Preparing for Your First IVF Cycle: What the Weeks Ahead Look Like
The moment you decide to move forward with your first IVF cycle is both exciting and, quite honestly, a little overwhelming. Most of my patients tell me the unknown is the hardest part — not the injections, not the appointments, but simply not knowing what each week will ask of them. So before we begin, I like to walk couples through the shape of the journey itself. Knowing what is coming does not remove the emotion of it, but it does make room for you to feel more grounded as you go.
Before Anything Begins: Baseline Testing and Planning
Every cycle starts with a thorough review — bloodwork, an ultrasound to assess your ovaries and uterine lining, and a conversation about your medical history and any prior treatment. This is also when we finalize your personalised protocol, deciding which stimulation medications and dosages are right for your body specifically. No two treatment plans look identical, because no two bodies respond the same way. This planning phase is unhurried by design. It is worth asking every question you have here, because clarity now makes the following weeks feel far less uncertain.
Ovarian Stimulation: The Injection Phase
Once your cycle begins, you will start a course of daily hormone injections designed to encourage your ovaries to develop multiple follicles in that cycle, rather than the single follicle a natural cycle typically produces. I know the idea of self-administering injections can feel daunting at first. Our nursing team will walk you through the technique step by step until you feel confident, and most patients tell me that after the first two or three days, it becomes simply part of the daily routine rather than something to dread. Mild bloating, tenderness, or mood shifts are common during this phase and are a normal response to the hormonal changes taking place.
Monitoring Visits: Watching Your Body Respond
Throughout stimulation, you will come in every few days for transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests. These visits let us track how your follicles are developing and adjust your medication dosages in real time if needed. I encourage patients to think of these appointments not as tests to pass, but as check-ins that help us personalise your care as your body responds. This is one of the real advantages of having one specialist follow you through the entire process — the same eyes are watching your progress from the very first scan to the very last, so nothing gets lost between visits.
The Trigger Shot and Egg Retrieval
When your follicles reach the right stage of development, you will receive what is called a trigger injection, timed precisely to prepare your eggs for retrieval roughly thirty-six hours later. Egg retrieval itself is a short procedure performed under sedation, so you will not be awake or in pain during it. Most patients rest for the remainder of that day and are back to light activity within a day or two, though some mild cramping or bloating afterward is normal and expected.
Looking After Yourself Emotionally
The physical steps of an IVF cycle are only part of the story. Many patients describe the emotional weight — the waiting, the hoping, the trying not to hope too much — as the part that takes the most out of them. This is completely valid, and you do not need to manage it alone. Lean on your partner, a trusted friend, or a counsellor if that feels right for you. Gentle movement like walking, adequate sleep, and simply giving yourself permission to feel whatever comes up during this stretch of time all matter. There is no "correct" way to feel during a first cycle, and being kind to yourself throughout is as much a part of preparation as any medication schedule.
A Few Practical Notes Before You Start
In the weeks leading up to your cycle, avoid starting any new supplements or medications without checking with our team first, as some can interact with your treatment plan. Moderate, gentle exercise is generally fine, but very strenuous or high-impact activity is best paused once stimulation begins, as enlarged ovaries need extra care. Keep your injection supplies organised and set a daily reminder, since consistency in timing matters more than almost anything else in this phase. And most importantly, keep the lines of communication with your clinical team open — no question is too small when you are living through this for the first time.
Every first cycle is different, and yours will be guided closely by Dr. Shilpi Srivastava from your very first scan onward. You are not just following a protocol; you are being accompanied through it.
This article is intended for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. To discuss your own treatment plan, we invite you to book a consultation with Dr. Shilpi Srivastava at The Green Nest.