What to expect after the embryo transfer?Dr Chinmayie R

It is essential to know what to expect after the embryo transfer. Slight anxiousness, bleeding, cramping, and pelvic pain are widespread after the embryo transfer.

Gone are when women were restricted to specific tasks, and there were confines on what women were meant to do. With the revolutionized world, women’s empowerment grew strong, becoming aware of their rights, skills, talents, and goals in life. Lifestyle changed, and so did priorities. However, the ultimate wish for every woman remains that of being a mother. This puts most women in a dilemma about choosing a career, chasing their dreams, or settling down and planning a happy family. Undoubtedly, the desire to become a mother is intense and a key driving force for many decisions in a woman’s life, but then there is confusion about whether you have to give up on your career, goals, and dreams.

Well, if that is your concern, then the answer is “No.” The wonders in Reproductive Medicine have come up with new and innovative techniques to help women pursue their dreams and experience the joy of mothering a child. You can now freeze your embryos to be used later when you are ready to conceive.

Freezing embryos is a simple procedure that allows a couple to store the embryos for future use. The process begins by harvesting eggs in a laboratory setting. Hormonal induction is done to ensure proper ovulation with the help of fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs produced and the quality of eggs. The eggs are then extracted and fertilized with the husband’s semen in a lab. On successful fertilization of the egg, the embryos will be preserved for use in the future whenever you decide to get pregnant. The embryos are frozen under special settings not to damage them and retain them in a healthy state to be used when desired. Once you are ready to conceive mentally and physically, the frozen embryo is transferred into the womb. Upon successful conception, it is like managing any other normal pregnancy.

Though the procedure marks the beginning of new life full of excitement, it is also accompanied by other emotions such as anxiety during the waiting period before conducting a pregnancy test, which will determine the success of the implantation. It is human tendency to be curious and anxious. Likewise, there is every possibility that you could be tempted to take a pregnancy test a few days following the embryo transfer procedure. Still, it is advisable to wait for the recommended two-week period before taking up the difficulty. This ensures the accuracy of the test. A pregnancy test earlier than two weeks could yield a false negative result.

Symptoms to expect post embryo transfer – During the period between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test, some women may experience symptoms similar to those with menstruation or menstrual cycle. There might not be any symptoms associated in some cases, which is entirely normal.

Some of the symptoms following an embryo transfer could include:

• Mood swings

• Muscle aches or joint pains

• Bloating

• Cramps

• Spotting

• Fatigue

• Sore breasts

Even if the symptoms occur, they are very mild and often do not carry any risks. So, you need not give up on your dreams and goals for fear of the risk of infertility if you delay your pregnancy. You can talk to a fertility specialist and seek information and guidance on freezing your embryos to plan your baby at a later date.