IVF Treatment: What to Expect

In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a highly effective fertility treatment option for some, but it’s important to be fully informed about the process and what a cycle entails. IVF doesn’t guarantee a successful pregnancy, but it is one of the most common fertility treatments in the UK.

Whether IVF is right for you depends on a range of personal and medical factors. We’re here to give you the clinical facts so you can make empowered choices about your care. Whether you’re just curious about the IVF process, or actively looking for a fertility clinic, we’re here to help.

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Quick facts:

• IVF is one of the most common fertility treatments in the UK. 
• IVF is often explored by those who can’t or don’t want to conceive naturally. 
• An IVF cycle is an invasive procedure that can be physically and emotionally demanding. 
• IVF is covered by the NHS in certain instances or can be accessed at private clinics. 
• There are several things you can do to prepare for IVF, including testing your hormones to indicate your current ovarian reserve.

What is IVF?

In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a fertility treatment for those who can’t or don’t wish to conceive naturally. It’s one of the most common fertility treatments in the UK, with as many as 50,000 people undergoing IVF in the UK each year. 

IVF involves removing eggs from the ovaries, attempting to fertilise them with sperm in a lab (the “in-vitro” part), and then transplanting any successfully fertilised eggs (embryos) into the uterus. This is called an IVF cycle. It’s an invasive procedure and doesn’t guarantee a successful pregnancy. 

Whether or not it’s right for you will depend on a range of personal and medical factors, as well as carefully considering the IVF cycle process.

Fresh Cycle vs. Frozen Cycle

An IVF cycle can be fresh or frozen:

• Fresh Cycle: Any successful embryo, incubated for 3-5 days in the lab, is transferred directly to the uterus immediately after egg retrieval.
• Frozen Cycle: The embryo is frozen and transferred to the uterus at a later date. This may be done if the uterus needs time to prepare, or if multiple embryos were successfully fertilised and the clinician wants to avoid the risk of multiple pregnancies by transferring only one at a time.

Who is IVF for?

IVF benefits a diverse range of people and couples. It may be explored if:

• You are having problems conceiving naturally (often after 12 months of trying or more).
• You are in a same-sex relationship and are looking to conceive.
• You are using donor sperm for conception.
• You have an underlying health issue affecting fertility, such as a problem with ovulation or blocked fallopian tubes.

The IVF Cycle Process

There are four key stages involved in an IVF cycle – ovulation stimulation, egg retrieval, egg fertilisation and embryo transfer. The entire process may take between 4 to 6 weeks but will vary and depend on you.

1. Ovulation stimulation

To maximise the chances of success, you’ll take a course of fertility medication to stimulate your ovaries to mature multiple eggs in one cycle (as opposed to the one egg usually released naturally).

During this period (generally around 10 days), you’ll need regular clinic visits for ultrasounds and blood tests to monitor the progress and growth of the follicles.

2. Egg retrieval and sperm collection

Once your eggs are mature, you will undergo the egg retrieval procedure.

• Retrieval: This is carried out under ultrasound guidance. A transvaginal needle is used to carefully suck the follicular fluid containing the mature eggs out of your ovaries. You can opt for mild sedation or a general anaesthetic.
• Sperm Collection: On the same day, your partner or sperm donor will provide a sperm sample, which will be used to fertilise the eggs (unless pre-frozen sperm is being used).

3. Egg Fertilisation

In the lab, your eggs and sperm are combined to form embryos. There are two main techniques:

• Conventional IVF: Eggs are placed in a petri dish with millions of sperm, allowing the sperm to penetrate the egg naturally.
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): A single, selected sperm is injected directly into the egg cell. This technique is often used if there are issues with sperm quality.

4. Embryo Transfer

Any successful embryos will be incubated for 2-5 days.

• Fresh Transfer: An embryo is transferred directly to the uterus.
• Frozen Transfer: You’ll be given medication to prepare the uterine lining, and the transfer will occur at a date determined by your doctor.

The embryo must successfully implant into your uterus to result in a pregnancy. You will be given a pregnancy test approximately two weeks later.

