From the Research
After an embryo transfer during IVF, it's generally recommended to wait until after your pregnancy test (typically 10-14 days post-transfer) before resuming sexual intercourse to avoid any risk of conceiving naturally alongside the transferred embryo. This waiting period is important because sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days, and if you haven't yet confirmed pregnancy from the transferred embryo, there's a theoretical possibility of natural conception occurring if you ovulate 1. Most fertility clinics advise patients to abstain from intercourse during the time between embryo transfer and pregnancy test to eliminate any chance of multiple conception (one from IVF and one natural).
Key Considerations
- Many women undergoing IVF are taking medications that suppress ovulation or are unlikely to ovulate spontaneously due to their fertility issues, further reducing this risk 2.
- Once pregnancy is confirmed from the transferred embryo, natural conception of another embryo becomes impossible as hormonal changes prevent further ovulation during pregnancy.
- Some doctors may recommend waiting even longer (2-3 weeks after transfer) for comfort reasons, as the embryo is implanting and early pregnancy is establishing 3.
Evidence Summary
- A study published in Fertility and Sterility in 2020 found that prolonged progesterone support may be unnecessary after fresh embryo transfer 2.
- Another study published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online in 2014 found that the quality of embryos transferred and progesterone levels are the most important predictors of live birth after fresh embryo transfer 4.
Recommendations
- Wait until after your pregnancy test (typically 10-14 days post-transfer) before resuming sexual intercourse.
- Follow your fertility clinic's advice on when to resume sexual intercourse after embryo transfer.
- Be aware of the potential risks of multiple conception and take steps to minimize them.