What happens after embryo transfer in IVF?

After embryo transfer, the hardest part for most people is honestly the waiting. The procedure itself is usually quick and surprisingly uneventful, but then comes the “two week wait” where every cramp, symptom, or lack of symptoms starts feeling meaningful.

A lot of clinics tell patients to take it easy for the rest of the day, but not strict bed rest. Mild cramping, bloating, spotting, fatigue, or breast tenderness can happen afterward, mostly because of progesterone and the transfer itself. Some women feel absolutely nothing and still end up pregnant, which is why people always say symptoms are not a reliable sign either way.

One thing that seems to catch people off guard is how emotional the period after transfer can become. You’re technically “pregnant until proven otherwise,” but at the same time you know implantation may or may not happen. So people end up constantly analyzing their body, googling tiny symptoms, or testing too early and driving themselves crazy.

Most clinics schedule a blood test around 9 to 14 days later because home tests can be misleading that early, especially if trigger shots were used.

It's natural to have 500 thoughts after embryo transfer, and all this overthinking can build up a lot of stress. To help ease your anxiety, let’s discuss the journey of an embryo and some common dos and don’ts after an embryo transfer.

What happens after an embryo transfer day by day?

Hatching (Day 1 and 2)

1. Day 1 & 2 – Inside your uterus, the blastocyst starts to hatch from its shell and moves closer to the uterine lining. Embryo implantation occurs around 2 days after IVF transfer.

Implantation (Day 3 to 5)

1. Day 3 – The blastocyst attaches deeper into the endometrium
2. Day 4 – Implantation continues
3. Day 5 – Implantation completes and the cells that eventually become the placenta and the fetus start developing

hCG production & fetal development (Day 6 to 9)

1. Day 6 – Production of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) – the hormone that signals a developing baby
2. Day 7 & 8 – Fetal development continues and more hCG is secreted into the bloodstream.
3. Day 9 – High levels of hCG. Time for a pregnancy test!

Resting after Embryo Transfer

Most doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of bed rest after embryo transfer but according to a study published in Fertility and Sterility, bed rest after ET did not help improve clinical pregnancy rates in women.

Travelling after Embryo Transfer

There are no major restrictions for travelling after IVF. Flying after embryo transfer is generally safe and you can be on the flight within 24 hours of your ET. For long-haul flights you must take normal precautions like moving your legs periodically and having enough liquids.