Home Pregnancy Test After IVF Embryo Transfer: What To Expect?

What to Expect During a Home Pregnancy Test After IVF Embryo Transfer?

The journey to parenthood is challenging in itself; going the IVF route can be a little more daunting for the mind, body, and your finances. However, the fruits of a successful IVF cycle can be life changing. With your loved ones’ support and guidance of your fertility specialist, you have a decent chance of conceiving successfully. However, the waiting time after an embryo transfer can be excruciating. It is understandable that you may wish to know about the results of an embryo transfer as soon as possible, but that is not how things work. Learn everything you need to know about pregnancy test after IVF frozen embryo transfer here.

When is the best time to take a pregnancy test after IVF?

It usually takes about 5 to 7 days for the first pregnancy tests after IVF embryo transfer to be initiated. Till then, you are advised to rest and focus on your overall wellbeing.

Almost everyone who is doing an IVF treatment gets eager to get positive results back from their fertility experts. However, it is important to regulate your stress levels and seek support from your loved ones or your doctor during this time.

How Is Pregnancy Confirmed During IVF?

To confirm successful pregnancy, your fertility specialist will likely order a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) blood test as it is usually the primary choice of pregnancy test after IVF. This test shares information about the hormone activity in the female’s body and estimate the chances of a pregnancy. Additionally, ultrasounds may be used to confirm the pregnancy after the blood test results indicate hopefulness. The ultrasound is used to detect the presence of foetal heartbeat or gestational sac or the placenta.

Blood Pregnancy Test and Home pregnancy test

A home pregnancy test after IVF embryo transfer is not a reliable tool as it is designed to detect the presence of hCG in the urine, which is not an accurate detector of hCG levels in the blood after fertility treatment. This is because IVF medication used in the treatment throws off the test readings in the urine.

Blood pregnancy tests after IVF frozen embryo transfer are far more accurate and reliable than at-home pregnancy tests after IVF frozen embryo transfer. Thus, it is best to consult your fertility specialist about pregnancy tests after IVF treatment and follow their guidance. Blood test for pregnancy after IVF can detect trace amounts of hCG in the body. These blood tests can take a few hours or more than 1 day to furnish results, which is much longer than the reaction time of urine tests; however, they accurately show whether you are pregnant or not.

The Role of Home Pregnancy Tests

An over-the-counter pregnancy test can check your urine sample for hCG levels and determine the likelihood of you being pregnant. In normal scenarios, these pregnancy tests can be used at first to indicate the presence of pregnancy due to normal hormone activity in the body. However, these don’t seem reliable in case of IVF as the fertility treatment throws off the hCG levels and makes it difficult for such tests to accurately detect a pregnancy.

After an at-home pregnancy test, your healthcare provider will recommend a blood test to check hCG levels in the blood and confirm the results of the test in case of a natural pregnancy as well as an IVF pregnancy.

Home Pregnancy Tests After IVF— How accurate are they?

The results of an at-home pregnancy test after IVF can be variable. Some of these may be able to detect extremely low levels of hCG (as little as 10 mIU/ml) in your urine, whereas others may only detect levels equal to or higher than 25 mIU/ml.

Generally, home pregnancy tests after IVF are not able to detect hCG levels below 75 mIU/mL and usually sensitive to about 100 mIU/mL hCG levels in the urine. Thus, it is of utmost importance to follow the guidance of your fertility specialist on which test to use and how. Since these tests can produce a false negative or a false positive test result sometimes, you are advised to consult your doctor to confirm the results with a blood test and/or an ultrasound.

How Long Does It Take to Find Out If You Are Pregnant After IVF?

Confirming the presence or absence of a pregnancy after IVF depends on various factors. Usually, your fertility doctor will recommend a blood test about 14-15 days after embryo transfer to check the results of an IVF cycle as this is the right time for a pregnancy test. The reasoning behind this delay is that the embryo needs time to implant in the uterine lining after being transferred. The body produces the hCG to support and maintain the pregnancy, which is detected accurately by the blood test. Additionally, every person may have a different reaction to the IVF cycle and the test results may take more or less time than standard timeline; being patient is key in this stage of IVF.

Things to Do While Waiting After Embryo Transfer for the Pregnancy Test

During this crucial stage of waiting, you are recommended to devote your energy towards your emotional and physical wellbeing. Here are a few things that you may find helpful between the embryo transfer and pregnancy test after IVF:

• Meditate
• Practise yoga
• Talk to a therapist
• Spend time with your loved ones
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Enjoy restful sleep
• Follow the guidelines shared by your fertility specialist

Studies suggest that having emotional support during IVF cycle can improve the chances of a successful pregnancy for a woman. Thus, it is important to seek support from your loved ones and manage your stress levels.

When Can I Know If My IVF Cycle Was Successful or Not?

It typically takes about 2 weeks after the embryo transfer to know whether your IVF cycle was successful or not.  This is because it usually takes 2 weeks for your body to make enough hCG to be detected in a blood test in case of a successful implantation and pregnancy. Ultrasounds are also used at different intervals during your pregnancy to track the progress of the foetus under the supervision of an IVF specialist.

Negative IVF Pregnancy Test Result

If the at-home pregnancy test after IVF shows negative results, your doctor will recommend a blood test to be sure. If that result is also negative, it means that the transferred embryo was not able to implant in the uterine lining successfully. This result can be emotionally devastating, but as long as you have frozen embryos or the ability to go through another round of IVF, there is hope. Your fertility specialist will likely recommend you try another round of IVF if you don’t have any frozen embryos.

Conclusion

It can cbe hallenging to wait for the pregnancy test after IVF frozen embryo transfer, but taking over-the-counter pregnancy tests will not help you in relieving the stress. You must trust the process, be patient during the waiting period, and provide your body with healthy nutrition, plenty of rest, and adequate movement. Talking to your healthcare provider about your concerns can be helpful while you wait for the pregnancy blood test after IVF to occur.