The IVF ovarian stimulation process generally takes around 8 to 14 days, although the duration may vary depending on how your body responds to the medicines.

Step 1: Initial assessment

Before starting ovarian stimulation, your fertility specialist reviews your medical history and may recommend blood tests and an ultrasound scan. These help assess your ovarian reserve and check your ovaries before treatment begins. Based on the results, the doctor decides which ovarian stimulation protocol and medicines are suitable for you.

Step 2: Starting ovarian stimulation injections

Once treatment begins, you will usually take daily hormone injections to stimulate the growth of multiple follicles in your ovaries. These medicines commonly contain follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), sometimes combined with luteinising hormone (LH).

Your doctor decides the type and dosage of IVF stimulation medicines based on your individual needs. Additional medication may also be prescribed to prevent premature ovulation before the eggs can be collected.

Step 3: Monitoring follicle growth

During ovarian stimulation, you will have follow-up visits for ultrasound scans and, in some cases, blood tests to check your hormone levels. These help the doctor track follicle growth and adjust your medication if needed.

Not every follicle will contain a mature egg, so the number of follicles and eggs collected may differ. Your doctor uses the monitoring results to determine when to proceed to the next stage.

Step 4: Taking the trigger injection

When the follicles have developed sufficiently, you will receive a trigger injection to help the eggs complete their final maturation. The timing of this injection is important. Egg retrieval is usually scheduled around 34 to 36 hours after the trigger and your fertility team will guide you on exactly when to take it.

Step 5: Egg retrieval

Egg retrieval is the procedure in which eggs are collected from the ovaries. It is usually performed under sedation or anaesthesia, using an ultrasound-guided needle to collect fluid from the follicles. The collected eggs are assessed in the laboratory, and suitable mature eggs are used for fertilisation as part of the next stage of IVF treatment.

Important: If you experience severe abdominal pain, significant swelling, persistent vomiting, reduced urination or breathing difficulty during ovarian stimulation, contact your fertility team promptly. These symptoms may indicate a complication that needs medical attention.