I’m doing a FET on January 9th and my clinic told me no alcohol in the 6 days leading up to transfer. I felt like just abstaining for 30 days was a good idea just to be on the safest side….but that means no alcohol on Christmas Day or at Christmas parties.

I’m already starting no-caffeine because of my uterine blood flow so the month is really looking to be a bummer.

When did you all start abstaining from alcohol prior to your transfer?

UPDATE: Wow thank you all! Folks have a lot to say on this topic 😂 I talked to my nurse and she said “Use your judgment and enjoy the holidays” so I think I will. Def lightly and with moderation but no point in restricting myself when I don’t need to.

  • I mean, your clinic already told you to do just 6 days so I don’t see a reason to bum yourself out doing more.

    I’ve basically abstained from alcohol this entire year but it hasn’t made a difference in my previous FETs. The 3 I’ve had so far have all failed. I did have a drink about a week ago to celebrate me getting a new job and my FET is in about a week so 🤷🏻‍♀️

    parent

    Congrats on the new job! 🎉🙌

    parent root

    Congratulations and good luck!

    parent root

  • If it wants to stick, it will, if doesn’t, it won’t, and not beacuae of a few glasses. I even had some wine during TWW and it sticked and during the previous one when I had no alcohol it was a chemical.

    parent

    lol when I was so nervous before my transfer about my uterine lining being thick enough my RE literally told me to go home and have a glass of wine to relax

    parent root

    Yess lol. I asked my doctor if I could take something before FET to be more chill as during the previos one I was so stressed and it hurt. She said what about a shot in the morning? 🫣😆 We agreed that I will take a chill pill. Anyways I think the main thing is trying to be more chill and enjoy ourselves rather than overthinking, but it is hard but I was really trying to work on it.

    parent root

  • I drank caffeine all the way through IVF and my successful pregnancies. I don’t think there is any evidence for causation with caffeine. I also drank some alcohol leading up to my transfers that worked. 

    parent

    There’s evidence of lowered implantation rates with caffeine over 200mg/daily

    parent root

    Could you pass that study on?

    parent root

    here is a link01741-3/fulltext)My clinic had a printed study in my new patient folder but I’m at work and can’t find the exact one that stated 200mg. The link above is similar though! There are quite a few studies.

    parent root

    The one you cite has to do with during egg collection, and has a very small sample size. Also, it doesn’t tell us how many people dropped out the study. 

    Here is a meta-analysis suggesting no effect:

    https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aogs.14464?utm_campaign=WRH_10_17_22&utm_medium=email&utm_source=publicity&utm_term=AOGS

    Here is a cohort study:

    https://www.sciencedirect.com:5037/science/article/pii/S0015028219302870

    I actually wasn’t cherry picking either, I just searched using the terms FET and caffeine. 

    parent root

    Ah fair enough!

    parent root

  • There is no evidence that suggests that completely abstaining from alcohol or caffeine that far away from transfer has any effect at all. Enjoy your celebrations - no need to make things harder on yourself than they already are!

    parent

  • this process is already a bummer so why make it harder. plus, if you are lucky and the transfer works, its a long time with no alcohol in your future. p.s., i never gave up caffeine - i just cut it down when i got pregnant to one cup a day.

    parent

  • I wasn’t asked to abstain from alcohol or caffeine. I even had a glass of wine the night before my transfer (which was successful).

    parent

    Same! I had a glass of champagne and it stuck! I abstained for a week or two before with my first transfer and it didn’t work.

    parent root

  • I was never been given any diet restrictions leading up to transfer. I don't drink anyway. But I truly don't think it matters.

    parent

  • Do what your clinic says so you can feel good about following the rules. But seriously, I’m not convinced it makes a difference for the average individual. I’ve gotten pregnant while malnourished on a diet of caffeine, wine, and donuts (before we knew we had to do IVF) and I’ve gotten pregnant while abstaining from all caffeine and alcohol and living as low stress as possible. I’ve had failures when at my healthiest. That’s all anecdotal evidence of course so do with it what you will.

    parent

  • I drank caffeine all the way up to and through my ART, pregnancies and pp. You’re not getting my caffeine. Alcohol I was never a huge drinker, spouse and I often share a drink, but I definitely didn’t abstain for 30d…maybe not even 6 but my memory is fuzzy there, ironically. I’m 12w with my third fwiw. I feel like lining issues are blamed on everything but they have no idea what it could be.

    parent

  • I think I gave myself 48 hrs w/o drinking and currently 21 weeks! I was stricter with first transfer, which miscarried at 6 weeks. I like what someone else on here said, if it’s gonna stick, it’ll stick.

    parent

  • Is there a study which shows that caffeine impacts uterine blood flow?

