---
title: "What happens after your egg collection?"
date: 2025-03-20
author: "HSFC Kenya"
featured_image: "https://hsfckenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/What-happens-after-your-egg-collection.png.webp"
categories:
  - name: "Female Infertility"
    url: "/resource-library/articles/category/female-infertility.md"
  - name: "Treatments and Services"
    url: "/resource-library/articles/category/treatments-and-services.md"
---

# What happens after your egg collection?

After egg collection, you’ll be given hormone medicines to help prepare the lining of your womb to receive the embryo. This is usually given either as a pessary placed inside your vagina, an injection, or a gel. In the meantime, the retrieved eggs are fertilised with sperm in a lab, and the resulting embryos are monitored for development before being transferred to the uterus or frozen for later use. These are the steps as detailed by the [Pacific Fertility Center](https://www.pfcla.com/blog/egg-retrieval-process-what-to-expect#:~:text=Once%20the%20eggs%20are%20retrieved,and%20recover%20from%20the%20procedure).

- Egg Retrieval and Preparation: After the egg retrieval procedure, the follicular fluid containing the eggs is collected and sent to the IVF lab. Embryologists locate, isolate, and place the eggs in specialised media to continue their development. The eggs are then checked for maturity.
- Fertilisation: Mature eggs are fertilized with sperm, either through standard insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI involves injecting a single sperm directly into each egg. The fertilised eggs are then called embryos.
- Embryo Development and Monitoring: [Embryos](https://hsfckenya.com/resource-library/articles/treatments/what-is-frozen-embryo-transfer-fet-and-when-is-it-recommended-as-a-treatment-option/) are placed in a culture dish to continue developing in the lab. The development of the embryos is carefully monitored over the next few days. Embryos can be frozen for later use, if desired.
- Embryo Transfer: Once the embryos reach the desired stage of development (usually 3 to 5 days after egg retrieval), they are transferred to the uterus. The embryo transfer procedure is typically performed in a clinic.
- Recovery and Two-Week Wait: After the [egg](https://hsfckenya.com/resource-library/articles/treatments/egg-freezing-success-rates/) retrieval, you may experience some side effects, such as bloating, cramping, and fatigue. It’s important to rest and take it easy for the first few days after the procedure. After the embryo transfer, there’s a “two-week wait” before a pregnancy test can be performed.