When you have decided to try for a baby, you can\u2019t help but think about whether you have conceived as each month goes through its cycle. It is inevitably a time of heightened emotion, often tipping over into feelings of anxiety and stress. This can feel even more intense when you are going through a cycle of IVF. The very fact of assisting the process of conception is bound to focus all of those stressful feelings.<\/p>\n
Here we zoom in on what can be the most trying of all the different parts of the IVF process, the one in which you have to do nothing but let the time pass. We explain why the wait is necessary and look at some anxiety hot spots, such as when you have symptoms like cramps or spotting during the IVF two-week wait<\/strong>. Finally, we offer a few tips on how to manage this exciting but anxiety-laden time.<\/p>\n A normal cycle of IVF can take between four and six weeks. During this time, you will be quite busy with treatments, visits to the clinic, and thinking about the next steps. At the end of the four to six weeks, what next? Do you have a result? Not yet. This is the beginning of the two-week wait. These are the steps along the way during the treatment period:<\/p>\n For more detail on the process, you can take a look at our video about IVF here<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s only natural that you will be monitoring your physical state to be on the look-out for signs of pregnancy, or for reasons to be fearful. It\u2019s quite possible that, although the IVF round turns out to be successful, you experience no symptoms at all, but if do you have any, they could be misleading. Examples of what you might expect are:<\/p>\n Cramping is very common at this stage. It can raise fears of an oncoming period or alternatively it can raise hope that implantation is taking place but, in fact, it often means neither. It is most likely a result of the various medications that you need to take as part of the procedure. By the same token, if you experience the very slight bleed known as spotting in the IVF two-week wait<\/strong>, it could be a result of the progesterone supplements you are taking or it could be a sign of implantation bleeding<\/a>. Of course, if you experience severe cramping or heavy bleeding, you should consult your doctor.<\/p>\n Many of the normal signs of early pregnancy, such as slight bloating, tender breasts or nausea, can be triggered by the hormonal medications which are part of IVF. They are not necessarily confirmation that you are pregnant, nor are they an indication that you are not! At this stage, it\u2019s really impossible to know, and so the more you can relax and endure the IVF two-week wait<\/strong> without obsessing<\/a>, the better. It\u2019s much more useful to focus as far as possible on managing your anxiety levels.<\/p>\n Keeping stress at bay is easier said than done, but you can\u2019t hurry the process, so try a few tips to relax and keep calm while you wait:<\/p>\n You may like to occupy yourself during the crucial two weeks by absorbing novels and magazines for distraction. On the other hand, you could focus on keeping your optimism up by researching IVF success rates. You could browse our website for IVF real-life success stories<\/a> or take a look the reassuring statistics around our overall success rates<\/a>, and read about the techniques for embryo selection<\/a> which are advancing all the time.<\/p>\nWhat is the IVF two-week wait?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Which physical symptoms can you expect?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Spotting or cramping<\/span><\/h2>\n
Other signs of early pregnancy<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Anxiety management during the two-week wait<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Do some homework to pass the time<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n