By Dr. Rut Gómez de Segura (Gynaecologist – Reg. No. 28/2908776).
The two-week wait (TWW) or beta wait is the period between the embryo transfer (in in vitro fertilization) and the pregnancy test that measures the levels of the hCG hormone, which is detected in the urine and blood of a pregnant woman.
The beta wait period lasts approximately 14 days, although this can vary depending on the embryonic development stage at which the embryos were transferred.
The beta-hCG hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin) is produced during pregnancy and is released by the embryo from its implantation in the maternal uterus. It is commonly used to confirm pregnancy, and its levels can vary depending on the stage of pregnancy.
As the pregnancy progresses, the levels of this hormone increase until the second or third trimester, when they tend to decrease and stabilize.
To confirm the viability of the process, beta-hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels must follow exponential growth until the end of the first trimester, at which point the values will decrease to stabilize during the rest of the pregnancy.
Positive hCG test refers to a favorable pregnancy test result obtained after a fertility treatment. This positive result indicates that levels of the beta-hCG hormone have been detected, either in blood or urine. Normally, a pregnancy is considered positive with levels above 5, but if the value is low, it will be necessary to carry out a new determination of the hormone in blood after 48-72 hours to verify that the values double, as this would indicate that the pregnancy is progressing favorably.
These hormonal levels are high enough to confirm that the embryo has successfully implanted in the uterus, marking the beginning of a pregnancy. In essence, a positive beta is the first concrete sign that the fertility treatment has been successful, and a pregnancy has been initiated.
Negative hCG test indicates that the pregnancy test performed after the treatment has yielded an unfavorable result. When the result is negative or beta-hCG hormone levels in blood or urine are below 5, after 10 days from the embryo transfer, it means that the treatment was unsuccessful, and consequently, the pregnancy has not begun.
This occurs when the pregnancy test result is negative despite the presence of a pregnancy. This can happen when the pregnancy test is done too early or with urine, while the values are still only detectable in blood, as detection always occurs earlier in blood than in urine.
The issue arises because the beta-hCG hormone level is below the detection threshold of the test.
This occurs when the pregnancy test is positive, but there has been no embryo implantation. The main cause is the medication given to trigger ovulation. It happens when the test is done on days close to insemination or transfer, when medication residues may still remain—only when the induction is done with Ovitrelle.
We must not confuse false positives with biochemical pregnancies. In the case of a biochemical pregnancy, the test result is real because implantation occurred. However, shortly after implantation, the embryo stops developing at a very early stage, which is why the pregnancy does not progress. Since implantation has occurred, there is the presence of the beta-hCG hormone, but its levels are too low because the embryo has stopped developing. The values do not double in 48 hours but instead decrease.
Embryo implantation in assisted reproduction occurs around the 5th and 6th day after fertilization. In a natural pregnancy with a 28-day menstrual cycle, it would happen between days 19 and 23, which is the optimal time when the endometrium is receptive for an embryo to implant.
According to Dr. Rut Gómez de Segura, gynecologist and fertility specialist at the IVF-Life Madrid clinic, it is necessary to wait approximately 10 to 14 days to take a pregnancy test. This time allows, in the event that implantation has occurred, the beta-hCG levels to be sufficiently high to be detected in a blood or urine test.
Each patient experiences the process of embryo implantation differently. For some women, the process occurs completely imperceptibly, while others may notice changes in their bodies. In fact, most women experience what specialist Raquel Pascual calls a state of hypervigilance.
Hypervigilance is a condition that many patients go through, during which they remain highly sensitive to any sign or symptom that arises. It is entirely understandable for this phenomenon to occur during the Two Week Wait period, as we seek answers to help determine whether the beta result has been positive or negative.
The most common symptoms that can be experienced during the "betaespera" are the following:
It is also normal for a woman to not experience any of these symptoms, which does not indicate anything, as it is impossible to know the result until the pregnancy test is conducted. If fever, intense abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, or any other alarming symptoms occur, you should contact your specialist. If light bleeding or pre-menstrual-like abdominal discomfort occurs, do not be alarmed. In most cases, these subside spontaneously and are not related to the cycle's outcome.
In cases of constant bleeding, the only recommendation is to rest until the bleeding stops. Until the pregnancy test results are available, it is impossible to determine how the embryo is developing. Performing an ultrasound does not help resolve doubts, as it is usually too early to visualize anything.
We must be prepared to accept all emotions: both positive and negative ones. We know that the "betaespera" is an unavoidable step during the treatment, and it occurs for all individuals seeking pregnancy.
