Almost every patient walks into IVF without a clear picture of what actually happens, week by week. Clinics explain it but the explanations come fast and full of words you didn't grow up hearing. This is the plain-English version, in order, with the timing for India in 2026.
The whole process at a glance
From your first appointment to a positive (or negative) test: roughly 6 to 8 weeks.
- Week 1: Tests and consultation
- Weeks 2–3: Stimulation (daily injections, scans)
- Week 3–4: Egg retrieval, fertilisation in lab
- Week 4: Embryo transfer
- Weeks 4–6: Two-week wait, then beta test
Step 1 — First consultation and tests (week 1)
You'll meet a fertility specialist. They'll ask about how long you've been trying, your cycles, your medical history, and any prior treatment. They'll order:
- An ultrasound scan to count your visible follicles (AFC)
- Blood tests (AMH, FSH, LH, oestradiol, TSH, prolactin, hCG)
- An HSG or similar to check your fallopian tubes
- A semen analysis for the partner
Most of these can be done in 1–2 visits. Bring any old reports — clinics often re-test, but having existing data helps the doctor plan faster. Our 14-question checklist is the right thing to walk in with.
Step 2 — Choosing a protocol
Based on your results, the doctor recommends a stimulation protocol (a plan for which drugs, what dose, how long). The choice depends on age, ovarian reserve, and any prior cycles. There are three common types in India: antagonist, long agonist, and mini/low-dose. Most patients in 2026 are on antagonist.
Ask: "Why this protocol for me, specifically?" A clear answer means the plan is tailored. A vague one means it's the clinic's default for everyone.
Step 3 — Stimulation (about 10 days)
You take daily hormone injections to make multiple eggs mature at once instead of the usual one. Most are subcutaneous (small needle, in the belly). You learn the technique in 5 minutes and do it yourself, or your partner does it.
During this phase you'll go to the clinic every 2–3 days for a quick scan and a blood test. Each visit is 15–30 minutes. The doctor adjusts the dose based on how your follicles are growing.
How you'll feel: bloated, slightly tired, sometimes moody. Not debilitated — most patients work through this phase, mostly from home if possible.
Step 4 — Trigger shot and egg retrieval (around day 12–14)
When your follicles are ready, you take a final "trigger" injection at a specific time — often late at night. Egg retrieval happens about 36 hours later.
Retrieval itself is a 20–30 minute procedure under short anaesthesia. Eggs are gently aspirated from the follicles using an ultrasound-guided needle. You wake up in 1–2 hours and go home the same day.
How you'll feel after: bloated, mildly crampy for 2–3 days. See our retrieval-day pack list for what makes the day easier.
Step 5 — Lab work (next 5 days, you're not there)
While you recover at home, the embryology lab does the technical work:
- Day 0: eggs are fertilised — either standard IVF (sperm and egg in a dish together) or ICSI (one sperm injected into each mature egg). Most Indian cycles use ICSI.
- Day 1: the lab confirms which eggs fertilised normally
- Days 2–3: embryos start dividing
- Day 5 or 6: embryos that make it become blastocysts — the strongest are graded for transfer or freezing
You'll get short daily updates from the embryologist or coordinator.
Step 6 — Embryo transfer
Either fresh (~5 days after retrieval) or frozen (in a later cycle). Many Indian cycles in 2026 are "freeze-all then transfer" — eggs come out, all embryos are frozen, and transfer happens in a later, calmer cycle.
The transfer itself is 5–10 minutes. No anaesthesia. Like a longer cervical exam. You'll be in the clinic for about 30–45 minutes total. You can usually go back to normal activity the same day.
Step 7 — The two-week wait, then beta-hCG (~9–14 days later)
You take progesterone (injections, vaginal pessaries, or both) to support a possible pregnancy. After ~9–14 days you go in for a blood test that measures hCG — the pregnancy hormone.
This phase is harder emotionally than physically. See our TWW guide.
Step 8 — The result
If positive: a follow-up beta 48 hours later to confirm rising levels, then a 6-week ultrasound, then 8-week scan, then graduation to a regular obstetrician.
If negative: the most useful thing is the follow-up consultation. See our piece on surviving a failed cycle for what helps.
What it costs
For the full breakdown by city, see IVF cost in India 2026. Headline: ₹1.6–4 lakh per cycle including drugs, with most patients spending ₹3–7 lakh end-to-end.