How many clinic visits does a cycle involve?

Expect several scan and blood test appointments during stimulation, usually every two to three days, plus the retrieval and transfer procedures themselves. The exact number depends on how your body responds and your clinic's monitoring approach.

Can the process be paused partway through?

Yes, cycles are sometimes paused or cancelled if the ovaries aren't responding as expected, or if there's a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Your clinic will explain the reasons and discuss options if this happens.

What's the difference between a fresh and frozen transfer?

A fresh transfer happens in the same cycle as egg retrieval, while a frozen transfer uses an embryo frozen from a previous cycle, transferred later once your body has recovered or your womb lining is prepared. Your clinic will advise which suits your situation.

Do all embryos get transferred?

No, usually only one embryo is transferred at a time to reduce the risk of a multiple pregnancy. Any remaining suitable embryos can often be frozen for future use, though not all embryos survive to a stage where freezing is possible.

The IVF process, step by step

Written by Zayn Miah & R KhanomLast updated 17 September 2026Not clinically reviewed

Short answer: The IVF process runs through screening and consent, ovarian stimulation with daily injections and scans, a trigger shot, egg retrieval, fertilisation in the lab, embryo development, transfer of one embryo, and then a two week wait before a pregnancy test. A full cycle typically takes around four to six weeks from starting injections to the test result, though clinics vary.

Before treatment starts

Before any medication begins, both partners usually go through blood tests, infectious disease screening, and sometimes a hysteroscopy or sperm analysis. This stage can take weeks depending on how quickly appointments and results come through, so it's worth asking your clinic for a rough timeline early on.

Step 1: Down-regulation or a baseline scan

Depending on the protocol, you may start with a period of down-regulation, medication that quietens your natural hormone cycle before stimulation begins, or you may go straight into stimulation from the start of your period after a baseline scan confirms your ovaries are quiet.

Step 2: Ovarian stimulation

Daily injections, usually self-administered at home, encourage multiple follicles to grow. This stage lasts roughly 8 to 14 days and involves several clinic visits for blood tests and ultrasound scans so the dose can be adjusted if needed.

Step 3: The trigger injection

Once follicles reach the right size, a trigger injection is given at a precisely timed point, usually around 36 hours before egg retrieval, to bring the eggs to final maturity.

Step 4: Egg retrieval

A short procedure, usually under sedation, collects the eggs using a needle passed through the vaginal wall under ultrasound guidance. Most people go home the same day and rest for the remainder of it.

Step 5: Fertilisation

On the day of retrieval, the eggs are fertilised, either by mixing them with prepared sperm or through ICSI. The embryology team checks the following morning to see how many have fertilised normally.

Step 6: Embryo culture

Fertilised eggs are grown in the lab for three to six days. The clinic monitors development and will usually call with an update, particularly if you're deciding between a day 3 or day 5 transfer.

It's common for the number of embryos to drop at each stage, from eggs collected, to eggs fertilised, to embryos still developing well by day five. This is a normal part of the process and not something most patients can influence.

Step 7: Embryo transfer

One embryo is placed into the womb using a thin catheter passed through the cervix, guided by ultrasound. This is usually done without sedation and takes only a few minutes, though a full bladder is often needed for the scan.

Step 8: The two week wait

After transfer, you'll be given a date, usually 10 to 14 days later, for a blood or home pregnancy test. Your clinic may also prescribe progesterone support to take during this time, following their own instructions.

What can change the timeline

Whether your clinic recommends a fresh or frozen embryo transfer.
Whether additional tests, like PGT-A, are used, which usually means freezing all embryos while results come back.
How your ovaries respond to stimulation, which can lead to a longer or shorter stimulation phase.
Whether a cycle is cancelled and needs to restart with an adjusted protocol.

Questions people ask next

How many clinic visits does a cycle involve?: Expect several scan and blood test appointments during stimulation, usually every two to three days, plus the retrieval and transfer procedures themselves. The exact number depends on how your body responds and your clinic's monitoring approach.
Can the process be paused partway through?: Yes, cycles are sometimes paused or cancelled if the ovaries aren't responding as expected, or if there's a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Your clinic will explain the reasons and discuss options if this happens.
What's the difference between a fresh and frozen transfer?: A fresh transfer happens in the same cycle as egg retrieval, while a frozen transfer uses an embryo frozen from a previous cycle, transferred later once your body has recovered or your womb lining is prepared. Your clinic will advise which suits your situation.
Do all embryos get transferred?: No, usually only one embryo is transferred at a time to reduce the risk of a multiple pregnancy. Any remaining suitable embryos can often be frozen for future use, though not all embryos survive to a stage where freezing is possible.

Words on this page

Sources

IVF: what is IVF and how does it work?, HFEA (UK fertility regulator). Link checked 17 September 2026.
IVF overview, NHS. Link checked 17 September 2026.

Written by patients, not clinicians. This page has not yet been reviewed by a named fertility professional, so it explains published guidance and points you to the original source instead of giving medical advice. It is not medical advice. Decisions about your treatment belong with your own clinic. Read our editorial policy and corrections policy.