In most cases, we tend to fall into extremist thinking. We must be realistic about our chances and the probability of success after a fertility treatment; it is important to maintain a positive attitude despite being aware that we may not achieve pregnancy.
It is also important to understand that the hormonal medication required by women undergoing fertility treatments can provoke some symptoms, which might lead us to believe that everything is proceeding normally. Feeling these symptoms does not mean the result will be positive, nor does the lack of symptoms mean it will be negative. Patience is key, and we must wait for the result.
On the other hand, this stage is an opportunity to focus on oneself. It is vital to take care of ourselves, reflect on our well-being, dedicate time to personal projects, and most importantly, engage in enjoyable activities. "It is very important to make time for leisure and to keep doing things we enjoy," advises Raquel Pascual, Director of IVF-Life Madrid.
Once the embryo transfer has been completed, all that remains is to wait approximately two weeks for the result. Hoping for the much-desired positive outcome can be life-changing. We are aware that during this waiting period, many women face emotional ups and downs, like a roller coaster. Fear, joy, excitement, anxiety—a mix of emotions that we must learn to manage.
If you need emotional support during this stage or have any doubts about your symptoms, contact us.
Privacy Policy
IVF-LIFE, hereby informs you of its privacy policy applied to personal data. The use of the website does not imply that the user must provide any information regarding their identity, and cannot be associated with a specific user by the company. In the event that personal data is provided, this data will be collected and used in accordance with the limitations and rights set out in the aforementioned regulation.
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DATA CONTROLLER: IVF SPAIN ALICANTE S.L.U (hereinafter IVF-Life)
CIF: B-54973227
Postal Address: Avenida de Ansaldo, no. 13, 03540, Alicante (Alicante)
Contact with the Data Protection Officer: dpo@ivf-life-group.com
DATA CONTROLLER: Instituto Vasco de Fertilidad (hereinafter IVF-Life)
CIF: B95575874
Postal Address: Avenida de Tolosa, 71-73, 20018 Donostia / San Sebastián (Spain)
Contact with the Data Protection Officer: dpo@ivf-life-group.com
DATA CONTROLLER: IVF Spain Madrid (hereinafter IVF-Life)
CIF: B 85138113
Postal Address: C/ de Manuel de Falla, 6-8, 28036 Madrid (Spain)
Contact with the Data Protection Officer: dpo@ivf-life-group.com
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For the processing of data, IVF-LIFE adopts the security levels required by current European and national legislation on the Protection of Personal Data. Notwithstanding the above, technical security in a medium such as the Internet is not impregnable and there may be leaks due to the malicious actions of third parties.
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We only process the personal data that is strictly necessary to manage or resolve your request or application.
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To the extent that you subscribe to our newsletter, your personal data will be used for the periodic sending of company newsletters.
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Usability and quality analysis to improve our services (cookies).
If you access our platform, we inform you that we will process your browsing data for analytical and statistical purposes, i.e. to understand how users interact with our platform and thus be able to make improvements to it. Likewise, we sometimes carry out quality actions and surveys aimed at finding out the degree of satisfaction of our customers and users and detecting those areas in which we can improve.
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The legal basis for the processing of your data is the informed consent to respond to queries raised through the website, forms and other means provided, which implies the prior reading and acceptance of these conditions by the interested party.
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Usability and quality analysis (cookies)
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Request for information. We will process your data for as long as it is necessary to deal with your request or request and thereafter 1 year.
Marketing
We will process your data until you unsubscribe or cancel your subscription to the newsletter.
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Personal data will not be transferred or communicated to third parties, except: legal obligation, we obtain your express consent, or we understand that there is a legitimate interest on our part, which will be duly communicated to you.
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You should know that this website is not responsible for the use of the data that these social networks may make. However, when these data are generated in the social network and derive from an interaction with our website, we will not be held responsible for the use of such data.
In order to consent to our transfer from this website and the processing of your data, you should carefully read the privacy policy of the social network you wish to access:
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In this way, before clicking on the logos of the SS. RR. present on our website, you can inform yourself and make a redirection with prior knowledge of the processing of your data and on a voluntary basis.
Other technological services:
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp Privacy Policy
- Companies of the "IVF LIFE Group" on the legal basis of consent or legitimate interest: Instituto Vasco de Fertilidad S.L.U., with NIF B95575874 and address at Avda Tolosa, 71-73 Donostia (Gipuzkoa), and IVF Spain Madrid S.L., with NIF B85138113 and address at Calle Manuel de Falla, 6-8, 28036 Madrid.
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Ask us for access to the data we hold about you.
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Finally, we inform you of your right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority, with the Spanish Data Protection Agency.
CHANGES TO THE PRIVACY POLICY
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