Complete Guide to the Step-by-Step Process of IVF Treatment

For a lot of couples who are having trouble getting pregnant, IVF (in vitro fertilization) is a hopeful and successful way to become parents. But it’s good to know what happens during the IVF process, step by step, before you start the journey. Knowing what to expect can help you feel less anxious, more confident, and make better choices.
This is a basic, step-by-step guide to the entire IVF treatment process.

1.Initial Consultation and Fertility Assessment

The first step in the process is a thorough consultation.During consultation, the reproductive doctor reviews your medical history, past treatments, lifestyle, and current health conditions.
You may be subjected to tests such as:
  • Prolactin, FSH, TSH, and AMH hormone testing
  • An ultrasound to evaluate the health of the ovaries
  • Analyzing the semen of the male spouse
  • Inspection of the uterus and fallopian tubes
The objective is to determine the reason behind your infertility and offer a customized treatment plan.

2. Getting ready for the IVF cycle

Some experts say that you should get ready for IVF for a few weeks first. This could include:
  • Folic acid or vitamin pills
  • Changes to your diet and other parts of your life
  • Managing thyroid or hormonal problems
  • If there are infections, treating them
This preparation helps make eggs better and the treatment more likely to work.

3. Stimulating the ovaries

The ovary makes one egg in a normal cycle. For IVF, doctors want to get a lot of eggs so that the chances of fertilization go up.
You will get hormone shots for 8 to 12 days to get your ovaries to work. The clinic keeps an eye on the following during this time:
  • Size of the follicle
  • Levels of hormones
  • Ovarian response
Most women say that the shots are easy to handle, like insulin doses.

4. Shot to Start

A “trigger injection” is given when the follicles are the correct size. This helps the eggs mature and prepares them for retrieval.
The trigger injection normally happens 34–36 hours before egg harvest.

5. How to Get the Eggs

Egg retrieval is a quick, minimally invasive process that is done under mild anesthetic. The doctor uses a small needle and ultrasonography to find and extract eggs from each follicle.
  • Time for the procedure: 15–20 minutes
  • Pain level: generally slight cramps following
  • Recovery: leave the same day
The embryology lab gets the eggs right away.

6. Collecting and preparing sperm

A sample of semen is taken on the same day. The lab sorts through the sperm to find the healthiest and most active ones.
If there aren’t enough sperm or they aren’t moving, the doctor may suggest ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), which is when a single sperm is put directly into an egg.

7. In the Lab, Fertilization

When the eggs and sperm are ready, fertilization might happen in one of two ways:
  • Traditional IVF: Putting eggs and sperm together in a dish
  • ICSI: putting one sperm into each mature egg
The fertilized eggs turn into embryos, which are then watched very closely for the next three to five days.

8. How embryos grow

Over the next few days, embryos expand from one cell to many cells. The embryologist looks at:
  • Rate of growth
  • Quality of cells
  • Any problems
Embryos that are strong and healthy are chosen for transfer.
Some couples additionally choose to have genetic testing (PGT) done before the transfer.

9. Moving the Embryo

Using a delicate catheter, a healthy embryo is gently and painlessly implanted in the uterus during embryo transfer. You don’t require any anesthesia.
Most of the time, the number of embryos transferred is:
  • One embryo for women under 35 (to avoid twins)
  • In some circumstances, two embryos, depending on age and medical history
You can rest for a short time after the transfer and then go home the same day.

10. Help with the luteal phase

To help with implantation, doctors provide progesterone supplements through:
  • Pills
  • Shots
  • Vaginal suppositories
These last for a few weeks, depending on how far along the pregnancy is.

11. Check for Pregnancy

A blood test called beta hCG is done 12 to 14 days after the embryo transfer to check for pregnancy.
This is often the part of the trip that makes people feel the most. A lot of couples say they feel both hopeful and a little scared.

Last Thoughts

There are a lot of phases in the IVF procedure, but each one is meticulously planned to offer couples the best chance of getting pregnant. If you obtain the correct medical counsel, emotional support, and reasonable expectations, IVF could change years of waiting into a new start full of optimism.
It helps to know what to expect at each stage of IVF therapy. It makes the whole thing clearer, less scary, and much easier to handle. A fertility specialist is the ideal person to talk to about what your IVF treatment plan might look like.

Dr Gajanan G. Patil

Gynecological Endoscopic Surgeons
Dr Gajanan G. Patil is one of the leading gynecological endoscopic surgeons in Jalgaon who has performed over 7000 endoscopies and other gynecological related procedures to treat more than 10000 patients throughout his practice. He is an acclaimed student MBBS students from prestigious B J Medical College, Pune & MS from SRTR Medical College Ambejogai, Beed and visiting Laparoscopic Surgeon in over 50 medical facilities in and around Jalgaon.
Member Since Dec 2025
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