about
some of the myths that's surrounding embryo transfer.
I certainly hope that you found this video helpful.
Do remember, you all have your own individual circumstances
and you should talk to your own doctor
who know your full history.
Do leave us questions and comments
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so you can see other videos on fertility
and fertility treatment.
For now, it is goodbye until next time.