The clinic's timeline:
Day 1
Retrieval
Fertilization
Transfer
Beta
Pregnancy
The patient's timeline:
Hope
Fear
Waiting
Crying
Hope again
I don't think those two timelines get discussed enough.
The clinic's timeline:
Day 1
Retrieval
Fertilization
Transfer
Beta
Pregnancy
The patient's timeline:
Hope
Fear
Waiting
Crying
Hope again
I don't think those two timelines get discussed enough.
When I speak with couples, I've noticed that almost everyone has at least one moment during IVF where reality is very different from what they expected.
Sometimes it's how emotionally draining the waiting becomes.
Sometimes it's discovering that retrieving a high number of eggs doesn't always translate into many embryos.
Sometimes it's realizing that the physical part of IVF was easier than the uncertainty.
I'm curious what surprised you the most.
Not necessarily the hardest part—but something nobody prepared you for before you started treatment.
I think hearing real experiences can be incredibly helpful for people who are just beginning their IVF journey.