What to Expect From the IVF Process, Step by Step

The IVF process usually takes between three and six weeks from start to finish, and while the exact details can vary slightly between clinics, the core steps remain broadly the same across the UK. Before anything begins, your doctor will sit down with you to explain the full IVF process, including the risks, benefits and what to expect at each stage, and you will need to give your formal consent before treatment can start, since this is a legal requirement rather than just good practice.

Step 1: Suppressing Your Natural Cycle

According to HFEA guidance on IVF, many treatment cycles begin with medication, usually a daily injection or nasal spray, that temporarily suppresses your natural hormone production. This ensures you do not ovulate naturally before the clinic is ready to collect your eggs, and it also helps keep your hormone levels low and the womb lining thin ahead of treatment, giving the clinic more control over the timing of every later stage.

Not everyone needs this step. Some clinics use a shorter “antagonist protocol” instead, which suppresses hormones only for a few days later in the cycle, so your own doctor will advise which approach suits your circumstances and medical history. Either way, this stage is designed to give your clinical team full control over exactly when your eggs are ready to be collected.

Step 2: Stimulating Egg Production

The next stage of the IVF process involves daily injections of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), usually for around ten to twelve days. This encourages your ovaries to develop more eggs than you would release naturally in a single cycle, giving the embryologist a wider choice of eggs and, later, embryos to work with, which improves the overall odds of success across the cycle.

During this time you will be closely monitored, typically with blood tests to check your hormone levels and regular vaginal ultrasound scans to track how many follicles are developing and how quickly, so your clinic can adjust your medication dose if needed.

Step 3: Egg Collection

The day before collection, you will be given a final hormone injection to help your eggs fully mature. On the day itself, you will usually be sedated or given a general anaesthetic, and a fine needle is guided through the vaginal wall into each ovary to collect the eggs under ultrasound guidance.

The procedure itself normally takes around 20 to 30 minutes, and it is common to experience some light bleeding or mild cramping afterwards, which usually settles within a day or two. Most people are able to go home the same day once the sedation has worn off, though it is sensible to arrange for someone else to drive you.

Step 4: Sperm Collection and Fertilisation

Around the same time as egg collection, your partner will be asked to provide a fresh semen sample, or your donor sperm will be prepared from storage. The sperm sample is washed and processed so that the healthiest, most active sperm can be selected for use, and in some cases a single sperm is injected directly into each egg using a technique called ICSI.

The eggs and prepared sperm are then combined in the laboratory and left to fertilise for around 16 to 20 hours. Fertilised eggs continue developing in the laboratory for several more days, typically between two and six days in total, while embryologists monitor which embryos are progressing best and are most likely to lead to a successful pregnancy.

Step 5: Embryo Transfer

Once the strongest embryos have been identified, one or two are selected for transfer back into the womb using a fine catheter, a procedure that does not usually require anaesthetic. Meanwhile, you will normally be given a hormone gel, pessary or injection to help prepare the womb lining to receive the embryo, so that it has the best possible chance of implanting successfully.

The number of embryos transferred as part of the IVF process typically depends on age and embryo quality. Women under 37 are usually offered a single embryo transfer on a first cycle to reduce the risk of a multiple pregnancy, while women over 40 may be offered two embryos, since multiple pregnancies carry higher health risks for both mother and babies. Any remaining good-quality embryos can usually be frozen for future use, whether for another cycle after an unsuccessful attempt or if you hope to have another child later.

Step 6: The Pregnancy Test

You will need to wait around two weeks after embryo transfer before taking a pregnancy test, since testing earlier can give a false result even when the cycle has worked. This can usually be done at home with a standard pregnancy test, though some clinics ask you to attend in person instead so they can confirm the result directly.

If the result is positive, you will be referred on for antenatal care. If the IVF process has not resulted in a pregnancy this time, many clinics recommend waiting a cycle or two before trying again, giving your body time to recover both physically and emotionally, though your doctor can advise on what makes sense for your own situation and any remaining frozen embryos you may have available.

What Does the IVF Process Cost?

Because the IVF process involves several distinct stages, each with its own tests, medication and monitoring, costs can add up considerably if you are self-funding rather than receiving NHS-funded treatment. Our detailed breakdown of fertility treatment costs in the UK covers typical price ranges for each stage, including medication, scans and any additional procedures such as ICSI, so you can budget realistically before you start.

If you are considering your options in more depth first, our introduction to what IVF actually is and how it compares with other fertility treatments is a useful starting point before committing to a full cycle.

How Successful Is the IVF Process?

Success at each stage of the IVF process depends heavily on age, and figures are published annually by the HFEA for every licensed UK clinic. Our guide to understanding HFEA success rates explains how these figures are calculated and what they can, and cannot, tell you when comparing clinics, since headline numbers alone rarely tell the full story.

According to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, information about success rates is of limited value when comparing centres in isolation, since your own chances depend far more on your individual circumstances, such as your age and the underlying cause of infertility, than on small differences between clinics.

The IVF Process at a Glance

The table below summarises the typical stages of a single IVF cycle, though your own clinic may adjust the order or timing slightly depending on your circumstances.

Stage	Typical duration
Suppressing your natural cycle (if used)	2 to 3 weeks
Stimulating egg production	10 to 12 days
Egg collection	20 to 30 minutes
Fertilisation in the laboratory	2 to 6 days
Embryo transfer	A few minutes, no anaesthetic needed
Waiting for the pregnancy test	Around 2 weeks after transfer

Frequently Asked Questions About the IVF Process

How long does the whole IVF process take?

A full cycle typically takes between three and six weeks, though this can vary depending on whether your treatment includes an initial hormone-suppression stage and how your body responds to medication.

Is the IVF process painful?

Most stages, including the daily injections, cause only mild discomfort, and egg collection is carried out under sedation or general anaesthetic, so you should not feel the procedure itself, though some cramping afterwards is common.

How many embryos are transferred during the IVF process?

This depends mainly on age and embryo quality; women under 37 are usually offered a single embryo transfer, while women over 40 may be offered two, in line with HFEA guidance on reducing multiple birth risk.

What happens to embryos that are not used straight away?

Good-quality remaining embryos can usually be frozen and stored for future use, either for another cycle or if you hope to have another child later on, subject to storage limits agreed with your clinic.

Can I do a pregnancy test early during the IVF process?

It is best to wait around two weeks after embryo transfer, since testing earlier can produce a false result even if the cycle has been successful, which can cause unnecessary worry.

Understanding each stage of the IVF process, from suppressing your natural cycle through to the pregnancy test, can make the experience feel far less overwhelming when you eventually sit down with your own clinic to plan treatment. If you are exploring your options for building a family, including donor sperm or egg donation, CoParents.co.uk connects you with a supportive UK community throughout your journey. Register for free to get started.