Tips for after transfer

7. Don’t head for bed after your embryo transfer.

Duvet day after your embryo transfer, right? Wrong. It’s a myth that bed rest after embryo transfers helps. You’re better of relaxing and staying upright. Tell your partner to take you out for a nice lunch – minus the alcohol and postprandial coffee, of course. Then take a stroll round the park, but don’t do strenuous exercise. No heavy lifting or trampolining, either, and no hot baths. Those embryos want you active, calm and dry.

8. Try not to cough or sneeze.

If you have a cold on the day of your embryo transfer, tell your doctor. You shouldn’t really cough or sneeze during the procedure. It probably won’t affect your implantation chances once the embryos are in, but sneezing with the catheter inside your uterus isn’t wise. Ask for a cough remedy to keep the splutters at bay. Keep quiet and zoned-out.

9. Book a clown – or give your partner a joke book.

Your embryo transfer should be stress-free, as should the next few minutes recovering from it. Bizarre as it sounds, a recent study found that IVF patients who were entertained by a medical clown for 15 minutes post-embryo transfer were twice as likely to get pregnant than joke-free patients. We’re guessing a medical clown has a red nose, white coat and a good brief. The point is, this admittedly small Israeli study suggests low stress levels can help implantation. If your clinic doesn’t have a salaried clown to hand, tell your partner to start rehearsing his Ricky Gervais routines.