Once the embryo transfer is complete, you must wait for two weeks before you can test for a pregnancy. Knowing what to expect will help you know what symptoms are normal or not during this waiting period as well as what to look out for.
Get more free information about your surrogacy journey before and after the embryo transfer by filling out our contact form.
We’ll walk you through the necessary steps for what comes before and after the embryo transfer day by day, from creating your embryos with a fertility clinic to finding the perfect surrogate to help you achieve your dreams of becoming a parent.
Having these ducks in a row before your embryos are secured means you could be matched with a surrogate in as little as 1-6 months.
What to Expect After Embryo Transfer Day By Day
After the embryo transfer, you will have to wait two weeks before testing for a pregnancy as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) enters your bloodstream.
hCG levels are an indication of a pregnancy, but testing early can give you a false positive or negative which is where the two week wait comes into play.
By that time, a blood test at your fertility clinic can give you a concrete answer.
During these two weeks, you could experience symptoms that can stem from the fertility medications you took as well as the potential for those symptoms to be indicative of a pregnancy.
It’s possible you may experience some of these symptoms at various stages during the two week wait, or you might experience mild or no symptoms at all. Each situation is different.
Here’s what some of those symptoms may be:
1-2 Days Post Embryo Transfer
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Spotting
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Fatigue
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Mood swings
The first couple of days after the embryo transfer sees the blastocyst hatch and begins to try and attach to the uterus. At this stage after the embryo transfer, day by day symptoms should be minor to non-existent.
3-4 Days Post Embryo Transfer
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Cramping
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Tender breasts
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Increased urination
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Constipation
3-4 days post embryo transfer; implantation begins as the blastocyst reaches, attaches and moves deeper into the uterine lining.
5-6 Days Post Embryo Transfer
By days 5 and 6, implantation completes and the cells that develop into the placenta and fetus start to take shape. hCG begins to be produced by your body.
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Bloating
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Increased urination
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Tender breasts
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Constipation
7-8 Days Post Embryo Transfer
7-8 days after the embryo transfer, development continues. More hCG is released into your bloodstream too as the embryo becomes established in the uterine wall. Around the seven day mark, the placenta starts to form.
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Bleeding
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Nausea
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Bloating
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Headaches
9-10 Days Post Embryo Transfer
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Increased hunger
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Increased thirst
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Mood swings
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Cramping
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Fatigue
By this point, hCG levels have become high enough for a pregnancy to be detected.
11-14 Days Post Embryo Transfer
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Fatigue
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Nausea
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Vomiting
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Missed period
As the two-week wait period comes to a close, the embryo keeps growing and developing.
Your body continues to produce the necessary hormones for a successful pregnancy and some of these symptoms may be a result of one.
Contact us online to learn more about how we can help expedite your surrogacy journey. Whether you need to find a surrogate or craft your intended parent profile for a surrogate to learn more about you, we can help get you started.
After Embryo Transfer Day By Day FAQ
The most important day after an embryo transfer is day 14. Testing any earlier can produce a false positive or negative pregnancy test. 14 days allows hCG levels to reach the proper point where a blood test can determine a pregnancy or not. There’s no set in stone time for when you could feel symptoms after the embryo transfer. Mild symptoms could emerge immediately in the days after and 10-15% of women don’t even have symptoms after the transfer. Each situation is unique. No, day 0 of the embryo transfer is for the embryo transfer itself. Day 1 signifies the first day that comes after the embryo transfer, starting the two week wait period until you can test for a pregnancy. Symptoms may or may not begin on day 1.