Before You Begin: Preparing for IVF
IVF is a big decision—both emotionally and physically. Before starting, it’s helpful to know what preparation can look like:
- Medical checks and tests
- Your doctor may order blood tests, ultrasounds, and semen analysis to create a personalised plan. In some cases, additional screenings—like infectious disease testing—are also required.
- Lifestyle adjustments
- Simple changes can improve outcomes. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and reducing alcohol or smoking all support egg and sperm health. Some couples also start prenatal vitamins with folic acid.
- Emotional readiness
- IVF can feel like a rollercoaster. Being prepared for the highs and lows—and seeking counselling or support groups if needed—can help you feel grounded throughout the process.
- Financial considerations
- IVF is a significant investment. Understanding the costs, what’s included, and whether insurance or financing applies can reduce stress later.
- Time commitment
- IVF cycles involve frequent appointments, blood tests, and scans. It’s worth thinking about how work, travel, and daily routines might need adjusting.
Taking time to prepare not only improves your chances of success but also helps you feel more in control of the process.
Step 1: Preparing for the Journey
Every IVF cycle begins with preparation. Your fertility doctor will review your history, run blood tests, and do ultrasounds to understand your ovarian reserve. Think of it as drawing the map before setting off on a big adventure.
Step 2: Encouraging the Ovaries
In a natural cycle, your body releases just one egg. With IVF, medications gently encourage the ovaries to produce more, giving us the best chance of creating healthy embryos. You’ll have regular check-ups, and our team will guide you at each stage.
Step 3: The Day of Egg Collection
This is often the first milestone patients feel nervous about. Rest assured—it’s a quick procedure done under light sedation. Using ultrasound guidance, the eggs are collected while you’re comfortably asleep. Most people go home the same day.
Step 4: Behind the Lab Doors
Meanwhile, sperm from your partner or donor is carefully prepared. In the lab, eggs and sperm meet—either through traditional IVF or ICSI (where a single sperm is placed directly into an egg). Then, we wait and watch as embryos begin to grow.
Step 5: Choosing the Strongest Embryo
Our embryologists are like guardians, checking embryos daily for quality. Depending on your treatment plan, the healthiest embryo is selected for transfer. Extra embryos can be frozen for the future—giving you options and peace of mind.
Step 6: Embryo Transfer – A Gentle Moment
Unlike egg collection, embryo transfer is simple and usually painless. A thin catheter places the embryo into the uterus. For many, it’s an emotional moment—the hope of a new chapter.
Step 7: The Two-Week Wait
After transfer, hormone support helps prepare the womb. Then comes the waiting period—perhaps the hardest part. Many patients describe it as the longest two weeks of their lives, filled with equal parts hope and anxiety.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before IVF
When you’re considering IVF, it helps to go into your first consultation with questions prepared. Here are some to get you started:
- What fertility tests do we need before starting IVF?
- How many IVF cycles do patients my age typically need before success?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of medications?
- What’s included in the cost—and what isn’t?
- How do you decide how many embryos to transfer?
- What support (emotional, counselling, or nutritional) is available during the process?
- What happens to any extra embryos we don’t transfer?
- What lifestyle changes would you recommend before and during treatment?
Final Thoughts
IVF is not just a medical process—it’s an emotional journey. By preparing well, asking the right questions, and understanding each step, you can walk into treatment not with fear, but with clarity and confidence.