If you have been advised to consider IVF, or are exploring your fertility options, understanding what actually happens during treatment can make the process feel far less overwhelming. Knowing the IVF stages in advance helps you prepare, both practically and emotionally, for what lies ahead.
Below, we walk through what IVF is, break down each of the IVF stages, and explain how Fertility Choice can support you along the way.
What is IVF?
In vitro fertilisation, or IVF, is a form of assisted reproductive technology in which an egg and sperm are combined outside the body, in a carefully controlled laboratory environment, rather than through natural conception.
Once fertilisation takes place, the resulting embryo is monitored for several days before being transferred into the uterus, where it can implant and, hopefully, develop into a pregnancy.
IVF is often recommended for couples or individuals facing infertility due to blocked fallopian tubes, ovulation disorders, male factor infertility, unexplained infertility, or those using donor eggs or sperm.
The stages of IVF
A full IVF cycle typically takes around four to six weeks from start to finish. While every patient’s journey looks slightly different, most treatment follows the same core IVF stages.
Stage 1: Initial consultation and testing
Before treatment begins, you will meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your medical history, any previous fertility treatments, and your overall health goals. Both partners are usually tested at this stage.
This typically includes blood tests to check hormone levels such as FSH, LH and AMH, ultrasound scans to assess the ovaries and uterus, and a semen analysis for the male partner. These results help your specialist design a treatment protocol tailored to your specific needs.
Stage 2: Ovarian stimulation
In a natural cycle, the body typically releases just one mature egg. During IVF, hormonal medication is used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, increasing the chances of success.
This stage usually involves daily hormone injections for around 10 to 14 days. Throughout this time, you will attend regular monitoring appointments, including ultrasounds and blood tests, so your doctor can track follicle growth and adjust medication as needed before progressing to the next IVF stages.
Stage 3: Egg retrieval
Once the follicles have reached the right size, a trigger injection is given to help the eggs reach final maturity. Around 34 to 36 hours later, the eggs are retrieved.
This is a short, minimally invasive procedure performed under sedation or light anaesthesia. A thin needle, guided by ultrasound, is used to collect the eggs directly from the ovaries. Most women can go home the same day, though mild cramping or discomfort afterwards is common.
Stage 4: Fertilisation
On the same day as retrieval, the eggs are combined with sperm in the laboratory. This can happen through conventional insemination, where sperm and eggs are placed together and fertilisation occurs naturally, or through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. ICSI is often used in cases involving male factor infertility.
Stage 5: Embryo development
Following fertilisation, embryos are cultured in the laboratory and monitored closely over the following three to five days. Embryologists assess cell division and overall quality during this time.
Some embryos will reach the blastocyst stage by day five, a more advanced stage of development that is generally associated with a higher chance of successful implantation.
Stage 6: Embryo transfer
The last of the IVF stages involves transferring one or more selected embryos into the uterus. This is a quick, generally painless procedure that does not require anaesthesia and is often compared to a routine gynaecological exam. A thin catheter is used to place the embryo directly into the uterine lining.
Any remaining healthy embryos can often be frozen for future use.
The two week wait
After transfer, there is typically a wait of around 10 to 14 days before a blood test can confirm whether the embryo has successfully implanted and pregnancy has begun. This period can be emotionally challenging, and many patients find comfort in having support during this time.
Benefits of IVF
IVF has helped millions of people around the world build their families, particularly where natural conception has not been possible. Some of the key benefits include:
- The ability to overcome a wide range of fertility challenges, including blocked tubes, ovulation issues and male factor infertility
- The option to use donor eggs, sperm or embryos where needed
- The ability to test embryos for certain genetic conditions before transfer, where appropriate
- Greater control and monitoring throughout the conception process compared to natural cycles
- The option to freeze embryos for future family planning
How Fertility Choice can help
Going through the IVF stages can be physically demanding and emotionally intense, which is why personalised support matters. At Fertility Choice, our team guides you through every stage of your IVF journey, from your very first consultation and diagnostic testing through to embryo transfer and beyond.
We take the time to understand your unique fertility profile, explain each step clearly, and design a treatment plan suited to your individual needs. Our goal is to help you feel informed, supported and confident throughout your journey toward parenthood.
Conclusion
Understanding the IVF stages, from ovarian stimulation through to embryo transfer, can make an unfamiliar process feel far more manageable. While every IVF journey is unique, knowing what to expect at each step allows you to approach treatment with greater clarity and confidence.
Contact Fertility Choice today to book a consultation and take the first step on your personalised IVF journey.
FAQs
Which stage of IVF is most difficult?
This varies from person to person, but many patients find the two week wait between embryo transfer and the pregnancy test to be the most emotionally difficult stage. Physically, ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval can also be demanding due to the medication and minor procedure involved.
How many rounds of IVF is normal?
It is common for patients to need more than one IVF cycle to achieve a successful pregnancy. Many people undergo two to three cycles, though this varies widely depending on age, underlying fertility factors and individual response to treatment.
At what stage does IVF usually fail?
IVF can be unsuccessful at various stages, but implantation, after the embryo has been transferred to the uterus, is one of the most common points where a cycle does not result in pregnancy. Fertilisation and embryo development issues can also affect outcomes earlier in the process.
