IVF Journey What to Expect from Your First Consultation to Embryo Transfer

Let’s be honest just considering IVF can feel overwhelming.

Your head might be spinning with questions:

• Is this the right time?
• How painful is it?
• What if it doesn’t work?
• How do I even begin?

And emotionally, it’s not just a medical journey it’s a very personal one filled with hope, fear, anxiety, and, most of all, resilience.

If you’ve found yourself researching late at night, asking friends in hushed tones, or staring at your calendar wondering what happens next, you're not alone.

And that’s exactly why we have created this guide to walk you through every step of the IVF process, from that very first consultation all the way to embryo transfer, in a way that feels like a conversation, not a lecture.

Understanding IVF: A Quick Overview

Before diving into the timeline, it helps to understand what IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) actually means. It’s a fertility treatment where eggs are retrieved from your ovaries, fertilized with sperm in a lab, and then the resulting embryo is transferred back into your uterus.

It sounds clinical, but in reality, it's a deeply emotional and hopeful journey for many people trying to build a family.

What to Expect from Your First Consultation to Embryo Transfer?

Your First IVF Consultation: What Happens Here

This first visit is all about listening and learning for both you and your fertility doctor.

Expect your doctor to ask about:

• Your medical and reproductive history
• Menstrual cycle details
• Previous pregnancies or fertility treatments
• Any known conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or thyroid issues

You may also be asked to do initial blood work, hormone panels (like AMH, FSH), and a transvaginal ultrasound to assess your ovarian reserve. Your partner, if applicable, might undergo semen analysis. It’s okay to bring a notebook or better yet, someone who can help you remember everything.

This isn’t a rushed appointment. It’s your moment to ask every single question you’ve been carrying in your head. How long will IVF take? What are my chances? How much will it cost? Are there any lifestyle changes I need to make?

Remember, you're not committing to anything yet. This is step one: building a plan with your care team.

Pre-IVF Testing and Prep: Laying the Groundwork

Once you’ve decided to move forward with IVF, you’ll go through a phase of preparation and testing. This is where the clinic gets to know your body really well think of it as setting the foundation.

Common tests and procedures include:

• HSG (Hysterosalpingogram): An X-ray to check if your fallopian tubes are open and your uterus is normal.
• Sonohysterogram: Uses saline and ultrasound to look inside the uterus.
• Infectious disease screening for both partners.
• Genetic carrier screening to see if you carry genes that could affect your child.

Your doctor might also recommend supplements like prenatal vitamins, CoQ10, or DHEA to improve egg quality. You might be asked to stop smoking, cut back on caffeine, or manage stress through yoga or counseling.

Ovarian Stimulation: The Daily Routine of IVF

This is the phase most people associate with IVF and yes, it involves injections.

Your doctor will prescribe hormone medications (like FSH and LH) to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs, rather than the one egg you’d normally release each month. You’ll be giving yourself (or having someone help you with) daily injections for about 8 to 14 days.

During this time, expect:

• Frequent monitoring: Blood tests and ultrasounds every few days to track how your follicles are growing.
• Adjustments: Your dose might be changed based on how your body is responding.

Toward the end of this phase, when the follicles have matured, you’ll get a trigger shot (usually hCG or Lupron) to get the eggs ready for retrieval.

It’s intense. Your hormones will be on a rollercoaster. You might feel bloated, emotional, and exhausted. Be kind to yourself.

Egg Retrieval: A Quick Procedure with Big Impact

Around 36 hours after your trigger shot, it’s time for the egg retrieval. It’s a short procedure (15–30 minutes), done under light sedation or anesthesia.

What to expect:

• You’ll be asked to fast the night before.
• The doctor will use a transvaginal ultrasound-guided needle to collect eggs from your ovaries.
• You’ll rest for a bit after the procedure and need someone to drive you home.

You may feel some cramping, spotting, or grogginess afterward, but most people recover within a day or two.

Meanwhile, if applicable, your partner will provide a sperm sample the same day. Or if you’re using donor sperm, the lab will begin fertilization using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) or traditional IVF techniques.

Fertilization and Embryo Development: The Waiting Game Begins

Once the eggs and sperm meet in the lab, the embryology team begins monitoring fertilization. Not all eggs fertilize, and not all embryos grow to the blastocyst stage, which is normal.

Over the next 5 to 6 days:

• The lab watches for embryo development.
• You may get updates on how many embryos are growing.
• At day 5 or 6, embryos are assessed for quality.
• If you're doing PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing), a few cells may be biopsied for chromosomal screening.

Embryos that make it to blastocyst can be transferred fresh (in the same cycle) or frozen for future use.

Embryo Transfer: A Quiet, Emotional Milestone

The embryo transfer is surprisingly simple and painless. It doesn’t require anesthesia and feels much like a Pap smear. But emotionally, this can be one of the most powerful moments in your journey.

Here’s what happens:

• You’ll be given a full bladder to help visualize your uterus.
• The doctor uses a thin catheter to gently place the embryo inside your uterus.
• You may watch it happen on a screen in real time (and yes, it's surreal).
• After a few minutes of rest, you’ll go home.

Depending on your plan, your doctor might transfer one embryo (SET) or two (DET). In many cases, they recommend freezing any remaining embryos.

The Two-Week Wait: A Lesson in Patience

After transfer, you’ll be prescribed progesterone (as an injection or vaginal suppository) to help your body support implantation.

Then comes the two-week wait, often the most emotionally draining part of IVF. Symptoms can mimic PMS, and it’s tempting to test early but your doctor will schedule a beta hCG blood test around day 10 to 14 post-transfer to confirm pregnancy.

During this time:

• Try not to Google every symptom.
• Stay off forums that make you anxious.
• Lean on your support system.

You’ve already done the hard work. Now it’s time to trust your body.

What Happens After the Pregnancy Test

If your beta hCG test is positive congratulations! You’ll repeat the test a few days later to check if the numbers are doubling. From there, you’ll be scheduled for your first ultrasound at 6–7 weeks.

If the test is negative, it’s heartbreaking but your doctor will walk you through next steps. Many people go on to have successful outcomes in future cycles. It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to pause. And it’s okay to try again when you're ready.

Tips to Emotionally Navigate the IVF Journey

• Give yourself permission to feel everything. Joy, anger, sadness, hope it's all valid.
• Take breaks when you need to. Mentally and physically.
• Talk to a therapist or join a support group. You’re not meant to do this alone.
• Celebrate small wins. Every appointment, every good update acknowledge it.
• Create rituals. A favorite tea after monitoring. A playlist for injections. A journal for thoughts.

Final Thoughts: Every Step Is a Step Forward

IVF is not just a medical treatment it’s a story of perseverance. Every shot, every early morning ultrasound, every wait for a phone call… it’s a step closer to your dream.

There’s no “right” way to feel during this journey. Some days you’ll be hopeful. Other days, you’ll question everything. But knowing what to expect can take away some of the fear and replace it with informed, grounded hope.

You’re not just going through IVF. You’re doing something incredibly brave.