{"id":106461,"date":"2021-05-17T12:01:26","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T10:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/?p=106461"},"modified":"2024-09-23T17:07:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T15:07:42","slug":"how-long-does-ivf-take","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/","title":{"rendered":"How long does IVF take?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The decision to have IVF treatment is a big one. It comes probably after a long period of hoping for pregnancy, fearing infertility. It comes to terms with the need for fertility treatment. It\u2019s understandable that, once you\u2019ve reached your decision, you\u2019re going to hope for speedy results. But this is a series of stages rather than a single treatment. <strong>How long IVF takes<\/strong> between initial consultation and embryo transfer? This differs between individuals because every patient has their own unique set of circumstances. In general, and barring exceptional circumstances, you can expect an initial cycle to be somewhere between six and eight weeks.<\/p>\n<p>In our blog article, we take you through the steps, highlighting where the planned timescale might go adrift, and, at the end of it all, your chances of eventual success when you hold your baby in your arms.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Initial_consultation\" title=\"Initial consultation\">Initial consultation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#The_series_of_IVF_processes\" title=\"The series of IVF processes\">The series of IVF processes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Ovarian_stimulation\" title=\"Ovarian stimulation\">Ovarian stimulation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Collection_of_the_eggs\" title=\"Collection of the eggs\">Collection of the eggs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Fertilisation_and_embryo_culture\" title=\"Fertilisation and embryo culture\">Fertilisation and embryo culture<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Embryo_transfer\" title=\"Embryo transfer\">Embryo transfer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#The_two-week_wait\" title=\"The two-week wait\">The two-week wait<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#How_might_IVF_take_a_longer_or_shorter_time\" title=\"How might IVF take a longer or shorter time?\">How might IVF take a longer or shorter time?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#i\" title=\"\u00a0\">\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/#Overall_success_rates_at_IVI\" title=\"Overall success rates at IVI\">Overall success rates at IVI<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Initial_consultation\"><\/span>Initial consultation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When you make your first visit to an IVI clinic, our resident physician will start by reviewing your, and, where relevant, your partner\u2019s complete medical history and records of any previous treatments. We will run some tests so that our specialists can begin to reach a diagnosis. These include a complete gynaecological examination, and possibly blood tests and an ultrasound scan for the woman, and a sperm analysis if the intention is to use the partner\u2019s sperm in the IVF treatment. When these preliminaries have been completed, our clinicians will be able to make a personal recommendation for the treatment that is most suitable to the individual patient\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n<p>You can find out more about the initial consultation in our video about <a href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/faqs\/your-first-visit-to-ivi\/\">your first visit to IVI<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_series_of_IVF_processes\"><\/span>The series of IVF processes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>After diagnosis, the medical intervention stages of IVF treatment begin. You can\u2019t be certain of the timescale involved. Anyway, the first step, ovarian stimulation, is the most time consuming.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ovarian_stimulation\"><\/span><strong>Ovarian stimulation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The purpose of this step of the treatment is to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs rather than the normal one per month. Medication consists of self-administered hormonal injections over a period of between 11 to 14 days. During this time, your gynaecologist carries out three or four ultrasound scans and blood tests to monitor progress as the follicles containing the eggs begin to develop. When an adequate number have reached a size between 14 and 16 mm, a dose of the human gonadotrophin hormone (hCG) is administered. Egg collection is scheduled for 36 hours later.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Collection_of_the_eggs\"><\/span><strong>Collection of the eggs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This step of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/our-ivf-process-in-7-simple-steps\/\"><strong>IVF process<\/strong><\/a> is a quick and simple procedure of about 15 to 20 minutes, carried out under light sedation so there is no discomfort. The ovaries are reached via the vaginal cavity. Each follicle is punctured and the fluid containing an egg, known as an oocyte, gently aspirated through a fine needle. After a short rest, you will be free to return home and resume normal activities.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fertilisation_and_embryo_culture\"><\/span><strong>Fertilisation and embryo culture<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You then have a wait of around five to six days. During this time the mature oocytes are fertilised in the laboratory. The embryos are observed as they develop so fertility specialists can select those that show the healthiest potential for successful pregnancy. At this stage it is also possible, if there is a medical need, to conduct genetic testing.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Embryo_transfer\"><\/span><strong>Embryo transfer<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, it\u2019s the day you\u2019ve been waiting for. Your five-to-six-day wait won\u2019t have been entirely uneventful: some medication is needed to help prepare your womb lining, the endometrium, to optimise receptivity to an embryo. The selected embryo is transferred to your uterus by means of a specially designed cannula in a simple process that does not require anaesthetic.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_two-week_wait\"><\/span><strong>The two-week wait<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Transfer of the embryo is technically the end of the IVF treatment. So far, the process has taken six to eight weeks, depending on your personal treatment plan. But now comes what many patients describe as the most difficult period of all. This is <a href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/two-week-wait-after-ivf\/\">the two-week wait<\/a> until you can have a blood test to confirm whether you are pregnant.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_might_IVF_take_a_longer_or_shorter_time\"><\/span>How might IVF take a longer or shorter time?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There\u2019s no absolute guarantee that all will go according to plan on each cycle of IVF and sometimes events can cause a delay in the process. Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When your response to the ovarian stimulation is not as expected, it is possible that very few or even no good quality eggs can be retrieved. At the other end of the scale, if your response is too active, you could be at risk of ovarian hyperstimulation. In both cases, it is likely that your current cycle would need to be abandoned and a new cycle started at a later date.<\/li>\n<li>If there are reasons for you to need pre-implantation genetic testing, this could add a minimum of three weeks to the timescale.<\/li>\n<li>Whenever your first IVF cycle, resulted in a number of healthy embryos. After one is selected for transfer, the remaining embryos would be frozen. If the first attempt was not successful, subsequent IVF cycles would be considerably quicker. This is because you would skip the ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval phases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"i\"><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overall_success_rates_at_IVI\"><\/span>Overall success rates at IVI<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>IVF is not a quick procedure, but with IVI you can set out with the confidence of knowing that we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/faqs\/success-rates\/\">95% pregnancy rate<\/a> after three attempts, including the use of frozen embryos as described above. This rises to an overall 99% pregnancy rate when you include the use of donor eggs. We\u2019re sure you will agree that the time spent on the treatment will all be worth it in the end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The decision to have IVF treatment is a big one. It comes probably after a long period of hoping for pregnancy, fearing infertility. It comes to terms with the need for fertility treatment. It\u2019s understandable that, once you\u2019ve reached your decision, you\u2019re going to hope for speedy results. But this is a series of stages&#8230; <a class=\"view-article\" href=\"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/how-long-does-ivf-take\/\">View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":106462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[64,151],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How long does IVF take? What are the phases of the process?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Having an IVF treatment is a big decision. How long does IVF take is a frequently asked question among our patients. 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