What to Expect During Your First IVF Trip Abroad

Updated July 2026 · 7 min read

The unknown is the hardest part. Once you know what each day actually looks like — how much time appointments take, how much free time you'll have, and what the clinic experience feels like — the trip becomes a lot less intimidating.

This guide covers a typical 10-day IVF trip for a split-cycle protocol (monitoring started at home, flying out for retrieval and possible fresh transfer). Your timeline will vary based on your specific protocol and clinic, but the rhythm is similar across destinations.

Day 1: Arrival

You arrive at your destination and settle into your accommodation. Most clinics don't schedule appointments on arrival day — they know you need to decompress after travel. Use the time to orient yourself: locate the clinic, find a grocery store, set up your phone, and get a feel for the neighborhood. If your coordinator has arranged an airport transfer, they'll often use the ride to brief you on the next day's schedule.

Days 2–3: First clinic visit and monitoring

Your first appointment is usually a monitoring scan and blood draw to confirm your follicle development is on track. These visits are quick — typically 30–60 minutes including wait time. Your doctor will review the results, potentially adjust your medication, and confirm the tentative retrieval date.

The rest of the day is yours. Most patients are surprised by how much free time they have between appointments. Walk, explore, read, work remotely — the schedule allows for a genuinely relaxed pace.

Days 4–6: Continued monitoring

You'll have 1–2 more monitoring visits as your follicles mature. Each is a short ultrasound and blood draw. Your doctor is watching for follicles reaching the right size (typically 17–22mm) and your estrogen levels to peak appropriately.

This is the stretch where timing can flex. Your retrieval might move forward or back by a day depending on how your body responds. This is normal and expected — it's why you booked flexible flights.

Day 7: Trigger shot

When your doctor determines your follicles are ready, you'll take the "trigger shot" — an injection that initiates the final maturation of your eggs. Egg retrieval is scheduled exactly 34–36 hours later. Your clinic will give you a precise time for the injection and confirm your retrieval appointment.

After the trigger shot, follow your clinic's instructions carefully. This typically means no food or drink after midnight before retrieval, and no strenuous activity.

Day 8: Egg retrieval

This is the main event. Egg retrieval is a short procedure — typically 15–30 minutes — performed under light sedation. You'll arrive at the clinic in the morning, be sedated, and the doctor will use ultrasound-guided aspiration to collect eggs from your follicles.

You'll wake up in recovery, feel groggy for an hour or two, and most patients experience mild cramping and bloating for the rest of the day. You'll need someone to accompany you back to your accommodation (you can't drive or take a taxi alone after sedation). Plan for a quiet rest-of-day. By evening, most patients feel well enough for a light meal.

Days 9–12: Embryo culture and waiting

Your eggs are fertilized in the lab (with ICSI if recommended), and embryos begin developing. The lab team will update you on fertilization rates (typically the day after retrieval) and embryo development progress.

If you're doing a fresh transfer, it will happen on Day 3 or Day 5 after retrieval — your doctor will recommend which based on your embryo development. If you're doing a freeze-all, embryos are vitrified on Day 5 and you can fly home sooner.

These waiting days are the emotional core of the trip. Try to fill them with low-stress activities. Walk, eat well, sleep, and resist the urge to Google every possible scenario.

Transfer day (if doing fresh)

Embryo transfer is quick, painless, and doesn't require sedation. A thin catheter is guided into the uterus under ultrasound, and the embryo is placed. The whole process takes 5–10 minutes. You'll rest at the clinic for 15–30 minutes afterward, then return to your accommodation. Most doctors recommend light activity for the rest of the day — no bed rest is required.

Flying home

Most doctors allow flying the day after transfer. Some patients prefer to rest an extra day before traveling. There's no medical evidence that flying affects implantation, but do what makes you comfortable. Stay hydrated, move your legs during the flight, and avoid heavy lifting with your luggage.