After the embryo transfer, you’re most likely eager to take a pregnancy test. It’s typically recommended to wait two weeks before taking a pregnancy test after an embryo transfer to ensure accurate results.
We can provide you with more information relevant to your surrogacy journey during this time, or help you prepare for what to expect during your two-week wait.
If you have any questions about taking a pregnancy test after the embryo has been transferred, then feel free to contact us online at any time. We are always here to help you.
When to Take a Pregnancy Test after the Embryo Transfer
You’ll want to wait two weeks after an embryo transfer before taking a pregnancy test. This is what most doctors and fertility clinics advise, so take these couple of weeks to get plenty of rest and relaxation.
If you’ve been wondering how long after the embryo transfer to get a pregnancy test, then remember that two weeks is the general rule of thumb.
How a Pregnancy Test after the Embryo Transfer Works
When it’s time to take your pregnancy test after an embryo transfer, you will receive a blood test to detect the presence of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your bloodstream. This is the “pregnancy hormone” that appears only when someone is pregnant.
Keep in mind that your hCG levels will be highest sometime around week eight to week 11. For more information on hCG levels and how they rise and fall over the course of pregnancy, check out our chart here.
Blood vs. Home Pregnancy Test after the Embryo Transfer
Home pregnancy tests are not as accurate as a blood test if you are a surrogate, so purchasing one from your local drugstore could mean a false negative or false positive pregnancy test after the embryo transfer. That’s why you should always defer to your fertility clinic or doctor for a blood test. These will be significantly more accurate.
How Accurate Is a Pregnancy Test after an Embryo Transfer?
The accuracy of your pregnancy test will depend on whether you use an over-the-counter test or a blood test. The former detects hCG in your urine while a blood test, as its name suggests, detects hCG in your bloodstream. If you use an at-home test, then these can vary in both quality and accuracy, so we highly recommend that you use a blood test instead.
What to Do if Your Pregnancy Test is Negative
If your pregnancy test comes out negative, then there are a couple of things that you’ll want to keep in mind. Taking the test too early can lead to an inaccurate result and a potential false negative. So, a negative pregnancy test seven days after the embryo transfer is normal, as the two-week wait has not yet passed. Even 10 days after the embryo transfer, a negative pregnancy test is likely to occur.
A negative pregnancy test, however, may mean you need to attempt another round of IVF. Your fertility clinic will advise you on what your next steps should be.
Symptoms of a Successful Embryo Transfer
Although it’s possible that you may experience only a handful or even none of these symptoms, these are the symptoms most commonly associated with a positive pregnancy test after an embryo transfer. Some of the signs include:
- Bleeding or spotting
- Sore breasts
- Cramping
- Nausea
- Exhaustion or fatigue
- Bloating
- Needing to pee more often
- Missed period
- Changes in vaginal discharge
If you have any questions about a pregnancy test after an embryo transfer, then we can help when you contact us online. We’d love to help you whenever you need us.