We modern women don’t generally like the idea of sitting back and doing nothing – especially when we're trying so hard to get pregnant. But when it comes to increasing our chances of conception after an Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), lying back may be exactly what we need to do.
According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal lying in a prone position may actually help sperm make a connection with your egg. Doctors looked at 391 women of which 199 were given 15 minutes of peace and quiet after the insemination and 192 were asked to move around. They found that 27 percent of the women who were told to lie still for 15 minutes after insemination got pregnant and gave birth compared to 18 percent who were told to get up immediately.
Dr. Daniel Stein, a reproductive endocrinologist with St. Luke’s Roosevelt hospital in New York, says he always recommends that his patients lie back after an IUI because the catheter can often cause uterine cramping. "In terms of better pregnancy rates, I can’t discount that it may help," he adds. "But I’m not going to say it’s the magic bullet that will get you pregnant."
So instead of racing back to the office after your next IUI, take a deep breath, lie back for 15 minutes, and relax. It can’t hurt.