How Long Does the IVF Process actually take from testing to freezing?

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How Long Does IVF Really Take?

Starting your IVF journey? Excited? Nervous? One of the first questions couples often ask is, "How long does IVF take?". While we wish we could perform it instantly, IVF takes some time and is often restricted by your biology. Understanding the IVF process timeline will help you plan ahead and manage expectations.

In this article, the Sama team outlines a typical IVF timeline, focusing on the four stages from the start of ovarian stimulation to the embryo transfer. We'll also cover the initial consultation, preconception fertility testing, and priming protocols, through to pregnancy.

IVF Timeline Overview

It is extremely important to realize that IVF is not a single treatment but a complex series of linked medication protocols, procedures, and laboratory techniques that have to be performed in a preset sequence. The average IVF cycle takes about 15-20 days from the start of medications to embryo transfer if doing a fresh transfer and about 45 days if doing IVF with a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET).

When accounting for consultations, fertility testing, and preconception protocols, the IVF timeline at a regular clinic can extend to 5 months or longer from your initial consultation to your first pregnancy test. At Sama, the ideal time line for our patients however is just under 3 months. Individual responses to IVF medications and procedures can vary, and protocols may need to be updated, potentially extending the timeline.

Preparation for IVF: 30-90 Days Prior to Treatment

Fertility Testing Before starting the IVF process, thorough fertility pretesting is conducted to assess various factors affecting reproductive health.

Female Testing:

Bloodwork: Panel assessing general, hormonal, and fertility health.

Imaging: Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to evaluate the fallopian tubes and Saline Sonohysterogram (SHG), a vaginal ultrasound to assess uterine abnormalities and the uterine lining's health.

Male Testing:

Semen Analysis: Evaluates sperm count, motility, and morphology in the male partner when necessary.

At Sama, we understand how precious time is especially during IVF and when it comes to starting your family. That's why we've created SelfStart-IVF, a revolutionary service designed to kickstart your fertility journey and eliminate those frustrating wait times.

Preconception Regimen Approximately 90 days before the egg is ovulated, various preconception measures can be taken to optimize egg, sperm, and thus embryo quality. These measures focus on increasing the health of your body through nutrition, supplementation, and holistic wellness practices.

Diet:

The optimal fertility diet includes a high protein low carbohydrate regimen and maximal elimination of processed foods.

Physical Activity:

Regular low-impact movement practices such as walking, cycling, swimming, and yoga.

Lifestyle Changes:

Limiting and/or eliminating alcohol and caffeine.

Eliminating smoking.

Supplementation:

High-quality vitamins and compounds, such as those found in prenatal vitamins, ovarian supplements, and fish oil.

IVF Cycle with Embryo Transfer Timeline

After fertility testing, you’re ready to begin the IVF cycle. Here’s what comes next:

Phase 1: Ovarian Stimulation | From Day 1 to Day 9-12 The IVF process begins on the first day of your period, entering the stimulation phase. Based on your treatment plan, your fertility specialist will prescribe injectable medications, usually follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Increasing these hormones stimulates your body to produce more follicles, each containing a mature egg for retrieval. Anywhere Monitoring at Sama includes blood tests to assess hormone levels and ultrasounds to monitor follicle development conveniently; locally or at-home. In other clinics, you would be expected to go into the clinic every other day for these monitoring appointments.

Phase 2: Egg Retrieval | Day 12-14, 35 Hours After the Trigger Shot Egg retrieval typically occurs 12-14 days after beginning hormone-based stimulation. The fertility doctor uses a thin needle to extract fluid from the mature follicles that contains the eggs.

Phase 3: Embryology | Day 12-19 After retrieval, eggs are assessed by an embryologist, a highly trained embryo scientist to ensure maturity. Mature eggs are identified under the microscope by the embryologist and fertilized with sperm and stored in an incubator for 5-7 days to reach the blastocyst stage. The highest quality embryos are identified for transfer or freezing.

