Treatment · 5 min read
An IVF cycle isn't one event — it's a sequence of carefully timed steps that usually unfolds over four to six weeks. Knowing what to expect at each stage can take a lot of the anxiety out of treatment.
The exact protocol your clinic recommends will be tailored to your history and test results, but most IVF cycles follow the same broad shape. The NHS outlines six clear stages.
Many protocols start with a short period of medication to quiet your natural hormones, so your clinic can take control of timing. This usually lasts around two weeks and isn't used in every protocol.
You'll then have around 8–14 days of daily injections of follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH) to encourage your ovaries to grow several follicles at once, each containing an egg. You'll have a few short scans during this time to check how your follicles are responding.
When the follicles look ready, you'll be given a precisely timed "trigger" injection that matures the eggs in preparation for collection, usually about 36 hours later.
Egg collection is a short procedure (around 15–30 minutes) under sedation. A fine needle is guided through the vaginal wall using ultrasound to gently retrieve fluid from each follicle. Most people rest at home the same afternoon.
Your eggs are then taken to the embryology lab and combined with sperm — either by standard IVF insemination or by ICSI. Your embryologist will then care for the embryos and update you over the following days.
Usually on day 5, a single blastocyst is transferred to the uterus in a short, painless procedure that feels similar to a smear test. Any other suitable embryos can be frozen for future use. You then wait around 9–14 days before a pregnancy blood test — known colloquially as the "two-week wait".
IVF is as much an emotional process as a medical one. Resting where you can, leaning on the people around you, and being honest with your clinic about how you're feeling all make a real difference. If you'd like to talk anything through, our team is always here to help.
