I think we were told no sex for the 10 days following transfer. We were at CFA.

Our RE said oral sex and orgasm were fine. They don't want intercourse because your ovaries could twist.

I was also wondering if this had to do wtih the motion/invasion of intercourse and the sperm or if there was a problem with orgasm or a mouth being down there.

Anonymous wrote:Does abstinence include orgasms? I'm single so sex is unlikely to be an issue but my instructions said no orgasms for 5 days after transfer.

You're right, for everything we're going through, I have no problem holding off for as long as is best for a live birth.

This is the PP. Yes, my understanding is that the primary reason to avoid intercourse was to avoid orgasm (should you be lucky enough to have an organsm everytime you have sex ). However, I suspect that would include masturbation or oral sex too if those led to orgasm, but if in doubt ask your doc.

Does abstinence include orgasms? I'm single so sex is unlikely to be an issue but my instructions said no orgasms for 5 days after transfer.

You're right, for everything we're going through, I have no problem holding off for as long as is best for a live birth.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have more updated info on this? The handout I got from CFA said to abstain for 1 week after transfer. obviously, people have their own personal medical reasons why abstaining further might make sense, but barring that, would you have to abstain for the whole first trimester assuming that you got pregnant?

We were told to abstain from intercourse for 6 weeks post transfer. We did. The reasoning as I understood it from our doc at SGFC was that orgasm might cause uterine contractions which might impede the ability of the embryo to properly implant.

At around 7 weeks I had subchorionic bleeding and was then told to abstain from sex through 12 weeks. We heeded the advice and all went smoothly. We resumed sex in the second trimester.

Really, if you think about all the time and energy you've invested in getting pregnant (if you're going through IVF), a few months without intercourse is no. big. deal.

Does anyone have more updated info on this? The handout I got from CFA said to abstain for 1 week after transfer. obviously, people have their own personal medical reasons why abstaining further might make sense, but barring that, would you have to abstain for the whole first trimester assuming that you got pregnant?

Had IVF and we abstained through out the first trimester. The RE advised that we not engage in intercourse in the first 6 weeks post transfer (2 ww included) and my OB has advised that I refrain for the full first trimester (though I have had some first trimester bleeding, so that is probably the reason he's being especially cautious). It's tough, but you find other ways of being intimate.

Abstained during 2ww and for the first trimester from actual sex. Pre-transfer, I had also read about how sperm might help "prime" the uterus to receive egg and the dr. basically told me if i wanted to have sex go for it but be careful since i was swollem from drugs

I abstained during 2ww.

We abstained from IVF throughout pregnancy, but I was pregnant with twins, was high risk (over 35), had a cerclage put in at 18 weeks, and was on modified bed-rest for the rest of the pregnancy.

OP here -- I'm really on the fence about what to do. Fellow IVFers - did you really abstain for 3 months?

I'm definitely planning on waiting the 2WW..... but I don't want to be stupid, either.

My "research" has also led me to find that sex prior to transfer, apparently, helps with implantation. Lots of conflicting stuff out there.

We were told to abstain for the whole first trimester! When pressed, the RE admitted it was a very conservative, better-safe-than-sorry approach -- basically to minimize the risk of infection. YMMV.

I've heard both 6 weeks and the first trimester. Not sure which is right.

For those who have done IVF, how long should we abstain post-transfer? I get the impression SG wants us to abstain at least during the 2WW. Thanks!