Lie back and think of babies

[Posted: Sun 01/11/2009 by Olivia Fens]

Women who lie on their backs for 15 minutes after artificial insemination have a “significantly higher” chance of getting pregnant than women who move around straight after treatment, according to a new study.

The authors of the study are now calling for all women undergoing intrauterine insemination to be offered 15 minutes of immobilisation after the procedure.

Almost 400 couples participated in the study – around half were asked to lie down for 15 minutes after intrauterine insemination and the other half were allowed to move around immediately after the procedure.

The results show that “the ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the immobilisation group: 27% versus 18%.

The authors said it was not clear why immobilisation improves the success of intrauterine insemination but they speculate that moving around after treatment might cause leakage.

“Although immobilisation takes more time and occupies more space in busy rooms, the intervention will be economic in the long run, as pregnant patients will not return in subsequent cycles,” the researchers from the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam said.

The study was published in the British Medical Journal.