For patients · IVF step by step

Your IVF journey

IVF can feel like a lot of unknowns. Here’s what a first cycle usually looks like, from your first consultation to the birth of your baby, with roughly how long each part takes. Tap any stage to open it.

2–4 monthsfrom a first consultation to a pregnancy test, for many people — plus any time on a wait list.
1 retrievalcan mean more than one chance: frozen embryos can be transferred later without new injections.
8–10 weeksof pregnancy is usually when your fertility clinic hands your care over.

Tap a phase to see the details.

Phase 1 · About 4–8 weeks

Getting to know you and making a plan

You and your doctor build a picture of your fertility with a few tests, then choose a treatment plan together.

First consultationYour doctor goes over your medical and reproductive history and any past treatments, and explains your options.
Blood testsAMH, a hormone that reflects your egg supply, can be done on any day. FSH, LH and estradiol need to be done on day 2–4 of your period. Thyroid (TSH) and prolactin are checked too.
UltrasoundsAn early-cycle scan counts the small resting follicles in your ovaries. A separate test checks your uterus and fallopian tubes, done after your period and before you ovulate.
Sperm testingIf a partner is providing sperm, they give a sample for a semen analysis after 2–5 days without ejaculating.
Screening for both of youStandard infectious-disease tests (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis) before eggs and sperm are handled in the lab. You may also have your blood group and rubella immunity checked, and genetic carrier screening if it’s recommended.
Results and your planYou review the results with your doctor and decide together: standard IVF or ICSI, a fresh or frozen transfer, and whether to have embryos genetically tested (PGT-A).
Getting readyConsent forms, costs or Ontario Fertility Program funding, optional counselling, starting folic acid, and lifestyle advice.

Start tracking your period

Many tests and treatment steps are timed from the first day of your period, so note each start date from now on. Your clinic will ask for it.

Phase 2 · About 2–3 weeks

Stimulation: helping several eggs grow

Normally one egg matures each month. Daily hormone injections help several mature at once, with frequent check-ins so your clinic can fine-tune the doses.

Learning your medicationsA nurse shows you how to do the injections and how to store the medications at home.
Your period startsYou let the clinic know on day 1. Some clinics first use a month of the birth control pill, or another approach, to time the cycle.
Baseline checkA scan and blood test on day 2–3 of your period. If everything looks ready, the injections begin.
Daily injectionsUsually for about 8–14 days. From around day 5–6, a second injection is added to stop you from ovulating too early.
Monitoring visitsA scan and blood test every 2–3 days, usually 3–5 visits in total. Your doses may change depending on how your follicles are growing.
The trigger shotWhen the follicles are ready, you take a final injection at an exact time your clinic gives you, 34–36 hours before egg retrieval. It completes the eggs’ maturing.

If plans change

Now and then a cycle is adjusted, paused or cancelled because the ovaries respond too little or too strongly. It’s disappointing, but it’s a safety decision, and your doctor will talk you through the next steps.

Phase 3 · About 1 week

Egg retrieval and the lab

Retrieval day is called “day 0”. Your eggs are combined with sperm, and the embryos grow in the lab for 3–6 days while the embryology team keeps you updated.

Egg retrievalA short procedure under sedation. If a partner is providing sperm, they give a fresh sample the same morning, unless frozen or donor sperm is being used.
Lab updatesA call on day 1 to tell you how many eggs fertilised, then updates on how the embryos are developing on day 3 and day 5–6.
RecoveryRest for the day. Some cramping and bloating is common. Call your clinic if you have severe bloating or pain, gain weight quickly, or feel short of breath — these can be signs of OHSS.

Numbers naturally go down

Not every egg is mature, not every mature egg fertilises, and not every embryo keeps growing. Seeing the number get smaller each day is a normal part of the process.

Phase 4 · Days to weeks later

Embryo transfer

An embryo is gently placed in your uterus through a thin catheter. It’s usually quick and done without sedation. Depending on your plan, it happens in one of two ways.

