Before the cycle
Testing, planning, and consents happen before medications start. Your physician walks you through your specific protocol and timing.
Stimulation and monitoring
You self-administer injections at home. Monitoring appointments (blood work and ultrasound) happen every few days for roughly 10–14 days.
Retrieval and lab
Retrieval is a short procedure under sedation. In the lab, eggs are fertilized (often with ICSI) and cultured for 3–7 days before transfer or freezing.
The two-week wait
After transfer, pregnancy is measured with blood tests. This can be the hardest part emotionally — plan support for that stretch as intentionally as you plan the medical steps.
This page is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Treatment recommendations depend on a physician evaluation, diagnosis, age, medical history, ovarian reserve, sperm parameters, reproductive goals, and other patient-specific factors. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.