It’s the fertility equivalent of an urban legend: eat McDonald’s fries after your embryo transfer, and you’re more likely to get pregnant because the sodium helps improve the odds of implantation. We’ve looked into whether McDonald’s fries really are the answer to implantation. 

Where did this rumor come from?

It’s unclear where the superstition first started, but the idea is that the high salt content of fries helps reduce the chances of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) by absorbing excess fluids in the body. There’s no scientific evidence that eating fries does anything to help  — and if this was the case, it’d make more sense after your egg retrieval, when you’re most likely to develop symptoms of OHSS. Myth: debunked.

But...

That said, if it makes you feel better to go ahead and eat them after your embryo transfer, we say do it. If you’re given a few minutes of joy, you feel like you’ve done something productive, and it makes you feel a little more in control — then we support making a visit to the Golden Arches. 

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