When can I resume normal activity after IVF?

After egg retrieval: rest for the remainder of that day, then return to light activity over the following two or three days. Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and swimming until after your pregnancy test. The ovaries remain enlarged for a while, and vigorous twisting movement carries a small risk of ovarian torsion. After embryo transfer: you can return to normal daily activity straight away. Bed rest does not improve success rates — this has been studied, and if anything the results favour normal activity. Walking, working and ordinary household tasks are all fine. This is worth emphasising, because many people spend the two-week wait afraid that any movement will dislodge the embryo. It will not. The embryo is not affected by standing up, walking, or going to work. Nothing you do in an ordinary day will displace it. What to avoid: strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, very hot baths and saunas, and intercourse until your clinic advises otherwise. Contact your clinic promptly if you develop severe abdominal pain, significant bloating, breathlessness, reduced urine output, or rapid weight gain — these can indicate ovarian hyperstimulation and need assessment rather than waiting.