Egg collection
Also written as egg retrieval, oocyte retrieval
The minor surgical procedure in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries using a fine needle guided by ultrasound, usually under sedation.
In plain English
It's the short procedure where a needle is passed through the vaginal wall, guided by ultrasound, to collect the eggs that have grown during stimulation.
Why it matters
It happens around 34 to 36 hours after your trigger shot and marks the point where lab-based fertilisation and embryo development begin.
Related terms
Guides that cover this
Sources
- IVF: what is IVF and how does it work?, HFEA (UK fertility regulator). Link checked 17 September 2026.
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