    I think anything in moderation is ok. If we’re talking one or two glasses of whine or beer around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, that will hardly make any difference in your overall health.

    parent

    Not sure - this is just what my doctor told me. My Dopplers were very high during stims and she wanted me to cut caffeine once I start patches and do acupuncture

    parent root

  • I have largely avoided alcohol all year including 6 months completely free. Since then I’ve had maybe one drink a week max. I had one high noon a eeek before the transfer and not much else. I read that only heavy drinking regularly would have an impact. I also maintain my 200mg of caffeine per day.

    parent

  • 5 years lol. Not drinking has a lot of benefits aside from fertility.

    parent

  • Tw: success

    I had a glass of wine the night before. And I’m glad I did because it was successful and it was 10 months before I had another one!

    parent

  • I had wine two days before my transfer. I also continued to drink coffee throughout both my pregnancy and current (successful) transfer.

    parent

  • I pretty much gave up drinking all of last year for retrievals and starting afterwards just didn’t feel so good. I also realized I only enjoyed cocktails because of the sugary beverage and hated the taste and smell of alcohol. So I drink/drank mocktails. I also hate the feeling of dehydration

    parent

  • we went on vacation 2 weeks before transfer. I had 2-3 drinks while on vacation. my clinic said 3 or less per week. maybe 4 or less? I always did 3 or less for months

    parent

  • I stopped in June and my 1st IVF isn't til mid Jan, ive been pregnant on and off for most of the year so just kind of used to it now. Have been craving a red wine though. A lot of people say they had their best rounds when just carrying on as normal and not stressing about being overly healthy. I'd definatley be too scared to binge drink, and for me, there's no point drinking unless I'm gonna have a few 🤣 xxx

    parent

  • I had a drink the day before my transfer. Currently 11w4d. If it’s gonna stick, it will stick. Abstaining from alcohol for 30 days is not going to make or break it.

    Also, currently sipping on my double espresso iced latte. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    parent

    Yes. I’m 24 weeks pregnant and having a double espresso shot iced latte every day. It’s my only joy at the moment. I cut caffeine the first trimester and it was horrible. I don’t know if it helped or not but I’m much happier now.

    parent root

  • I don’t know why you’d make this process any harder on yourself. You’re allowed caffeine and you’re allowed to drink alcohol if you wish. 

    parent

    My Dr said explicitly no caffeine once I start patches so I’m listening to them!

    parent root

  • Caffeine vs FET has correlations ?!! That’s interesting

    parent

    My doctor said she wanted me to cut it out once I started estrogen patches! It’s not a typical recommendation but she wanted me to cut it out because my Doppler were high during stims

    parent root

  • I ramped down my caffeine intake but did not abstain, and only cut out alcohol about 5 days before transfer.

    parent

  • There's no need to do that.

    parent

  • My clinic has no restrictions before transfer, just no alcohol after the transfer. They also are fine with 1 cup of coffee a day post transfer. I feel like you’ll find a lot of anecdotal information online but I don’t see a point unless there is actual scientific data saying otherwise

    parent

  • I had a drink the night before. Alcohol won’t be the reason an FET doesn’t work. But if it makes you feel better and more confident then do the safe thing

    parent

  • I had a drink up until I started progesterone!

    parent

    This is what they told me was ok so I think that’s what I’ll do.

    parent root

  • My two successful transfers were January 3rd and January 14th. I didn’t abstain from alcohol (or caffeine, sugar, gluten, whatever else) at all prior to transfer. If it’s going to work, a few glasses on Christmas isn’t going to be your downfall.

    parent

  • I drank the weekend beforehand and am currently 6 weeks no issues!

    parent

  • I had 2 euploids fail. Then I said screw it im living my life. I had a drink 48 hours before my mosaic embryo transfer - it implanted but miscarried. I then lived my life before my next euploid transfer. Stopped drinking 48 hours before, it stuck! However the number of margaritas I had within the 30 days before transfer… many. Live your life, and do what makes you happy and brings serotonin!

    parent

  • TW: Success

    I had a coffee every morning during my FETs and a drink the night before my successful one after abstaining for the previous two. It didn't make a difference!

