Taking a pregnancy test after an embryo transfer requires careful timing to ensure accurate results. The minimum amount of time you have to wait to take a pregnancy test is 14 days after the embryo transfer.
This timeframe allows the embryo enough time to implant and for the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to be detectable.
Always heed your fertility clinic’s advice on when to return for a pregnancy blood test, as this form of pregnancy test is more accurate than an at-home test.
This article is meant to be a guide as to the potential pregnancy test results day by day after the embryo transfer. You should always wait the amount of time recommended by your fertility specialist.
Pregnancy Test 1-5 Days After Embryo Transfer
1-5 days after the embryo transfer, a negative pregnancy test is a likely outcome. At this stage, the embryo is likely to be in the process of implanting in the uterine wall.
Pregnancy tests look at hCG levels to determine a pregnancy and hCG may not be produced by your body until day six after the transfer.
Pregnancy Test 6 Days After Embryo Transfer
At this stage, a negative pregnancy test 6 days after the embryo transfer is still likely. At
Lower levels of hCG are starting to be produced naturally by your body but hCG is also used to stimulate your ovaries through a trigger shot to release an egg.
So although a negative pregnancy test 1-6 days after the embryo transfer is possible, it could be a false result as a result of the at-home pregnanacy test not being able to detect levels of hCG present.
Pregnancy Test 7-9 Days After Embryo Transfer
A positive pregnancy test can be as early as seven days after the embryo transfer if you had a blastocyst transfer.
Leading up to day seven, the embryo hatches, divides and continues its expansion. Apposition, adhesion and invasion take place next as the cells that become the fetus and placenta continue to divide. More hCG is secreted into the bloodstream.
When the blastocyst lands near the uterine wall and forms an initial, but loose connection. When the embryo attaches to the endometrium. When the outer cells of the blastocyst penetrate the uterine wall.
HCG levels may be high enough for a positive pregnancy test 7 days after the embryo transfer. But seven days after the embryo transfer, negative pregnancy tests are possible too because hCG levels can vary depending on your body’s reaction to where you are in the fertility journey.
Pregnancy Test 10 -14 Days After Embryo Transfer
HCG levels could be high enough to detect pregnancy by the ninth day for a day three embryo transfer. But even if you get a negative pregnancy test 10 days after the embryo transfer, a false positive or negative is within the realm of possibility.
Continued growth happens after a day 3 and a day 5 embryo transfer, but a day 5 embryo is typically further along in its development, and therefore may implant sooner than a day 3, making it possible to detect pregnancy sooner.
Apposition, adhesion and invasion take place on days five through seven. Cell division and hCG production take place on the eighth day and beyond.
14 days marks the two-week wait often advised by fertility specialists, a positive pregnancy test 14 days after the embryo transfer is a good indication that you are pregnant.
A blood test 14 days after the embryo transfer ensures you get the most accurate results instead of riding the roller coaster that can come from receiving false positive or negative test results by testing too early or using an at-home pregnancy test.
The Importance of hCG Levels
Depending on when your embryo transfer took place, hCG may be high enough to detect pregnancy.
Measured in milli-international units per milliliter (mIU/mL), hCG levels of less than 5 mIU/mL are considered negative for a pregnancy and anything above 25 mIU/mL is considered positive. Between there is considered the grey zone and a retest will be needed.
The logic behind a pregnancy test 14 days after the embryo transfer is that many fertility specialists recommend allowing hCG levels to stabilize. Testing for pregnancy soon after the shot can produce test results that are not accurate.
Waiting for the full two weeks will allow a blood test to accurately assess the natural levels of hCG released by your body as the embryo’s development continues.
Even if you take an at-home pregnancy test, you should consider scheduling a blood test from your fertility clinic too as it’s the most accurate method of determining a pregnancy.
Symptoms to Expect During Your Two-Week Wait
Throughout your wait to test for pregnancy after the embryo transfer takes place, there are a variety of symptoms you could experience.
Each situation is unique so the symptoms can vary and are not surefire positive or negative indicators as they could be a reaction to the fertility medications rather than pregnancy.
Having no reaction after the transfer is completely possible as 10-15% of patients don’t see any symptoms before a pregnancy test 14 days after the embryo transfer.
Bleeding can be one of the first signs of a pregnancy as well as a common side effect of medications resulting from in-vitro fertilization (IVF). If heavy bleeding occurs, get in touch with a doctor immediately. Cramping can signal an oncoming period but in this case, it can also mean the embryo transfer was successful. Progesterone used during IVF can cause mild cramping and/or bloating too. Extreme pains outside of the common cramping that can happen should result in contacting your doctor. Sore or painful breasts can be a symptom of your menstrual cycle as well as an early sign of an IVF pregnancy. Increased hormones from the IVF process can also cause sore or painful breasts. With all the changes that take place in your body during this process in a short period of time, fatigue is quite common, especially as a result of fertility drugs taken. Different types of discharge can indicate a variety of different things beyond a pregnancy. Thin, clear discharge can indicate a hormone imbalance, white discharge can be a sign of increased stress and a mucus discharge could hint at increased levels of progesterone. As your body produces more hCG and progesterone, you will need to urinate more. Increased urination can also lead to urinary tract infections (UTIs), so if you have blood in your urine, a fever or painful urination, then contact a doctor straight away. Fluctuations in body temperature are common during the embryo transfer and pregnancy.Common Symptoms You Could Experience
Get the Support You Deserve
Surrogacy is a winding road that can come with a whirlwind of emotions. It’s a momentous journey for you and the intended parents and having support to address those emotions is a common part of this opportunity to change lives.
The support we offer comes in several forms such as:
- Educational resources
- Mediation and counseling for surrogate-intended parent relationships
- Professional social workers available for counseling on surrogacy-process related issues
We can also refer you to specific services you may need for emotional guidance like surrogate support groups.
These groups can serve as a community, online or in person, to share stories and experiences, answering questions or concerns you may have as the timeline progresses.
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No matter what type of support you need, we’re here for you. That support can come in whatever form you need, whether that’s finding the intended parents you want to carry for or being connected with a reputable professional where the embryo transfer will take place.