IVF treatment timeline
IVF Timeline Planner: Your IVF Treatment Timeline
Wondering how long IVF takes? Build a personalised IVF timeline covering every stage — from consultation and tests through stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation, embryo transfer and your pregnancy test.
Wondering how long IVF takes? Use our IVF Timeline Planner to understand the stages of an IVF cycle — from your first consultation and fertility testing through ovarian stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation, embryo transfer and pregnancy testing. Enter one anchor date below and we'll build a personalised IVF timeline so you can see exactly what your treatment journey could look like.
The stages of an IVF cycle
Full IVF cycle mapped
From baseline tests through to your 20-week anomaly scan.
Medication reminders
Trigger shot, progesterone start and monitoring days flagged.
Save it in your Hub
Keep your dates, notes and clinic contact all in one place.
Pick a date above and we'll draw your IVF timeline instantly.
Still trying naturally?
Use our Fertility Timeline Planner to understand your cycle, ovulation and fertile window.
A note on IVF timings
This planner uses typical IVF cycle timings (~10 days of stimulation, egg collection around day 12, fresh transfer on day 5 after collection, beta hCG ~10 days post-transfer). Your clinic's protocol may vary by a few days — always follow their specific instructions and dates.
IVF timeline: frequently asked questions
How long IVF takes, when egg collection happens, when you can test — answered.
How long does IVF take from start to finish?+
A typical IVF cycle takes about 4–6 weeks from the start of stimulation injections to the beta hCG pregnancy test. Baseline investigations before starting can add another 4–8 weeks, so end-to-end many people spend 8–14 weeks in an IVF cycle. Stimulation is usually 10–12 days, egg collection follows around day 12, a fresh transfer is typically day 5 after collection, and the pregnancy blood test is about 9–11 days after transfer.
How long is one IVF cycle?+
One IVF cycle — from the first stimulation injection to the pregnancy test — typically lasts about 4–6 weeks. A frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle runs on a separate 3–5 week timeline that starts once you're ready to transfer a frozen embryo.
When does IVF stimulation start in the cycle?+
Ovarian stimulation injections usually start on day 2 or 3 of your period at the beginning of your IVF cycle. Your clinic will confirm the exact start day after a baseline scan and blood test.
When is egg collection in IVF?+
Egg collection (also called egg retrieval) typically happens around day 12 of stimulation, about 35–36 hours after your trigger shot. The exact day depends on how your follicles respond — most clinics adjust by 1–2 days based on monitoring scans.
How many days after egg collection is embryo transfer?+
A fresh embryo transfer is usually done 5 days after egg collection (a day-5 blastocyst transfer), or occasionally on day 3. If you're doing a frozen embryo transfer (FET), the transfer happens in a later cycle once your uterus lining has been prepared.
When can I take a pregnancy test after IVF?+
The blood pregnancy test (beta hCG) is normally taken around 9–11 days after a day-5 embryo transfer, or 11–14 days after a day-3 transfer. Home pregnancy tests are only reliable from around the same point — testing earlier can produce false negatives that make the two-week wait harder.
Is every IVF timeline the same?+
No. The planner uses typical IVF cycle timings, but your clinic's protocol may vary by a few days depending on your response to medication, the type of transfer (fresh vs FET) and any add-ons like PGT-A testing. Always follow the exact dates your clinic gives you.
Does this planner work for frozen embryo transfer (FET)?+
Yes. Choose 'frozen embryo transfer (FET)' in the planner and enter your planned transfer date — the tool will map preparation, transfer, beta hCG, dating scan and pregnancy milestones from there.
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