The egg retrieval process can be very challenging, whether you are undergoing an IVF cycle or making an egg donation. The anxiety level can be quite high, especially if you are doing it for the first time. Although egg retrieval surgery is a minimally invasive process, it is something you should take seriously. Like other medical procedures, egg retrieval often goes well, provided it is carefully planned. A lot of patients do wonder what the egg retrieval process entails. At our fertility clinic in Orange County, CA, we have successfully completed many egg retrievals for both egg donation and IVF fertility treatment.

We have compiled below some tips that can help reduce anxiety and make the process go as smoothly as possible. Preparing ahead will help ensure you have a good egg retrieval experience.

Know Where Are You Going

If you are sure of where you are going, the chance of getting lost on the way is much lower! And when we say you should “know where you are going,” we mean every word of it.

The clinics and laboratories of some fertility agencies are not in the same city. Therefore, you need to be sure that you know exactly where you are heading. It is better to go to the lab location earlier, to be sure if you are worried about getting lost. Though we have never experienced it, there had been cases where the patient went to a wrong fertility center for egg retrieval. Some women are excited —so much so that they fail to realize how costly a mistake like that can be.

Know Your Anatomy Before Going to the Egg Retrieval

In an egg retrieval process, the most crucial part of the female anatomy is the ovaries. And it is important to know where your ovaries are located. This will give you an idea of how you are likely to feel when the process is going on.

Imagine not knowing that you can gain up to 5 pounds in weight (thanks to water retention). Also, you may go from feeling absolutely fine and normal to feeling as if you’re four months pregnant within 10 days. Or that your breasts may feel tender as the levels of estrogen in your body increases, and you may feel nauseous and hormonal. It is only when you know your anatomy that you can know what to expect in your situation. We suggest that you ask your fertility doctor the number of eggs they are anticipating. Also, remember to ask them the preventative measures they are taking if you are worried about Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).

Stay Hydrated

You may not feel like eating before your egg retrieval. If this is the case, then try a hydrating drink or a protein shake that you can keep down as a substitute for a meal. Coconut Water is the simplest, well-hydrating fluid option recommended by experts.

Food as Medicine

As always, food is of utmost importance. It is even more so when you are going through an IVF egg retrieval cycle. We advise that you ask your healthcare provider to help craft a diet based on your body and preference. Surely, an egg donation cycle can allow you to get yourself into shape.

Mindful Meditation for Egg Retrieval

You do not need to do anything unusual. What we do recommend to our patients is deep breathing and meditation. There are lots of mobile apps and books that can guide you in doing so. Just try and get an application you connect with and test them out to select the one that calms you most.

Below are some recommendations:

• www.calm.com
• www.ferticalm.com
• www.circlebloom.com
• www.resolve.org
• www.talktherapy.com

Ensure You Don’t have a Sperm Emergency

A sperm emergency is not something anyone would like, and here are our recommendations to patients going through the in vitro fertilization or IVF process.

– We usually advise patients, especially Egg Donors, not to have sexual intercourse before the retrieval procedure. This is because the ovarian stimulation medications (trigger shots) they are taking, raise their chances of getting pregnant.

– If you are an IVF patient, you need to find out the time when the mature eggs would be collected and what the collection room looks like. Doing a sperm freeze will easily fix any issues with performance if there’s one. Alternatively, fresh sperm can be collected on that very day.

– On the egg retrieval day, your partner or spouse should have a good breakfast in the morning. We also recommend that patients get a good night’s sleep with no disturbance the day before. It is also advisable to rest as much as you can before egg collection.

Things that Happen on the Egg Retrieval Day

Although the egg retrieval process itself is not time-consuming, most patients will need to stay at the clinic for about 2 hours or more. At our fertility clinic in Orange County, we recommend that you show up at the clinic appropriately 45 minutes ahead of schedule on the egg retrieval day, and with an empty stomach. Ensure that you put on comfortable clothes and don’t use perfume. When all is set, then you can change into something comfier, like a gown, and one of our nurses is going to place your IV.

An anesthesiologist will provide answers to any question you may have, and your doctor will meet with you to discuss the following.

• How many eggs they are expecting to retrieve.
• What you can expect in the days after the egg retrieval.
• When you are going to get an update on your embryos and when you will have to revisit the clinic.

You are then going to be taken to the OR, and the doctor will begin with a pelvic ultrasound when you are asleep. After this, you will spend an extra 45 to 60 minutes in recovery. The person that accompanied you to our fertility clinic in Orange County for egg retrieval, can now join you in the recovery room. Once you are discharged, they are going to take you home and hopefully be with you for the rest of the day, making sure that you are okay and resting. This way you can experience a smooth and stress-free day of egg retrieval.

Must have – Post-Egg Retrieval

Pain medications – Minimally invasive or not, egg retrieval, is a surgical procedure, and a needle will be poking your ovaries. Each of our patients gets a prescription for pain meds to be used when necessary and to make sure they get a restful night’s sleep.

Stool softener – Due to the side effects of the anesthetic used, you may experience some constipation after egg retrieval. So, it is advisable to have a stool softener such as docusate sulfate, in case it occurs.

Emergency Contact – You should have the phone number of your physician and fertility clinic. Make sure you call them if you are experiencing any issues after the operation.

Request Updates

If you are donating eggs, the process ends once the eggs have been collected, however, if you are an IVF patient, the waiting period begins after retrieval, to know if you have conceived. It usually takes about 14 days to find out if conception had taken place. This may be the hardest wait of your life. Although it varies from one clinic to the other, here are some of the times they may get in touch with you:

• The night of the retrieval
• The morning after the egg retrieval
• Based on the situation, they may also contact you on day 3, day 5, and day 6.

We make sure at our fertility clinic in Orange County, California, that patients experience a smooth and stress-less egg retrieval procedure. As a result, we have successfully completed egg donation and IVF cycles for countless patients. If you have more questions, simply schedule a consultation with us. You can also visit or website to have a chat with our team and learn more.