Path A

Fresh transfer

An embryo is transferred 3 or 5 days after retrieval (a day-5 embryo is called a blastocyst). Progesterone support starts after retrieval to prepare your uterus.

Path B

Freeze all, transfer later

All embryos are frozen, and one is thawed and transferred in a later cycle. This is often chosen if there’s a risk of OHSS, if embryos are being genetically tested, or if your uterine lining isn’t ready. The later cycle is timed in one of two ways:

Natural cycle: scans to time the transfer around when you ovulate.
Medicated cycle: estrogen from the start of your period, a scan of your lining, then progesterone for a set number of days before transfer.

Extra embryosAny other good-quality embryos are frozen, so they can be used later without another round of stimulation.

Phase 5 · About 9–12 days

The two-week wait

Many people find this the hardest part emotionally. There’s not much to do but wait for the blood test — so be kind to yourself, and lean on the people around you.

Pregnancy blood testA beta-hCG blood test about 9–12 days after a day-5 transfer.
Confirming the resultIf it’s positive, a second test about 48 hours later checks that the hormone level is rising.

Why wait for the blood test?

Home pregnancy tests can be misleading this early. The trigger shot can still show up and give a false positive, and a test taken too soon can give a false negative.

Phase 6 · To about 8–10 weeks

Early pregnancy at your clinic

Your fertility clinic looks after the first weeks of your pregnancy, then hands your care over for the rest of the way.

First ultrasoundAt about 6–7 weeks: confirms the pregnancy is in the uterus, shows how many there are, and checks for a heartbeat.
Progesterone supportContinues until about 8–12 weeks, depending on your clinic’s approach.
Discharge scanAt about 8–10 weeks, your clinic “graduates” you and refers you to an obstetrician, midwife or family doctor.

Why am I already “6 weeks”?

Pregnancy weeks are counted as if from a period two weeks before conception. So on the day of a day-5 embryo transfer, you’re already counted as 2 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

Handover. After your discharge scan, your care moves from your fertility clinic to an obstetrician, midwife or family doctor.

Phase 7 · To about 37–41 weeks

Pregnancy care to birth

From here, routine prenatal care continues with your obstetrician, midwife or family doctor, just as it would for any pregnancy.

First prenatal visitRoutine blood work and a check-in on your health.
11–14 weeksPrenatal screening, such as a nuchal translucency scan with blood work, or NIPT (a blood test that screens the baby’s DNA).
About 18–22 weeksA detailed anatomy scan of the baby.
24–28 weeksScreening for gestational diabetes.
32–36 weeksA growth scan, if your care provider recommends one.
BirthAt about 37–41 weeks. Your fertility clinic may ask how the birth went. Sharing it helps clinics track results and improve care for future patients.

Words you might hear

AMH: Anti-Müllerian hormone. A blood test that reflects how many eggs your ovaries have in reserve.
Antral follicle count: The number of small resting follicles seen on an early-cycle ultrasound.
Beta-hCG: The pregnancy hormone, measured in a blood test after transfer.
Blastocyst: An embryo that has grown for 5–6 days in the lab.
FET: Frozen embryo transfer: thawing a frozen embryo and transferring it in a later cycle.
ICSI: Injecting a single sperm directly into each egg, often used when sperm counts are low.
OHSS: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: an over-response to fertility medication. Clinics watch closely for it.
PGT-A: Genetic testing of embryos for the right number of chromosomes before transfer.
Progesterone support: Medication that helps prepare and support the lining of the uterus.
Trigger shot: The final, precisely timed injection that completes the eggs’ maturing before retrieval.

Ready to take the first step?

Your journey starts with a first consultation. Find a fertility clinic near you, or see whether you qualify for a funded IVF cycle in Ontario.

Explore clinics near you Ontario Fertility Program (OFP) →

This page describes the most common path for a first IVF cycle: an “antagonist” protocol using your own eggs. Timings are typical ranges, and your clinic’s plan, tests and timing may differ. Your care team’s guidance always comes first. General information only, not medical advice. Last reviewed November 2026.