There is no trick that makes the wait easy. But understanding what is happening in your body, and what is worth paying attention to, can take some of the weight off.

Key points

• • The pregnancy blood test is usually 9 to 14 days after transfer, depending on your clinic and the embryo's stage.
  • Early home tests can mislead, because the trigger injection can cause a false positive.
  • Progesterone can cause symptoms that feel like early pregnancy, so symptoms are not a reliable sign either way.
  • Keep taking every medicine as prescribed until your clinic tells you otherwise.
    
    

Why does the two week wait feel so hard?

IVF asks you to be busy and in control for weeks. You track doses, attend appointments and follow instructions to the hour. Then, at the moment the outcome matters most, there is nothing left to manage. That sudden loss of control is what makes the wait so difficult for so many people.

It is also a time when hope and fear sit side by side. Feeling anxious, flat, irritable or unusually emotional during this stretch is common, and it is not a sign that you are handling it badly. Progesterone can add to those feelings too.

Should I take a home pregnancy test?

It is tempting, and many people do. The difficulty is that home tests during the wait are often misleading. The trigger injection contains, or prompts your body to release, a hormone called hCG. That is the same hormone pregnancy tests look for, and it can stay in your body for up to two weeks. An early positive may simply be leftover medicine.

Testing too early can also give a negative result when a pregnancy is in fact beginning. The blood test your clinic books measures the exact level of hCG, which is why it is the result to trust. If you do test at home, treat the result as unconfirmed until you have your blood test.

Are my symptoms are sign that it has worked?

Unfortunately, symptoms cannot tell you either way. Progesterone, the hormone support most people take after transfer, commonly causes tender breasts, bloating, tiredness and mild cramping. Those are the same things people associate with early pregnancy.

Some people with a positive result feel nothing at all, and some with a negative result feel every classic sign. Light spotting can happen in both situations too. If you have bleeding, keep taking your progesterone and call your clinic. It does not always mean the cycle has not worked.

What can I do, and what should I avoid?

For most people, normal daily life is fine. There is no good evidence that strict bed rest improves your chances. Your clinic may give you specific advice, but in general:

• • Keep up gentle activity such as walking.
  • Ask your clinic about intense exercise, heavy lifting, baths and sex.
  • Avoid alcohol and smoking.
  • Check with a pharmacist before taking any new medicine, including cold and flu tablets or pain relief.
  • Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, shortness of breath or feeling very unwell.
    
    

How do I look after my mental health while I wait?

Small plans help. Book things to look forward to across the fortnight, like a film, a walk with a friend or a day away from screens. Limit how often you search symptoms online, where every story points in a different direction. Decide ahead of time how you want to hear your result, whether that is alone, with a partner, or with someone close to you.

Accredited Australian fertility clinics offer counselling, and it is there for exactly this part of the process, for you and for your partner. Access Australia offers support for people going through infertility. If you are finding it hard to cope, Beyond Blue is available on 1300 22 4636, any time of day.

How Ace can help

During the wait, the last thing you need is to run low on progesterone or wonder whether a cold and flu tablet is safe. Ace makes sure your support medicines are delivered well before you need them, and our pharmacists can check anything new you are thinking of taking against your treatment. Get started with Ace.

References

Better Health Channel. Assisted reproductive technology: IVF and ICSI.

Access Australia. Infertility information and support.

Beyond Blue. beyondblue.org.au.

Your Fertility. yourfertility.org.au.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Always follow the instructions from your fertility clinic, and contact them with any concerns during your cycle.