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Your Guide

The IVF Process: Step by Step

Understanding what happens at each stage of IVF treatment, how long it takes, and what to expect along the way.

At a Glance

4-6
Weeks per cycle
5-8
Clinic visits
7
Key stages
1. Consultation 2. Stimulation 3. Monitoring 4. Trigger Shot 5. Egg Collection 6. Fertilisation 7. Embryo Transfer 8. Two-Week Wait
1
Week 1 1-2 visits

Initial Consultation & Tests

Your fertility journey starts with a detailed consultation. Your clinic will review your medical history, run blood tests, and perform ultrasound scans to assess your ovarian reserve (AMH levels and antral follicle count). Your partner may have a semen analysis.

Blood tests (hormone levels, AMH)
Ultrasound scan
Semen analysis (if applicable)
Treatment plan agreed
2
Weeks 2-3 Daily injections

Ovarian Stimulation

You begin daily hormone injections (usually FSH) to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs instead of the usual one. This phase typically lasts 8-14 days. Your clinic will teach you how to self-inject at home.

Daily self-administered injections
Usually in the abdomen (small needles)
May experience bloating and mild discomfort
Medication cost: typically 500-1,500
3
During stimulation 3-5 visits

Monitoring Scans

During stimulation, you will visit the clinic every 2-3 days for transvaginal ultrasound scans and blood tests. These track how your follicles are growing and help your doctor adjust medication doses if needed.

Ultrasound to count and measure follicles
Blood tests to check hormone levels
Medication may be adjusted based on response
4
Day 10-14 Single injection

Trigger Shot

When your follicles reach the right size (typically 18-22mm), you receive a "trigger shot" (hCG injection) to mature the eggs and prepare them for collection. This must be given at a precise time, usually 36 hours before egg collection.

Timing is critical (your clinic will specify exact time)
Egg collection scheduled 36 hours later
5
Day 12-16 20-30 min procedure

Egg Collection

A minor surgical procedure performed under sedation or light anaesthesia. A thin needle is passed through the vaginal wall to collect eggs from the follicles, guided by ultrasound. Most women collect 8-15 eggs. You will need someone to drive you home.

Sedation or light general anaesthetic
Takes 20-30 minutes
May feel cramping or bloating afterward
Rest recommended for 1-2 days
Sperm sample also collected on this day
6
Days 1-5 after collection Lab work

Fertilisation & Embryo Development

Your eggs are combined with sperm in the laboratory. With standard IVF, sperm and eggs are placed together. With ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into each egg. The embryos are then cultured for 3-5 days.

Day 1: Fertilisation check (how many eggs fertilised)
Day 3: Embryo at cleavage stage (6-8 cells)
Day 5: Embryo at blastocyst stage (best for transfer)
PGT-A genetic testing can be done at this stage
Surplus good-quality embryos can be frozen
7
Day 3 or Day 5 10-15 min procedure

Embryo Transfer

The best embryo is selected and transferred into your womb using a thin catheter. This is usually painless and does not require anaesthesia. Most clinics now transfer a single embryo to reduce the risk of twins. You can usually return to normal activities the same day.

Quick, painless procedure (similar to a smear test)
Guided by ultrasound
Single embryo transfer recommended (reduces twin risk)
Progesterone support begins (pessaries or injections)
8
14 days after transfer The hardest part

The Two-Week Wait & Pregnancy Test

After transfer, you wait approximately 10-14 days before taking a pregnancy test (usually a blood test at the clinic). This is often described as the most emotionally challenging part of IVF. Continue progesterone support as directed.

Continue progesterone medication
Avoid home tests before clinic date (can give false results)
Blood test (beta-hCG) at your clinic confirms pregnancy
If positive: early pregnancy scan at 6-7 weeks
If unsuccessful: your clinic will discuss next steps

What Happens After a Positive Test?

If your pregnancy test is positive, your clinic will schedule an early pregnancy scan at around 6-7 weeks to confirm the heartbeat. After this, care is usually transferred to your NHS midwife and you follow the same antenatal pathway as any other pregnancy.

Calculate Your Due Date Find a Clinic Near You

Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) Timeline

If you have frozen embryos from a previous cycle, a frozen embryo transfer (FET) is a simpler process. There is no need for ovarian stimulation or egg collection. Instead, your womb lining is prepared with medication (oestrogen and progesterone) over 2-3 weeks, then the thawed embryo is transferred. The process from start to pregnancy test takes approximately 4-5 weeks.

Please note: Every IVF cycle is different. Your clinic will tailor the protocol to your individual circumstances. Timelines may vary depending on your response to medication and your clinic's specific approach. This guide is for informational purposes only.
Matt Hodson

Hey, I'm Matt

I built FertilityHub as a solo project to help people navigate one of the most stressful times of their lives. There are no ads, no paid placements, and no sponsors. Just honest data. I know this journey can be stressful enough without worrying about finding the right clinic. If this site has helped you even a little, a small contribution would genuinely mean the world.

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