IVF is a 4 to 6 week process in 5 phases: ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization and culture in the lab, embryo transfer, and the two-week wait before the pregnancy test. Each phase has a specific goal, and knowing which one you are in reduces anxiety.
| Phase | How long | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ovarian stimulation | 8 to 12 days | Get multiple eggs to mature |
| 2. Egg retrieval | 1 day (20 to 30 minutes) | Collect the eggs |
| 3. Fertilization and culture | 3 to 6 days | Fertilize the eggs and grow the embryos in the lab |
| 4. Embryo transfer | 10 to 15 minutes | Place the embryo(s) in the uterus |
| 5. The wait | 14 days | Implantation and the pregnancy test |
In a natural cycle only 1 egg matures. Here the goal is to get multiple eggs.
Most women describe the injections as “less painful than I expected.”
An outpatient procedure under light sedation (not general anesthesia), after 8 hours of fasting. Guided by transvaginal ultrasound, a thin needle collects the fluid from each follicle, and the lab identifies the eggs. You are usually discharged within 2 hours, with rest recommended for the next 24 to 48 hours.
It can happen in the same cycle (fresh transfer) or a later one (frozen); many centers now prioritize frozen transfer for slightly better rates. No anesthesia, 10 to 15 minutes, with a moderately full bladder: a thin catheter places the embryo(s) in the uterus under abdominal ultrasound. After 15 to 30 minutes of rest you go back to normal activities (there's no evidence that prolonged rest improves outcomes), and progesterone supplementation begins, usually vaginal.
This tends to be the most emotionally difficult stretch of the whole process.
IVF step by step is Chapter 35 of Map to the Positive, in Station IV (Signs). The chapter also covers the possible side effects, the most common myths and the questions to ask your specialist before you start. Chapter 34 places IVF on the treatment ladder with success rates by age, and Chapter 36 helps you through the emotional side of treatment.
Take 30 days. If it does not give you more clarity than everything you have read for free so far, ask for a refund and you get every cent back. We cannot promise you a pregnancy. We can promise you will not be guessing.