Hurrah! You have successfully completed your IVF procedure. First, congratulations on that.
Now that you have undergone your embryo transfer, the next step is to know whether your IVF cycle was successful or not. Your doctor would have advised you not to take a pregnancy test for 2 weeks after the procedure, and for good reason.
However, even if you don’t take a pregnancy test, here are some positive symptoms you might experience about 10 days after embryo transfer. This might give you a guess on whether the procedure was successful or not.
Common Symptoms At 10 Days After Embryo Transfer
After about a week after embryo transfer, it is normal for you to experience certain symptoms. These symptoms might either signify a positive pregnancy or reveal negative signs. You won’t know until you take a pregnancy test.
Here are some common symptoms that you may experience about 10 days after embryo transfer.
Implantation Bleeding
After about a week after embryo transfer, you might experience slight bleeding or spotting from your vagina. It is normal for you to fear that it is menstrual and worry if your IVF cycle fails.
But don’t worry. It is not menstrual bleeding but implantation bleeding. This bleeding happens when the embryo implants into the uterine lining. It might rupture some blood vessels during implantation, which causes the bleeding.
Additionally, it’s common to experience some discomfort or period-like pain around 10 days after embryo transfer. This pain can often cause concern, but it can also be a sign of the body adjusting to the embryo implanting in the uterus.
Below are the characteristics of implantation bleeding:
- Implantation bleeding will only appear as slight spotting and will disappear within a few days.
- Unlike menstrual bleeding, which is bright red in color, implantation bleeding will be light pink or brown in color.
Remember, experiencing slight pain or discomfort 10 days after embryo transfer is not unusual and can be part of the normal implantation process.
Cramping
Along with implantation bleeding, you might also experience some mild abdominal and pelvic cramping. During embryo implantation, the embryo will settle deep into the uterine lining. This can put some pressure on your pelvic regions, causing cramps.
Cramps can also be caused by the progesterone medications administered during IVF treatments. These medications are often used to support the uterine lining and maintain a high progesterone level, which is crucial for a successful pregnancy. So, this may not be a definite sign of pregnancy.
Breast Tenderness
Sometimes, pregnant women will experience sore or tender breasts. This is caused due to the sudden hormonal changes after a successful implantation. This, again, can also be caused due to the hormonal injections administered during IVF. So, this may not be a definite sign of pregnancy.
Fatigue
It is normal for pregnant women to always feel tired and fatigued. This is, again, the work of hormones. The sudden hormone surge that happens in your body due to pregnancy can cause fatigue.
However, it can also be the work of progesterone medications you take. So, you can only know if it is a pregnancy symptom when you take a pregnancy test after 2 weeks.
Nausea
If there is one symptom that most people associate with pregnancy, it is nausea. Morning sickness is synonymous with pregnancy, and it is experienced by most pregnant women.
This symptom is mostly normal and will reduce after the first trimester. However, if you have recurrent nausea, it is best to consult your fertility doctor.
Less Common Symptoms At 10 Days After Embryo Transfer
The above symptoms are some of the most common ones that you might experience after an embryo transfer. Below are some less common symptoms that you may or may not experience 10 days after an embryo transfer.
Headaches
Headaches are not a common symptom of pregnancy. If you have a headache, it might be because of the hormonal changes that happen in your body. See if the headache reduces after some time. Suppose it does not, consult your doctor and take a painkiller.
Mood Swings
Though less common, mood swings after not that rare in pregnancy. This is mainly the cause of the hormonal changes that goes on in your body after implantation. It can also be caused by the hormonal injections, so they are not a definite sign of pregnancy.
Bloating
You can also have bloating sometimes after embryo transfer. Bloating is often the cause of progesterone hormone, which can slow down digestion and cause bloating.
It can be a sign of pregnancy symptoms or can also be caused due to hormonal injections.
Conclusion
Most of the symptoms we discussed above are normal and will disappear after a few days. However, if the symptoms stay for longer or get intense as days go by, it is best to visit your fertility doctor and get a diagnosis.
Your body will also be weak after the embryo transfer procedure. So, don’t stress too much and consult your doctor if the symptoms worsen.
After an embryo transfer, it will take about two weeks for your body to produce enough hCG hormones that would be detected in a pregnancy tets, so, it is best to wait for at least 2 weeks (10–14 days) before you take a pregnancy test.
After an embryo transfer, you might experience certain symptoms if you had a positive IVF treatment.
- Implantation bleeding
- Cramping
- Tender breasts
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Bloating
Even though you have good embryos, sometimes, factors like your age, infertility issue, or any other existing health issue can cause IVF failure.