Are you considering or preparing for IVF? One of the first questions you’ve probably Googled is: Does it hurt?
At Gender Selection Australia, we speak with women and couples every day who are curious (and understandably a bit nervous) about the physical side of treatment.
Whether you’re exploring IVF for medical reasons, family balancing, or researching options like IVF Australia or Ivf for single woman australia, the process can sound overwhelming at first. Egg retrieval. PGT. Hormones. Recovery.
So, what is it actually like? Here’s an honest, experience-based look at what egg retrieval, genetic testing and recovery typically involve from our team at Gender Selection Australia.
What happens before egg retrieval?
Before egg retrieval, you’ll go through ovarian stimulation. This involves daily hormone injections for 10 days. The goal is to encourage your ovaries to mature multiple eggs instead of the single egg your body would usually release in a natural cycle.
The injections themselves are usually far less dramatic than people imagine. The needles are very fine and most women describe them as a brief sting rather than painful. After a few days, it becomes routine.
As your follicles grow, you may start to feel:
- Mild bloating
- Pelvic heaviness
- Tenderness in your lower abdomen
- A sensation similar to pre-period fullness
By the final few days of stimulation, your ovaries can feel quite “aware” of themselves. If you produce a high number of follicles, you may feel more uncomfortable.
Remember, this stage is temporary and closely monitored with blood tests and ultrasounds.
Does egg retrieval hurt?
Egg retrieval is performed under light sedation or twilight anaesthetic. You are asleep during the procedure and do not feel the eggs being collected.
The doctor uses ultrasound guidance and a fine needle inserted through the vaginal wall to collect fluid from each follicle. The procedure usually takes 15 to 25 minutes.
When you wake up, you may feel groggy from sedation. Some women experience some discomfort similar to period cramps.
Common post-procedure symptoms include:
Cramping
Bloating
Abdominal tenderness
Fatigue
Light spotting
For most people, the discomfort is manageable with simple pain relief and rest.
What is recovery really like?
Recovery is typically short.
Day one is usually a rest day. You may feel crampy and swollen. Day two to three, bloating can peak, especially if many eggs were collected. By day five to seven, most women feel back to normal.
Our team advises to avoid high-intensity exercise and intercourse for about a week.
Egg retrieval is a very minor procedure with no incisions. Most women are surprised by how quickly they recover.
What about PGT testing?
PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) does not involve any physical procedure for you.
Once eggs are fertilised in the lab, embryos grow for around five to six days. A few cells are carefully biopsied from each embryo’s outer layer. The embryo is then frozen while the genetic analysis is completed.
What many women find challenging is the waiting period. PGT results can take about a week. During that time, you’re waiting to learn how many embryos are chromosomally normal and suitable for transfer.
The physical discomfort may be over by then — but the emotional weight can feel heavier.
What does embryo transfer feel like?
Embryo transfer is typically straightforward and does not require sedation.
It feels similar to a cervical screening test. A thin catheter is passed through the cervix and the embryo is placed inside the uterus. The process takes only a few minutes.
Dr Potter typically likes patients to have 48 hours of modified bedrest following transfer, as this is the time implantation is likely to take place.
The hormonal side
The hormone medications used during IVF can cause mood shifts. Some women feel emotionally steady. Others experience:
Irritability
Fatigue
Headaches
Breast tenderness
After egg retrieval, hormone levels drop quickly, which can cause a temporary emotional dip. If you proceed to a transfer cycle, progesterone support may cause further symptoms.
These effects vary significantly from person to person.
Single women IVF
For those pursuing IVF as a single women, the physical experience is the same. However, the emotional landscape can feel different.
You are often the sole decision-maker. The appointments, the consent forms, the injections sit squarely with you.
That independence can feel empowering. It can also feel heavy at times.
Support networks, counselling and clear communication with our team at Gender Selection Australia become especially important.
So, does it hurt?
At Gender Selection Australia, we believe information reduces fear. IVF does involve some discomfort, but it is usually manageable and temporary.
While every experience is unique, most patients find IVF is less physically intense than they expected.
Our role at Gender Selection Australia is to guide you through both sides of that journey with clarity, medical expertise and realistic reassurance, so you feel informed, supported and confident at every stage.
Reach out to our friendly team today for more information.