How long does IVF take? The IVF timeline, week by week
One IVF cycle takes about four to five weeks from the first injection to the pregnancy test. Injections start on day two of a period and run for about eight to twelve days. Egg collection follows the trigger injection, the embryo transfer comes a few days later, and the pregnancy blood test about two weeks after that.
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Couples starting IVF ask practical questions: how many visits, how much leave from work, and when will we know? In this detailed video, in Hindi, Dr Mayur Pai follows an IVF cycle from the first scan to the pregnancy test, showing the actual injections and instruments. This guide sets out the same journey as a timeline. To understand what IVF is and why it is done, read the IVF process explained step by step.
Before the cycle: the first consultation and tests
IVF begins with a conversation, not an injection. You meet the doctor as a couple, go through your history and any earlier treatment, and have a vaginal ultrasound scan. The usual tests are an AMH blood test for the egg reserve, a semen analysis for the husband, and basic blood tests for both of you.
The doctor then explains whether IVF is the right step, whether ICSI will be needed, and which stimulation plan suits you. The cycle itself waits for your next period, so this stage takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Day 2 of your period: the baseline scan and the first injection
Day one of the cycle is the first day of proper bleeding. On day two you come in for a baseline scan, done through the vagina with an empty bladder and a slim probe, because it gives a far clearer picture of the ovaries and womb lining than a scan over the tummy.
The scan checks that the ovaries are quiet, with small follicles and no cyst. If a cyst is found, the doctor may settle it with medicine and start after the next period instead. If all is well, the first stimulation injection is given that day, and a nurse shows you how to continue at home.
Days 2 to 11: daily injections and scans
For the next eight to twelve days or so, depending on how you respond, you take a stimulation injection every day. These hormones help several follicles grow together, instead of the single egg of a natural month. Around the fifth or sixth day of injections comes the first follow-up scan, and the doctor may adjust the plan.
When the largest follicles reach a certain size, a second daily injection is added to stop the eggs being released too early. It should be taken at the same time every day. From here, scans are usually every day or two. Each visit is short, and most women carry on with work, though mild bloating is common towards the end. What each IVF injection is for.
Around day 10 or 11: the trigger injection
When the scan shows the follicles are mature, you are given the trigger injection. It completes the final ripening of the eggs and is timed to the hour, because egg collection is planned for about a day and a half later. Set an alarm and take it exactly when you are told, and come fasting for the collection.
Egg collection day
Egg collection is a short day-care procedure. A light anaesthetic is given through a small needle in the hand, so you sleep through it. Guided by the vaginal scan, a fine needle enters each follicle and gently draws out the fluid that holds the egg. There are no cuts and no stitches. It takes around a quarter of an hour, and after a few hours of observation you go home the same day.
The same day, the husband gives a semen sample, which is prepared in the laboratory. The eggs and sperm are brought together by standard IVF, or by ICSI, where a single sperm is injected into each egg when the sperm need extra help. Progesterone support usually starts now, as vaginal capsules, tablets or injections, to prepare the womb lining.
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In this second video, in English, Dr Mayur Pai goes through the same stages in everyday language.
Days 1 to 5 after collection: the embryos grow
Over the next few days the embryologist checks which eggs have fertilised and how the embryos are growing. A healthy embryo divides at a steady pace, so its growth and appearance show which embryos are strongest. The transfer is planned on day three or, where possible, on day five, the blastocyst stage. The doctor decides which suits your embryos.
Sometimes it is wiser not to transfer in the same cycle. If there is a risk of over-stimulation, or the hormones or lining are not ideal, good embryos are frozen and transferred calmly later. Read what a frozen embryo transfer involves.
Embryo transfer day
The transfer is quick and usually needs no anaesthesia. The embryo is loaded into a very soft, thin tube, passed gently through the neck of the womb, and placed in the middle of the womb. It feels much like an internal examination and takes a few minutes. After a short rest you go home.
The two-week wait and the pregnancy test
About two weeks after the transfer, a blood test called beta hCG shows whether the embryo has implanted. Until then, take your progesterone exactly as prescribed, at the same time each day, and never stop a medicine on your own, even if you notice a little spotting. Extra medicines, such as a blood thinner, are given only when the doctor feels they are needed.
Normal daily activity is fine. Eat enough protein, drink plenty of water to avoid a urine infection, and do not worry about foods being "hot" or "cold"; follow your doctor's advice rather than well-meant rules from relatives.
Your IVF timeline at a glance
- Before the cycle: consultation and tests for both partners, then wait for the next period.
- Day 2: baseline scan and the first stimulation injection.
- Days 2 to about 11: daily injections at home and scans every day or two.
- Around day 10 or 11: the trigger injection, timed to the hour.
- About a day and a half later, around day 12: egg collection, the husband's sample, and the start of progesterone.
- Three or five days after collection: the embryo transfer, or freezing for later.
- About two weeks after the transfer: the pregnancy blood test.
These are typical timings, not fixed dates. Your own plan moves with your scans, and we tell you each next step as you go.
About this guide
This guide is by Dr Mayur Pai, MBBS, MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), a fertility and laparoscopy specialist. Pai Hospital in Goa has its own operating theatre and its own IVF laboratory, so the scans, the egg collection, the laboratory work and the embryo transfer all happen in one place, under one team.
Questions, or ready to book?
Planning IVF and wondering how the weeks will fit around work and family? Send your question and any reports on WhatsApp to +91 95185 02773. To book a consultation, call Sheetal at our fertility reception on +91 95459 20817; every visit is by appointment. Consultations are held in Panjim, Margao, Mapusa and Vasco. Our IVF packages are transparent and fixed; ask us and we will explain exactly what is included.
This article is for education only and is not personal medical advice; please consult your doctor about your own situation.
Your questions
Is the IVF timeline different with frozen embryos?
Yes. If the embryos are frozen instead of transferred fresh, the transfer happens in a later cycle, usually after one or two periods. The womb lining is prepared with medicines over about two weeks, and the pregnancy test follows about two weeks after that transfer.
How many hospital visits does IVF need?
Usually a first consultation, a baseline scan on day two of the period, a handful of short scan visits during the injections, then the egg collection day and the transfer day. The exact number depends on how your ovaries respond, because each visit is planned from the previous scan.
Can the IVF dates be planned around our work?
Only roughly. The cycle starts with your period, and the trigger and egg collection dates depend on your scans, so exact dates are known only a few days ahead. Most women fit the short scan visits around work and take the egg collection day off, and the husband must be available that day to give his sample.
Do I need to stay in hospital for egg collection?
No. Egg collection is a day-care procedure under a short anaesthetic. You come in fasting, the procedure itself is brief, and after a few hours of observation you go home the same day.
When can I take a pregnancy test after the embryo transfer?
The reliable test is a beta hCG blood test, about two weeks after the transfer. A home urine test taken earlier can mislead, so wait for the blood test and keep taking your progesterone as prescribed until the doctor tells you otherwise.
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This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.