Phase 4: Embryo Transfer | Fresh (Day 19), Frozen (2 Months later, Day 21) At Sama, we prioritize using the cutting edge of technologies without burdening the patients with the additional costs. Hence per recommendations of the doctors, we include genetic testing of embryos in our standard regimen when indicated. The genetic testing of embryos requires a biopsy of the trophectoderm from the embryos performed by the embryologists. Following the biopsy, we freeze down all embryos and store them in anticipation of the results. Generally the genetic results for the embryos are received back by the clinic in about 21 days. So the earliest that we can plan for a frozen embryo transfer cycle is in the following menstrual cycle for the patient. The frozen blastocyst stage embryos are transferred typically from days 20-21 of the menstrual cycle. Please note that this transfer cycle treatment is disjointed from the retrieval cycle, so at the earliest could be in approximately about 2 months following the egg retrieval . Some clinics do perform fresh transfers immediately following the retrieval cycle, where the transfer occurs on day 19. However please note that if a clinic performs fresh transfers, genetic testing is not possible for such embryos.

Phase 5: Implantation and Pregnancy | Day 18-32 The embryo typically begins to implant in the uterus the day after transfer. It takes around 9-14 days from transfer to detect pregnancy. The IVF treatment technically ends with embryo transfer, but medications supporting implantation and pregnancy usually continue.

General Implantation Timeline:

Day 17: Embryo Transfer, progesterone, estrogen.

Days 18-26: Continued progesterone and estrogen.

Day 24: Blood test to check hormone levels.

Day 26: Pregnancy test.

Timeline From Positive Pregnancy Test

If the pregnancy test is positive, another test is taken in 2-3 days to evaluate rising levels. An ultrasound at around six weeks detects the heartbeat, indicating a 90-95% probability of continuing to a live birth. At around 12 weeks, you will schedule routine prenatal care with your obstetrician.

Timeline From a Negative Pregnancy Test

If the pregnancy test is negative, the fertility doctor should provide guidance on medications. Your period will likely start in a few days, and you can begin another IVF cycle whenever you are ready.

A Deeper Dive into Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) Timeline

Frozen embryo transfers have grown to account for more than half of all embryo transfers. Doctors and patients prefer Frozen Embryo Transfers as they may offer patients benefits of flexibility of scheduling their egg retrievals that dont have to follow immediately with a fresh embryo trasnfer. Additionally if the doctor indicates, genetic testing, the frozen embryo transfer is the only method with which we can wait for the genetic results to come back.

Frozen Embryo Transfer Preparation:

Hormone therapy: To prepare the endometrial lining, taking about 2-4 weeks.

Natural cycle or hormone replacement cycle: Depending on the method, preparation takes 2-3 weeks.

Monitoring:

Ultrasound scans and blood tests over 1-2 weeks ensure proper endometrial lining development. At Sama Anyhwere Monitoring is available for the Frozen Embryo transfer cycles too. At other clinics, you may be required to again go back and forth to the clinic for the monitoring sessions.

Transfer:

The embryo transfer is a minor outpatient procedure that takes about 15 minutes, and a 1-2 week wait follows before a pregnancy test confirms success.

The Bottom Line: How Long Does IVF Take?

While the technical IVF timeline is about 30 days, similar to a natural menstrual cycle. However, a comprehensive IVF timeline includes the 30-90 days prior to the procedure (preconception) and the two weeks after implantation for monitoring.

With Sama SelfStart-IVF, we can reduce the pretesting period to less than 3 weeks by getting your preconception testing started today.

At Sama an end-to-end process from testing to frozen embryo transfer takes ~3 months. However it is important to realize that every person’s experience may vary, and adjustments to the IVF timeline are possible.

If you're new to the IVF journey and looking for expert guidance on your path to parenthood, schedule a consultation with one of Sama's fertility specialists. We're here to support you every step of the way.