It’s emotionally gruelling, but what are the physical impacts? Fertility doctors talk us through each stage of the IVF cycle.
Fertility struggles are still so shrouded in secrecy that many women have little to no idea about what to expect from IVF until they’re seeking treatment.
While IVF stands for ‘in vitro fertilisation’ – the attempt to fertilise an egg with sperm in laboratory conditions – the process before and after that moment very much involves your body, so it’s worth preparing for the physical impact.
Treatment plans will look different from woman to woman, with the type and frequency of drugs tailored to the individual – but IVF does follow some key steps. A treatment cycle usually lasts between four to six weeks, though again this can vary and some women will have multiple cycles trying to conceive.
To help you make an informed choice, we asked fertility experts to explain exactly what happens to your body during IVF and how it’s likely to feel.
