IVF can be a very emotional journey, and it is normal for you to expect a positive result in your treatments. But things don’t always go as planned, and most women face IVF failure during their first few cycles.
After a failed IVF cycle, your menstrual cycle will resume, and you will naturally get your period. However, you might be confused about when you can expect your first period after a failed IVF cycle.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything about your first period after a failed IVF and why your IVF cycle fails.
First Period After Failed IVF Cycle
The first period after a failed IVF cycle can be an emotional one. You will be expecting to get a positive result during the 2-week wait after your embryo transfer.
Having your periods or not experiencing any pregnancy can affect you physically and emotionally.
Sometimes, you can also confuse implantation bleeding with menstrual bleeding. So don’t panic and take a pregnancy test to confirm whether you are pregnant or not.
When To Expect Your First Period After Failed IVF Cycle?
On average, most women who had a failed IVF cycle will have their period within the first two weeks after embryo transfer. If you had your embryo transfer according to your natural cycle, you might have your period during your regular menstrual cycle.
However, if you were administered hormonal injections and your natural menstrual cycle was altered to fit your IVF cycle, then it might take some time for your body to return to its usual menstrual cycle.
These hormonal changes can affect your menstrual cycle and cause delayed or irregular periods. The impact of these injections on the body depends on your health and fertility conditions and varies for each woman.
So, if you have confirmed IVF failure, consult your IVF doctor and check your condition.
20 Days After IVF No Period
As mentioned above, after a failed IVF, you can expect to have your period about one or two weeks after embryo transfer (roughly within 12–16 days).
However, the hormonal changes occurring in your body and the physical and emotional stress you underwent during the procedure can affect when you menstruate.
So don’t panic if you don’t get your period even after 20 days of embryo transfer. Wait for some days and see if you get your peri
Physical Symptoms During Period After Failed IVF
As you already know, a woman’s regular menstrual cycle will already be painful and filled with cramps and body pain. Now, add all the hormonal changes and the physical and emotional stress of the IVF procedure.
All these combined can make your first few menstrual cycles more painful and last longer than your usual period. Symptoms like cramping, soreness, and bloating can be more intense than usual.
It is important for you to note the symptoms you experience and notify your ivf doctor if they are very painful or uncomfortable. You can try to overcome your period pain by staying hydrated, getting enough rest, and asking your ivf doctor for some over-the-counter painkillers for the pain.
Understanding The IVF Process And Why It Fails
IVF (In vitro fertilization) is an advanced fertility treatment where the sperm and eggs are collected from the male and female partner to fertilize them in a laboratory.
Your partner will be required to provide sperm through ejaculation or will undergo sperm extraction procedures in case of infertility issues.
You, however, will have to take fertility medications repeatedly for some days to produce several high-quality eggs. Once the eggs are mature enough to be fertilized, your fertility doctor will retrieve them through a minimally invasive egg retrieval procedure.
The eggs and sperm are then fertilized and nurtured for some days in a laboratory. The best embryo with the highest chances of pregnancy is then selected to be transferred into the uterus.
Pregnancy happens when the embryo implants into the uterine lining and starts developing. If the embryo can’t implant or grow inside your uterus, it means your IVF cycle has failed.
The dead embryo and the endometrial tissue will then be expelled from the uterus, resulting in menstruation.
What Happens To The Body After A Failed IVF Cycle?
As you saw above, you undergo several procedures like ovulation induction, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer during an IVF cycle. This can make you tired physically and emotionally.
After a failed IVF cycle, it is essential for you to take adequate rest and allow your body to recover from the procedure before starting your next IVF cycle.
Before starting your next cycle, you need to discuss with your doctor and understand what went wrong during the previous procedure. This can help you take the necessary steps to avoid the same mistakes in your next cycle.
Conclusion
The time it takes for you to have your period after a failed IVF cycle differs for each woman. Don’t worry if you don’t have your period after about two weeks of embryo transfer. Wait for a few days or visit your Gynecologist to understand the issue.
It is also important for you to learn what precautions you can take after embryo transfer to improve your chances of pregnancy. Consult your fertility doctor and understand what you can and cannot do during your IVF treatments.
Yes, it is possible for you to have a negative urine pregnancy test and still not have periods after some days. It might happen due to two reasons.
- You either took the pregnancy test too early, or the pregnancy test kit is faulty, and you are actually pregnant.
- Your IVF cycle failed, but you are not having periods due to some hormonal conditions.
It is best to visit your doctor if you don’t get your period after two or three weeks of embryo transfer.
Below are some healthy activities you can follow to overcome the physical and emotional stress of IVF and have a regular menstrual cycle.
- Eat a healthy diet
- Do regular exercises
- Avoid excessive caffeine intake
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
- Consult your doctor and take medications
Yes, having twins or triplets can sometimes lead to a negative pregnancy test result. This phenomenon is called the high-dose hook effect. Your home pregnancy test kit measures the hCG levels in your urine to determine pregnancy.
You will release high levels of hCG when you have more than one baby. This can confuse the kit and cause it to give a false pregnancy test result.