    People get drunk then pregnant all the time. That's what I tell myself!

    parent

  • I was really worried about this because we went on vacation and had a bunch of drinks for 10 days a month before transfer. I ended up stopping about 3 weeks before transfer just to feel my best and not have anxiety from the what - if’s. TW I’m currently 36 weeks. Like everyone says, if it’s going to stick, it will stick. In your shoes I would have a drink on Christmas for sure.

    parent

  • I got blind drunk about 6 days before my transfer on 18 July. I ended up crying and drunk posting on reddit. The lovely ladies here told me everything would be fine. (TW). I’m 24 weeks pregnant. Let’s face it, Christmas while doing IVF is hard enough. If a drink makes you feel normal, just do it.

    parent

  • I think I stopped drinking a few days before my transfer. If your doctor recommended 6 days, maybe just follow those instructions. It sounds like you’re making this rule for yourself for no real reason. Enjoy Christmas and even NYE if you are so inclined. If you stop drinking on New Year’s Day you’re still going above and beyond.

    parent

  • I stopped all caffeine, alcohol and aspartame 60 days before. My first transfer failed and my second worked exactly a month later. Do I think it had an impact? Probably not. Did I want to cut out anything that could have the slightest impact? Yes.

    parent

  • For my successful transfer, I didn't do any strong cocktails during the stim cycle and no alcohol in the three or so days before the fresh transfer. Drank extra strong coffee until after transfer then dropped to pregnancy recommendations.

    parent

  • I drank alcohol and coffee/tea all the way up to the night before transferring. He is now 1mo old and beautiful and healthy as can be. It’s going to either work or it won’t. One of the clinic docs even told me that the a glass or two might even help if it will help lower your stress/anxiety. Who knows, but do what you feel is right.

    parent

  • I gave up alcohol for personal reasons months before transfer and I never went back to drinking.

    parent

  • Follow your clinic’s guidelines, but abstain longer if that’s going to make you question your decisions later if your FET doesn’t work. I knew that I would do exactly that so I stopped as soon as I started prepping for another transfer lol. Good luck!

    parent

  • I didn’t do any abstaining from anything but I didn’t drink so I guess that’s abstaining didn’t take any supplements. I did four fresh transfers the first time. I was 31. Age is a huge factor. Three stuck. I lost one then had Twins. I’m glad I didn’t wait. Doctors should tell patients chances of IVF success declines around age 32

    parent

    Well I’m 34 so we’ll see how it goes! My eggs were retrieved at 33

    parent root

  • I had a few beer two days before my transfer currently 9 weeks

    parent

  • TW: Success so far- I had one last glass of wine the night before my transfer and am 18W now. I actually stopped all caffeine 3 months before during my IUI attempts and haven’t restarted it. Do what will make you not have regrets but don’t think you have to be a nun for success. ❤️

    parent

  • I did abstain from alcohol for months before my successful transfer but not before the unsuccessful one. And I drank caffeine the entire time including thru pregnancy.

    parent

  • My anniversary was 2 days before my transfer and I definitely had a couple glasses of wine and my transfer was successful.

    Although, I had been pretty much abstaining for almost 9 months prior (with a few drinks here or there).

    parent

  • Stopped drinking alcohol 6 months prior to transfer and stopped caffeine one month prior to transfer.

    parent

  • My husband and I went on a trip to Nola 3.5 weeks prior to our 3rd FET. I had quite a bit to drink that weekend and our transfer was successful!

    parent

  • I am sorry I didn’t follow any of these rules. Once you are pregnant then you definitely can’t drink. As a matter of fact we went hard 2 days before 😂and my son is 6 months. I think your body knows your norm. My best retrieval cycle was when I worked out and followed my routine. All those strict rules I think puts the body in stress. But then I am not a doctor 😂

    parent

  • Just don’t drink. Why add the risk of literally poisoning your body? Any amount of alcohol that you “feel” is bad for you. Just don’t drink! When your (hopefully) child is no longer breastfeeding (if that’s the route you choose to go) then drinking is ok again. Drinking shouldn’t be normalized!!

    parent

  • I actually did not abstain from alcohol until after the transfer. I just reduced it and made sure it was nothing excessive, but a few glasses of wine with dinner or at Christmas parties will not have a significant effect 

    parent

  • 3 months for booze, I just cut my coffee in half and drank half caf.

    parent

  • Different things work for different people, but I continued to have a glass of wine or two all the way up til transfer and had success with my first FET (he’s currently throwing his peas at me). I told myself that if the little guy stuck, I’d be abstaining for a lonnng while so may as well enjoy life until then, lord knows the IVF process is stressful enough! Follow your instincts and best of luck to you!! ✨

    parent