During egg retrieval, the eggs are collected from the ovaries with a thin needle through the vaginal wall.
Our experienced fertility doctors ensure that it is as comfortable and painless as possible.
Read more about how the egg retrieval procedure works on this page.
When you are ready to start your IVF treatment, contact the clinic and make an appointment for a start-up consultation. During the consultation, a specialist will perform a gynecological ultrasound and provide detailed instructions for your hormone therapy.
If you live outside Denmark, the consultation can be conducted online, and the ultrasound can be performed at a local scanning clinic. The scan images must then be sent to us for review. Learn about pre-IVF tests and scans in the UK.
Hormones help your ovaries mature more follicles than normal. In a natural cycle, only one follicle typically develops, but hormone therapy enables the development of more follicles, increasing the chances of successful fertility treatment. With hormones, we also control the timing of your ovulation and egg retrieval.
You will get a detailed treatment plan that gives you an overview of which hormones to take at which times and your next consultation appointment. The treatment plan will be continuously updated based on how your treatment programme develops.
Most patients undergo hormone stimulation before egg retrieval without experiencing significant side effects.
Some report a growing sensation of heaviness in the lower abdomen as the follicles enlarge, while a few may experience mild abdominal discomfort or nausea. It’s also common to notice an increase in vaginal discharge, often similar to what is experienced around ovulation.
It’s important to remember that you’ll receive a daily injection to prevent premature ovulation—so everything is under control.
On the day of your egg collection, you will meet the team involved in your treatment. Your fertility team typically includes the fertility doctor, a nurse or midwife, and the embryologist responsible for handling your eggs in the laboratory.
Before the procedure begins, you will be asked to empty your bladder to improve visibility during the process.
A member of the team will then prepare you for the egg collection.
The egg collection procedure begins with a gynecological ultrasound to ensure the needle is accurately positioned. The doctor will then administer a local anesthetic to the vaginal wall to minimize discomfort.
The egg retrieval itself is guided by ultrasound. A thin needle is gently inserted through the vaginal wall and into the ovaries to aspirate fluid from the follicles, which contain the eggs. Typically, eggs can be retrieved from 70-80% of the follicles.
The procedure takes approximately 15–30 minutes. You will remain awake throughout, and your fertility team will keep you informed about what is happening, including the number of eggs being retrieved.
Many patients find it reassuring to watch the process on the monitor. If you wish, your partner or companion can sit in the chair beside you to hold your hand and provide support.
After the egg collection, you will need to rest at the clinic for at least one hour. You will be offered a light snack, and we will monitor you to ensure you feel well before heading home.
Once we have confirmed that everything is as it should be and you are comfortable, we will provide all the necessary instructions for the next steps in your treatment, and you’ll be ready to leave.
It is important that you do not drive on the day of the procedure. Make sure to arrange for your partner, a friend, or a family member to accompany you home and stay with you.
For the remainder of the day, rest and relax. Drink plenty of water and stick to light meals. Avoid strenuous activities and heavy lifting for the first few days after the procedure.
Additionally, to reduce the risk of infection, refrain from taking baths, swimming in pools, or going to the sea for two days following the procedure.
In general, the pain and side effects associated with egg collection are relatively mild, and most women recover quickly after the procedure.
The majority of patients later report that the experience was not as difficult as they had anticipated.
Some patients experience a sensation of pressure or mild, period-like pain during the procedure. If you feel any pain or discomfort, you can inform your fertility team, and they will promptly provide additional pain relief to ensure your comfort.
The pain relief medication may cause drowsiness and a sensation of heart palpitations.
Light vaginal bleeding is normal after the procedure but should subside within a few days.
It is common to experience tenderness and mild, period-like cramps in the lower abdomen for a few days after the procedure. If you feel the need for pain relief, we recommend using mild over-the-counter painkillers such as Paracetamol.
We aim for 8-12 mature follicles per stimulation. However, this will not be possible for women who have a low egg reserve. The number of eggs retrieved per retrieval will therefore vary from woman to woman.
Egg retrieval is a relatively safe procedure, but as with all medical procedures, there is a small risk of infection, bleeding or damage to surrounding organs.
You should avoid strenuous activities on the day of the egg retrieval and take it easy for a few days after the procedure. You should not drive for 24 hours after the procedure due to the sedative effect of the medication.
You should always contact the clinic’s doctors if you develop a fever after the egg collection, as this could indicate an infection. If it occurs on a weekday evening, you can wait to call until the clinic opens the following morning. However, if it happens during the weekend, you should contact the out-of-hours medical service.
