Implantation is the moment of truth - it is when the embryo finds its place in the uterus and "moves in" into the endometrium. This usually happens a few days after the embryo transfer. If it succeeds, the body starts producing the pregnancy hormone (beta hCG), and if it doesn't, the cycle starts all over again. During this period, women listen to every symptom and 'listen' to the body, but the truth is - you don't have to feel anything! Implantation happens silently and imperceptibly.
Beta hCG is a pregnancy hormone and the only test that really gives an answer to the famous question - 'am I pregnant?' After the embryo transfer, comes the long wait for the blood draw. If the beta is high - let's celebrate! If it's low or zero… eh, then we move on. And yes, don't test too early! This hormone must accumulate in the blood to give an accurate result. So, patience, because Beta hCG is the king of all tests!
You know when we say, 'now it's just needs to get attached'? Well, that's embryo transfer! This is the moment when the doctor carefully inserts the embryo into the uterus. The whole process takes only a few minutes, there is no anesthesia, no pain - just a lot of emotions and anticipation. After that comes the famous wait for the beta hCG test, to see if the baby has been 'attached'. In short – embryo transfer is the moment when hope turns into reality.
A blastocyst is a baby in the making, but in a super early stage. So when a sperm and an egg make a 'boom' and come together, they first become a zygote. Then that zygote divides, divides, divides... and around day five it becomes a blastocyst. This is the moment when it is ready to be implanted in the uterus - or, if we are doing IVF, to be frozen and stored until the transfer. So, if the doctor tells you that he will do a blastocyst transfer, it means that he will insert an embryo that has already grown nicely and has a better chance of success! Well, now you know what a blastocyst is - a small hope in a big process.
A hysteroscopy is a small surgical procedure that helps doctors look inside your uterus to see if everything is okay. It is used to detect and resolve things like polyps, adhesions, or septums that may interfere with implantation. Good news? It is done quickly and you recover quickly - and it can help a lot on the way to the baby.
Think of the follicle as a small bubble in the ovary that hides the egg.
When we do in vitro fertilization, doctors monitor how the follicles grow, because the bigger and healthier they are, the greater the chance that we have a mature egg inside, ready for fertilization.
At the ultrasound, they tell you: 'You have, say, 10 follicles', but that does not mean that you will also have 10 eggs - some follicles are empty.
Basically, follicles are like Kinder Surprise - you never know what's inside until they're cracked open.
In a natural cycle, the body usually produces one egg, but for IVF we need more. That's where stimulation comes in!
The doctor gives you hormones that 'wake up' the ovaries to produce as many follicles as possible. More follicles = more eggs = better chance of success.
But there are side effects - bloating, hormonal roller coaster and feeling like you're carrying a chicken coop in your stomach. But we endure it all for the cause, right?
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