Clinicians typically choose one embryo to transfer to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancies. The choice is based on several criteria, including morphological grading and the embryo’s division speed. Some clinics use preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) to analyse the number of chromosomes in the embryo before transfer. If you have known genetic conditions that run in your family, they may use preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangements (PGT-SR) or monogenic conditions (PGT-M). 

How to Prepare for IVF

Preparing your body and mind for an IVF cycle can help boost your success rates and manage the process effectively.

Pre-Treatment Testing

Before starting a cycle, you need to understand your ovarian and general reproductive function.

• Hormone Testing: Testing your hormones, specifically AMH levels, gives an insight into your ovarian reserve (egg count).
• Pelvic Ultrasound Scan: This is used to determine your Antral Follicle Count (AFC) and check for any structural issues (like fibroids) that could affect implantation.

💡 Take the right steps today

Take our Advanced At-Home Hormone and Fertility Test to gain essential insights into your ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health before starting your IVF journey.

Lifestyle Management

Making positive changes to your health can significantly increase your chances of a successful pregnancy:

• Quitting smoking.
• Decreasing your alcohol intake.
• Committing to regular exercise and eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Risks, Effectiveness, and NHS Eligibility

How Effective is IVF?

IVF is an effective treatment, but success rates are heavily dependent on your age, medical history, and the quality of your eggs and sperm.

• As a general guide, success rates are highest for younger women due to better egg quality and quantity. According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA), roughly 35% of women under 35 who had IVF treatment resulted in live births (HFEA, 2025). This percentage decreases as age increases.
• Women over the age of 42 are generally not recommended to undergo IVF treatment due to the low success rate (success per cycle was 5% for patients aged 43-44 when using their own eggs in 2023).

Are There Any Risks?

As with any medical procedure, there are risks associated with IVF:

• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): A severe side effect of the fertility medication used to stimulate the ovaries (RCOG, 2016).
• Ectopic Pregnancy: The embryo implants outside of the womb (e.g., in the fallopian tube) (RCOG, 2017).
• Multiple Pregnancy: Transferring more than one embryo can lead to twin or triplet pregnancies, which carry higher risks (RCOG, 2021).

Can You Get IVF on the NHS?

The NHS provides full funding for IVF in certain instances, but eligibility depends heavily on where you live, as different NHS trusts have varying requirements and funding availability (HFEA, 2024).

You may be eligible if:

• You have tried to conceive naturally for two years without success.
• You have had 12 or more cycles of unsuccessful artificial insemination.
• You are a carrier of certain genetic conditions.

If you are not eligible for NHS funding, many reputable private clinics offer IVF treatments. The cost for one private cycle is typically around £5,000, plus medication and extra procedures.

Why Hertility?

By choosing to do your pre-treatment testing and clinic referral with Hertility, you’re not only choosing expert care – you’re choosing a team that holds your health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

We’ve designed our packages to give you all of the clinical information you need to decide if an egg freezing cycle is right for you—without the stress, or the waiting lists.

Smooth referral process

Immediate referrals with all your test results sent straight to your chosen clinic.

Immediate appointments

Get access to weekly appointments for every step in your journey.

Trusted clinics

We work with HFEA accredited clinics with leading experts and egg freezing specialists.

Thinking of going through IVF? 

💡 Take the right steps today

Take our Advanced At-Home Hormone and Fertility Test to gain essential insights into your ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health before starting your IVF journey.

References 

• HFEA, 2025. Fertility treatment 2023: trends and figures. [Available online]. Accessed via: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/publications/research-and-data/fertility-treatment-2023-trends-and-figures/ 
• HFEA, 2024. Costs and funding. [Available online]. Accessed via: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/costs-and-funding/ 
• RCOG, 2016. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndromes (OHSS). [Accessed online]. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/ovarian-hyperstimulation-syndrome/ 
• RCOG, 2017. Ectopic pregnancy. [Accessed online]. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/ectopic-pregnancy/ 
• RCOG, 2021. Multiple pregnancy: having more than one baby. [Accessed online]. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/multiple-pregnancy-having-more-than-one-baby/