When couples hear that they need IVF, the first question is usually “how long will it take?” The honest answer is that one cycle of IVF fertility treatment, from the first injection to the pregnancy test, takes roughly four to six weeks, with some preparation beforehand. What helps most is knowing what to expect during IVF: what happens each week and how you are likely to feel. This guide walks through a typical cycle in order. Every couple’s plan is personalised, so treat it as a map rather than a fixed schedule, and read our overview of IVF fertility treatment at Ridge IVF for the medical background.
Before the cycle: the workup (two to six weeks)
Good IVF starts with a clear diagnosis. Before a cycle is planned, both partners usually complete a basic infertility workup. For the woman this typically includes an AMH blood test and a day 2 or 3 ultrasound to count antral follicles (together these estimate ovarian reserve), thyroid and prolactin tests, and an assessment of the uterus. Some women need a hysteroscopy to check or correct the uterine cavity first. The man has a semen analysis, and both partners are screened for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C.
You will also sign written consent forms, which the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021 requires, and discuss the protocol your doctor recommends.
What you may feel: impatience, mostly. The workup can feel slow, but it is often where the most useful decisions are made. Use this time to cut down on smoking and alcohol, keep active, and start any supplements your doctor advises.
The IVF fertility treatment timeline at a glance
Here is the whole IVF cycle timeline in one view, before we go through each stage in detail.
| Stage | Typical timing | What happens | How you may feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stimulation, week 1 | Days 1 to 6 of injections | Daily hormone injections, first monitoring scan | Mostly normal; mild bloating towards the end |
| Stimulation, week 2 | Days 7 to 12 (varies) | Scans every one to three days, trigger injection | Fuller, heavier abdomen; tiredness; mood swings |
| Egg pick-up | About 34 to 36 hours after trigger | Eggs collected under sedation; sperm sample prepared | Cramping and spotting for a day or two |
| Laboratory | Days 1 to 5 after pick-up | Fertilisation, embryo culture, daily updates | Anxious waiting for embryo news |
| Embryo transfer | Day 3 or day 5 (or a later frozen cycle) | Embryo placed in the uterus, no anaesthesia needed | Relief, hope, some nerves |
| Two-week wait | About 9 to 14 days after transfer | Luteal support, then a blood pregnancy test | The hardest emotional stretch |
Weeks one and two: ovarian stimulation and the trigger
Week one: starting the injections
Stimulation usually begins on day 2 or 3 of your period after a baseline scan. You take daily hormone injections that encourage several follicles to grow at once, instead of the single follicle of a natural cycle. Most women learn to give these small injections under the skin of the abdomen themselves after one demonstration. From about the fifth or sixth day, a second medicine is often added to stop you ovulating too early. Your doctor will choose the protocol and adjust doses based on your response; there is no single right dose for everyone.
What you may feel: for most women, the first week is surprisingly ordinary. Some notice headaches, breast tenderness or mild bloating. You can usually work, travel within Delhi and continue normal activity.
Week two: monitoring scans and the trigger injection
In the second week you visit the clinic every one to three days for a transvaginal scan, sometimes with a blood test, so the team can measure follicle growth. When enough follicles reach the right size, usually after 8 to 14 days of stimulation, you are given a trigger injection that completes egg maturation. The timing is exact: egg collection is scheduled about 34 to 36 hours later, so set an alarm.
What you may feel: the ovaries are now enlarged, so a heavy, full or bloated feeling is common. Avoid strenuous exercise. Call the clinic straight away if you have severe abdominal pain, rapid weight gain, breathlessness, vomiting or are passing very little urine, as these can be signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Egg pick-up day
Egg collection, or ovum pick-up, is a short procedure of about 15 to 30 minutes done under light sedation or anaesthesia. Using a vaginal ultrasound probe with a fine needle, the doctor gently drains each follicle, and the embryologist looks for eggs in the fluid. There is no cut or stitch. On the same morning, the male partner gives a semen sample, which the andrology lab prepares. If sperm needs to be retrieved surgically or a frozen sample is used, this is planned in advance.
Not every follicle contains an egg, and not every egg is mature, so the number of eggs may be lower than the number of follicles seen on the scan. This is normal.
What you may feel: drowsiness for a few hours, then period-like cramps and light spotting. Most women go home the same day and return to light activity the next.
Inside the lab: day 1 to day 5
This is the part couples never see, and where the embryology team does its most delicate work.
