Stillness can assist artificial insemination conception, research has found

Women who lie still for 15 minutes after artificial insemination (AI) have a higher chance of getting pregnant, research has claimed.

Those who lay back have a significantly increased chance over those who get up and move around straight after the procedure.

But it is unclear if the results would relate to the chances of getting pregnant after sexual intercourse.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), was carried out by experts in the Netherlands and included 391 couples.

They were split into two groups, with 199 couples having the woman lie still for 15 minutes after insemination and 192 couples having the woman moving around immediately afterwards. This last group was the control group.

The authors wrote: "The ongoing pregnancy rate per couple was significantly higher in the immobilisation group than in the control group: 27% versus 18%. Live birth rates (per cycle) were 27% in the immobilisation group and 17% in the control group.

"In the immobilisation group, the ongoing pregnancy rates in the first, second, and third treatment cycles were 10%, 10%, and 7%. The corresponding rates in the mobilisation group were 7%, 5%, and 5%."

The authors said the results were strong enough to recommend that women lay back and lay still for 15 minutes after the procedure.

"As immobilisation is easily done and carries very little cost, we suggest incorporating immobilisation as a standard procedure in intrauterine insemination treatment.

"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."