Yes! Mild uterine cramping and vaginal spotting are fairly common after embryo transfer and IUI. This does not mean that you aren’t pregnant! Even bleeding that is similar to a normal period can occur in the setting of a successful pregnancy.

If you did a fresh embryo transfer where you underwent an egg collection procedure not long before your embryo transfer, you may feel fatigued, bloated, and experience menstrual-like cramping in the days preceding your embryo transfer and after.

If you are doing a frozen embryo transfer or IUI, you may experience some mild abdominal cramping, breast tenderness, and fatigue following your transfer.

You may also feel absolutely nothing, but sometimes the absence of symptoms can be just as anxiety-provoking as the presence of symptoms. If your symptoms seem severe, reach out to your care team.

All pregnancy tests check for the hormone “hCG” which is the hormone produced by the embryo after it implants and begins to grow. Home pregnancy tests identify the presence of hCG in the urine and laboratory pregnancy test looks for the presence of hCG in the blood. While home pregnancy tests work very well if they are used correctly and on the right day, the results of a blood test are always more accurate. In addition, the blood test provides you with the actual level of the hormone in your blood, while a home pregnancy test will only provide you with a “positive” or “negative” result.

A pregnancy test should be performed about two weeks after an embryo transfer and IUI. This testing window provides you with the most accurate results, helping to prevent you from having either a false positive or false negative test.

During treatment cycles in which an hCG trigger injection is used, testing too early can result in a false-positive test because the pregnancy test may be simply detecting the hormone leftover in your system following the trigger injection.

If a trigger injection was not used in your treatment cycle, testing too early can result in a false negative test because the embryo has not had enough time to begin making the pregnancy hormone. Testing on time can prevent a lot of unnecessary anxiety and disappointment, even though it can feel like torture to wait it out!

Following embryo transfer, we recommend that you take one day to rest, after which, you can resume your usual activities. There is no need to adjust your diet and exercise routines while awaiting your pregnancy test result.

Outcomes can sometimes even appear to be better in women who resume their usual activities in the period following embryo transfer or IUI. The key is to approach the date of your pregnancy test knowing that you made decisions about your body and your health that felt right to you!

Sure can! And you can climax. Neither will negatively impact the outcome of the cycle. There is no need to abstain from sex while waiting for your pregnancy test.

The only supplement that we strongly recommended during this time is a daily prenatal vitamin. While there are supplements that may improve factors such as egg or sperm quality, there are no supplements that have been shown to improve the chance that an embryo will implant and grow after embryo transfer or IUI.

We encourage you to eat a balanced diet, take care of your body (and your mind!), and take that prenatal vitamin during the two-week-wait.

Though you may experience some mild cramping, spotting, or fatigue post-transfer, there are a few things to be aware of during your two-week-wait.

Heavy vaginal bleeding or severe abdominal or pelvic pain are never normal and should be evaluated by your doctor. If you are having symptoms that are causing you concern or anxiety, connect with your care team. Let them know what symptoms your having and they will help you determine whether or not you need to come into the clinic for an exam.