Is bed rest following embryo transfer necessary?

Fertil Steril. 1998 Mar;69(3):478-81. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(97)00534-7.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of no bed rest following ET on the results of an IVF program.

Design: Historical cohort-control study.

Setting: A University-based assisted conception unit.

Patient(s): One thousand and nineteen (1019) IVF cycles were performed at our unit from June 1994 to August 1996. The historical control consisted of all the 19,697 IVF cycles reported in the United Kingdom national database from April 1994 to March 1995.

Intervention: No bed rest following ET in our patients.

Main outcome measure(s): Pregnancy rate (PR) and clinical PR per cycles started and per ET procedure.

Result(s): The clinical PR per ET was significantly higher in our patients than in the national data (30% versus 22.9%), as was the clinical PR per cycle (23.5% versus 18.6%). The implantation rate in our patients was 17.2%.

Conclusion(s): The favorable PR in our patients despite no bed rest following ET suggests the bed rest is not necessary.

MeSH terms

  • Bed Rest*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Embryo Implantation
  • Embryo Transfer*
  • Female
  • Fertilization in Vitro
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy