How long does egg retrieval for IVF take?

Egg retrieval is a key part of the invitro fertilization treatment procedure. During egg retrieval, a woman's eggs will be collected from the follicles with the help of a non-invasive medical intervention. To reach the follicles, a large needle will be guided into through the vaginal canal with the assistance of ultrasound technology. How long does egg retrieval for IVF take, what do you need to do to prepare, and should you be intimidated by this part of the IVF procedure?

Egg retrieval is also called follicular aspiration. The procedure itself takes a short amount of time five to twenty minutes. The eggs will be taken out of your body with the help of a large, hollow needle, but you will receive a local anesthetic as well as sedatives, so egg retrieval should not cause you any pain. After the procedure is over and the anesthetic wears off, you are likely to experience minor abdominal cramping and internal pressure, which can last for a day to several weeks. The egg retrieval procedure itself is something that is feared by many IVF patients, but it is over rather quickly. The step preceding egg retrieval, ovulation induction and follicular hyperstimulation, is much more involved. If you have already got over self administering injectables before IVF, you have no reason to be fearful of the egg retrieval aspect of your IVF treatment!

After the egg retrieval is over, sperm will be collected from the male partner or a sperm donor, and fertilization will be encouraged in a lab setting. If embryos are successfully created, they will then be placed back into your body. You can expect this procedure to take place anywhere from two to six days following egg retrieval. Good luck with your treatment! We're keeping our fingers crossed for you!