Weeks of monitoring appointments, blood draws, and daily injections lead up to a procedure that takes about 20 minutes. You’ll be under general anesthesia for all of it, so you won’t feel the procedure itself. By the time you’re awake and in recovery, your care team will let you know how many eggs were retrieved once the initial count is available. Many patients are able to head home a couple of hours later and return to work or normal daily activities the following day.
Knowing what each part of retrieval day actually looks like tends to make the whole thing feel less daunting. Here’s a clear picture of what’s ahead.
The night before retrieval
You’ll have given yourself your trigger shot (a hormone injection that signals your eggs to complete their final maturation) at the specific time instructed by your care team, typically about 36 hours before retrieval. By the time retrieval day arrives, your ovaries have done most of the work.
Your care team will give you personalized instructions, but a handful of things apply to almost everyone going into retrieval:
- Follow the fasting instructions provided by your care team. General anesthesia typically requires an empty stomach, and your team will give you specific guidance on what to avoid and for how long.
- You’ll need a ride home because you cannot drive after receiving general anesthesia. Confirm who’s picking you up before you go to sleep.
- Set out loose, comfortable clothing. Some bloating is normal after retrieval, and loose waistbands make the ride home more comfortable.
- Avoid strenuous exercise as directed by your care team. Stimulation medications enlarge your ovaries significantly, and your team will advise when it is safe to resume physical activity.
- Stick to only approved medications. If you’re unsure about anything in your medicine cabinet, call your clinic before taking it.
- Follow any additional preparation instructions provided by your care team.
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The morning of retrieval
The procedure happens at Spring Fertility’s lab, not at your usual Open Fertility clinic. Your care team will provide specific arrival instructions in advance. You’ll need to account for travel time and parking on top of your scheduled arrival time.
Plan to arrive at the time specified by your care team. Once you’re checked in:
- You’ll change into a surgical gown and a nurse will place your IV line
- The physician performing your retrieval will introduce themselves and go through your chart with you
- Your anesthesia provider will do the same
- You’ll have time to ask any questions before going into the procedure room
If a fresh sperm sample is part of your treatment plan, your care team will provide specific collection instructions. Donor or previously cryopreserved sperm is prepared according to the treatment plan.
During the retrieval
Once you’re under general anesthesia, a physician uses a thin needle guided by a transvaginal ultrasound (an internal ultrasound used to visualize the ovaries) to gently draw out the fluid from your follicles (small fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries, each potentially containing an egg) and collect the eggs inside them. The entire procedure takes approximately 20 minutes. You’re under general anesthesia throughout the procedure.
You’ll wake up in a recovery area with a nurse present. Your care team will let you know how many eggs were retrieved once the initial count is available. Your lab team will then confirm how many of those are mature, since only mature eggs can be fertilized or frozen. Your care team will let you know when to expect information about egg maturity.
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What Does Recovery Look Like After Egg Retrieval?
Most patients spend one to two hours in the recovery area before going home with their driver.
Normal post-retrieval symptoms include:
- Mild to moderate cramping, similar to period cramps
- Bloating or a sensation of fullness in the abdomen
- Light spotting
- Fatigue from the anesthesia
These typically ease within one to two days. Your care team will tell you which pain relievers are appropriate for you. Rest, stay well hydrated and skip alcohol and strenuous activity until your provider gives you the all-clear.
Your care team will follow up with you about your results and next steps. That said, if you experience symptoms that concern you, including severe or worsening abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, fever, difficulty eating, drinking or urinating, or noticeable rapid weight gain over a short period, contact your clinic before that scheduled follow-up. These can be signs of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a condition where the ovaries over-respond to stimulation medication) or another complication that should be evaluated by your care team. Your care team can answer any questions about what to watch for.
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What Happens to Your Eggs After Retrieval
What comes next depends on your treatment plan.
For egg freezing patients, your eggs are rapidly frozen using vitrification (a technique that minimizes ice-crystal formation during freezing to help preserve cellular integrity) within hours of retrieval and placed into secure storage at Spring Fertility’s lab. Cryopreserved eggs can remain stored for many years. Your care team can discuss storage timelines and policies specific to your situation. The egg freezing page covers what to expect from there.
For IVF patients, mature eggs are fertilized using conventional insemination or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), depending on your treatment plan. Embryologists then monitor embryo development over the following five to six days.
If you elected preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), embryos that reach the appropriate stage of development may be biopsied and cryopreserved while PGT results are pending. The embryo transfer is a separate procedure, typically causes little or minimal discomfort, and is completed while you are awake. The IVF page walks through that process in full.
Your eggs or embryos are stored at Spring Fertility’s lab. Your care team will confirm storage details specific to your cycle and be in touch to walk you through next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will egg retrieval hurt?
You should not feel the retrieval itself while under general anesthesia. Cramping and discomfort afterward are common and typically similar to period cramps. Your care team will advise which pain relievers are appropriate for you, and most patients find symptoms manageable and improving within a day or two.
How long will the full appointment take?
Plan to spend several hours at the facility to allow time for preparation, retrieval, and recovery before discharge. Your care team will provide specific timing instructions.
Can I drive myself home?
No. General anesthesia means you cannot drive for the remainder of the day. Arrange your pickup in advance and confirm it the night before retrieval.
How many eggs will be retrieved?
It depends on your age, ovarian reserve (the estimated number of eggs your ovaries have available) and how your ovaries respond to stimulation. Your monitoring visits give your care team information about how your ovaries are responding and what they may expect at retrieval. They’ll let you know how many eggs were retrieved once the initial count is available.
What if fewer eggs were retrieved than expected?
Not every follicle will necessarily yield an egg, and not every egg retrieved will be mature. That is a normal part of the process. If the number is lower than hoped, your care team will follow up with you after retrieval to walk through the results and discuss what it means for your next steps.
When can I go back to normal activities?
Many patients are able to return to work and light activity the day after retrieval, though recovery timelines vary. Your care team will advise you on when it is safe to resume exercise and anything more physically demanding.
Questions before retrieval day?
Your care team at Open Fertility is available by phone and through the Salve app (Open Fertility’s secure patient messaging platform). If you haven’t scheduled your initial consultation yet, reach out to confirm current consultation fees and what is included at your location. Reach out before the day arrives so you go in with everything you need.