By Alejandro Olloqui Escalona (Licensed Gynecologist – 282867126).
The length of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment cycle depends on the protocol recommended for each patient. Generally, ovarian stimulation takes around 10 to 12 days, while a complete IVF cycle involving a fresh embryo transfer and pregnancy test can take approximately 3 to 5 weeks.
However, not every patient will follow the same timeline. The duration of treatment depends on several factors, including how the ovaries respond to stimulation, the treatment protocol, embryo development and whether the embryo transfer takes place in the same cycle or at a later stage.
It is also important to remember that these estimates do not include the initial fertility assessment or any waiting time before treatment begins. The IVF process can be divided into several stages: cycle preparation, ovarian stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation and embryo culture, embryo transfer, and the waiting period before the pregnancy test.
The first step is to assess each patient's individual circumstances so that the medical team can develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to their needs. This may involve several tests, including hormone blood tests, infectious disease screening, a pelvic ultrasound scan and an assessment of ovarian reserve. Depending on the patient's circumstances, additional investigations relating to sperm quality, the uterus, or their medical and reproductive history may also be required.
Based on these results, the medical team will determine the most appropriate ovarian stimulation protocol, the medication required and when treatment should begin. The duration of this stage can vary considerably. In some cases, the assessment can be completed within a few days, while others may need to wait until their next menstrual cycle or undergo further tests before starting treatment.
Ovarian stimulation usually begins around day 2 or 3 of the menstrual cycle. During this stage, the patient administers daily hormone injections prescribed by the medical team to encourage the growth of multiple ovarian follicles. This phase typically lasts 10 to 12 days, although it may be slightly shorter or longer depending on how the ovaries respond to the medication.
Throughout stimulation, regular ultrasound scans are carried out to monitor follicle growth and adjust medication doses when necessary. These monitoring appointments help the medical team determine the best time to administer the trigger injection, which induces the final maturation of the eggs before collection. Egg collection is usually scheduled approximately 34 to 36 hours after the trigger injection.
Once the follicles have reached the appropriate stage of development, medication is administered to trigger the final maturation of the eggs, and the egg collection procedure is scheduled. During egg collection, the eggs are retrieved from the ovarian follicles using a fine needle guided by ultrasound. The procedure is performed under sedation, and patients can usually return home the same day.
The mature eggs collected may be frozen or taken to the embryology laboratory for fertilisation using the most appropriate technique for each case. This may involve conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a procedure in which an embryologist injects a single sperm directly into an egg.
In certain circumstances, such as fertility preservation treatments, unfertilised eggs may be vitrified for future use. When embryo transfer is postponed, the embryos obtained are usually vitrified instead. The day after fertilisation, embryologists check how many eggs have fertilised normally. The resulting embryos are then cultured in the laboratory for several days while their development is carefully monitored.
Embryo culture is often continued until the blastocyst stage, which is generally reached on day 5 or 6 of development. This means that, when embryos are cultured to the blastocyst stage, approximately 5 to 6 days usually pass between egg collection and the point at which embryos suitable for potential transfer or vitrification become available. Not all embryos will develop to the blastocyst stage.
Embryo transfer is usually a straightforward procedure in which an embryo is carefully placed inside the uterus using a very fine catheter. After the transfer, the patient enters what is commonly known as the two-week wait (2WW): the period between embryo transfer and the pregnancy test.
When a fresh embryo transfer is performed, it takes place a few days after egg collection, during the same treatment cycle, provided that both the clinical conditions and embryo development are suitable. The exact timing of the pregnancy test depends on the treatment protocol and the developmental stage of the embryo at transfer.
In general, the test is scheduled approximately 10 to 14 days after embryo transfer. Therefore, when the entire treatment takes place within the same cycle, the period from the start of ovarian stimulation to receiving the pregnancy test result is usually around 3 to 5 weeks.
It is important to follow the clinic's instructions regarding when to take the pregnancy test, even if you choose to use a home urine pregnancy test.
So far, we have described the timeline for an IVF cycle involving a fresh embryo transfer, which takes place a few days after egg collection. However, embryos may also be vitrified (frozen) and transferred at a later date for a variety of reasons.
In these cases, the overall treatment takes longer because an additional stage of endometrial preparation is required before the embryo transfer can take place. There are several reasons why this approach may be recommended:
For this reason, a frozen embryo transfer does not necessarily follow the standard 3-to-5-week IVF timeline. Several weeks or even months may pass between ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer. If a frozen embryo transfer is planned, it is advisable to ask your medical team for a personalised estimate of the overall treatment timeline.
The number of appointments required will vary depending on the patient and their treatment protocol. Before treatment begins, an initial consultation and the necessary fertility investigations will be carried out so that the medical team can develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Once ovarian stimulation has started, several ultrasound scans are needed to monitor the ovaries' response to medication. Patients should therefore expect several monitoring appointments during the approximately 10 to 12 days of ovarian stimulation, as well as visits for egg collection and, where applicable, embryo transfer.
The exact number of appointments depends on the ovarian response and treatment protocol, as some patients may require additional monitoring to adjust medication doses or determine the most appropriate timing for egg collection.
For a personalised estimate based on your circumstances, find out more about our IVF treatment at IVF Spain.
Planning these appointments is particularly important for international patients or those who live some distance from the clinic. Where possible, certain initial consultations or tests can be arranged in advance. However, some stages of IVF treatment require in-person monitoring. For this reason, it is important to allow some flexibility with travel dates before arranging transport or booking flights.
Not everyone's ovaries respond to stimulation at the same rate, and some patients need a few additional days of medication for their follicles to reach the appropriate size before egg collection. This does not necessarily mean that the treatment is not working.
During ultrasound monitoring, the fertility specialist assesses the number and size of the developing follicles and may adjust medication doses if necessary. The aim is to determine the most appropriate time to trigger final egg maturation and schedule egg collection.
There is no single waiting period that applies to everyone. If frozen embryos are available following an IVF cycle, it may be possible to arrange another embryo transfer in a subsequent cycle without repeating ovarian stimulation and egg collection. However, if a completely new IVF cycle is needed, the fertility specialist will review how the patient responded to the previous treatment, their physical recovery and whether any adjustments to the protocol would be beneficial before starting again.
If no embryos remain available, or if additional eggs and embryos need to be obtained, the medical team will assess when another IVF cycle can begin. This decision will take into account the patient's previous ovarian response, physical recovery and whether any changes to the treatment plan are appropriate.
In some cases, another treatment cycle can begin relatively soon, while in others it may be advisable to wait or undergo further investigations before proceeding.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
In vitro fertilisation (IVF).
.
2016;
Guía de la autoridad británica de fertilización y embriología sobre el tratamiento de fecundación in vitro:
https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf/
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
Guideline on Ovarian Stimulation for IVF/ICSI.
.
2025;
Guía clínica de la Sociedad Europea de Reproducción Humana y Embriología sobre la estimulación ovárica en tratamientos de FIV e ICSI:
https://www.eshre.eu/OSGuideline
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
The Revised guidelines for good practice in IVF laboratories.
.
2026;
Recomendaciones actualizadas de ESHRE sobre las buenas prácticas en los laboratorios de fecundación in vitro:
https://www.eshre.eu/IVFlabs-guideline/
Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Prevention of moderate and severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a guideline.
.
2024;
230-245
Descripción del enlace (ES): Guía clínica de la Sociedad Americana de Medicina Reproductiva sobre la prevención del síndrome de hiperestimulación ovárica durante los tratamientos de reproducción asistida:
https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/prevention-of-moderate-and-severe-ovarian-hyperstimulation-syndrome-a-guideline-2023/
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