- Day 0 (pick-up day): eggs are mixed with prepared sperm (conventional IVF), or a single sperm is injected into each mature egg. ICSI treatment is used mainly for male factor problems, previous fertilisation failure or frozen and surgically retrieved sperm.
- Day 1: the embryologist checks for normal fertilisation. You will usually get a call telling you how many eggs fertilised.
- Days 2 and 3: embryos divide into roughly 4 and then 6 to 8 cells. Some couples have a transfer at this stage.
- Days 5 and 6: the strongest embryos become blastocysts, with 100 or more cells and a fluid-filled cavity. Not every embryo gets this far, and that natural drop-off is expected.
What you may feel: this is often the most nerve-wracking part, waiting by the phone each morning. It helps to remember that the numbers fall at each stage in every IVF cycle.
Embryo transfer: fresh or frozen
Embryo transfer is quick and usually painless, feeling much like a smear test. A soft, thin catheter is passed through the cervix under ultrasound guidance and the embryo is placed in the uterus. You may be asked to arrive with a comfortably full bladder to help the scan.
Many clinics now prefer to grow embryos to day 5, because a blastocyst has a higher chance of implanting per transfer and makes it easier to transfer a single embryo, reducing twin risk. Our article on blastocyst transfer versus day 3 transfer explains the trade-offs. Your doctor may also suggest freezing all embryos and transferring later, for example if you are at risk of OHSS, the uterine lining is not ideal, or genetic testing is planned. Good-quality spare embryos can be frozen for a future attempt.
The two-week wait
After transfer you take luteal phase support, usually progesterone, to prepare the uterine lining. A blood pregnancy test (beta-hCG) is scheduled roughly 9 to 14 days after transfer, depending on the embryo’s age. Bed rest is not needed; normal daily activity, light walking and work are fine.
What you may feel: progesterone can cause breast tenderness, bloating and tiredness, which are easily mistaken for early pregnancy symptoms or for a period approaching. Light spotting can happen either way. Try not to test at home early, as results can be misleading. Many couples find the IVF two-week wait the hardest fortnight of all; plan small distractions, and lean on each other or a counsellor.
After the test: next steps either way
If the test is positive, a repeat blood test and an early ultrasound at around six to seven weeks confirm a pregnancy inside the uterus and a heartbeat. If the test is negative, stop the medicines only when your doctor advises and book a review consultation. A good review looks at how you responded to stimulation, egg and embryo quality, and the transfer, then decides whether to use frozen embryos or plan a modified cycle. One unsuccessful attempt does not mean IVF fertility treatment will not work for you.
Talk to a Ridge IVF specialist
If you would like your own week-by-week plan, our team can map out your cycle after reviewing your reports, and you can learn more about the full IVF process at Ridge IVF before you visit. We see couples at Jawahar Nagar, the Fortis Ridge Fertility & IVF Centre in Shalimar Bagh, and our new Burari centre. Call or WhatsApp +91 88001 00326, or book a consultation.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for a personal consultation with a fertility specialist.
Frequently asked questions
How many days does one IVF cycle take?
From the first stimulation injection to the pregnancy test, a single fresh IVF cycle usually takes about four to six weeks. Stimulation lasts around 8 to 14 days, egg collection follows about 36 hours after the trigger, embryos grow for three to five days, and the blood test comes roughly two weeks later. Preparatory tests before the cycle add a few more weeks.
Can I go to work during IVF?
Most women continue working through IVF. You will need flexibility for early-morning monitoring scans in the second week, and most people take the day of egg collection off, plus perhaps the following day. Embryo transfer takes only a short time, and complete bed rest afterwards is not required. If your job involves heavy physical work, discuss it with your doctor.
Are IVF injections painful?
Most stimulation injections use very fine needles placed just under the skin of the abdomen, and many women describe a brief sting rather than real pain. The clinic team shows you how to give them, and many couples manage them at home. Some bruising or redness at the injection site is common and settles on its own. Tell your doctor about any severe reaction.
What happens to the extra embryos after IVF?
Good-quality embryos that are not transferred can be frozen by vitrification and stored for a later frozen embryo transfer, which avoids another round of stimulation and egg collection. Your consent form records what you want done with stored embryos. If you do not need them, options are explained to you in line with the ART (Regulation) Act and its rules.
The information on this website is for general education and does not replace a consultation. Treatment plans and outcomes differ from person to person; no treatment can guarantee pregnancy or a live birth.
