Understanding Week-by-Week Pregnancy After IVF Transfer
by:Fertility Cure Centre
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onMay 21, 2025
In:World
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TypeIVF Pregnancy Guide
Introduction
A transfer of your embryo has been completed. It is now official that you are in the waiting zone, and you feel a mix of hope, anxiety, and many insignificant questions.
"What should I feel this week?" "When will I know if it worked?" "Is it normal to feel nothing?"
You already know that if you are going through pregnancy following in vitro fertilization, it is a journey that is unlike any other. I'm making progress every week, but it's also full of surprises. Moreover, there are occasions when it is difficult to determine what is considered normal, particularly when your body feels different from what your friends say.
That's why we created this guide — to walk with you, week by week, from the moment after transfer to Week 40. Whether you're watching for symptoms, waiting for scans, or just trying to feel okay, this blog will help you understand what might be happening each week, calmly and clearly. No pressure. No fear. Just gentle guidance, honest answers, and support — exactly when needed.
1st Week of IVF Pregnancy – What to Expect
The first week after your embryo transfer is often quiet, but emotionally, it may feel anything but. You’re thinking about every slight cramp, every twinge, every feeling (or lack of one). This period is when implantation might begin, usually 6 to 10 days after the transfer, but not everyone feels it happen. Some women experience mild cramping or spotting. Others feel absolutely nothing. Both are completely normal.
You’re also starting the infamous “two-week wait,” where time feels slow, and every symptom feels like a sign. But this week, what’s happening inside your body is subtle, delicate, and meaningful—even if you can’t feel it.
If you’re wondering what’s normal, what might be a hopeful sign, and how to stay steady during these first few days, our whole 1st week of IVF pregnancy guide gently walks you through what to expect.
2nd Week of IVF Pregnancy – Signs, Waiting, and hCG Testing
You're now in the second week after your embryo transfer—and if you haven't already taken a test, you're likely counting down the hours. This season is the week when your clinic may schedule your beta hCG test, usually around day 9 to 14 post-transfer. It's the first real sign of whether implantation has begun and pregnancy hormones are rising.
Some women feel light symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or breast tenderness around this time, but others feel nothing. It doesn't mean anything is wrong. IVF symptoms are unpredictable, and medication can mimic early pregnancy signs, too.
What has been the most challenging aspect of this week? The waiting. The wondering. This process can lead to mental exhaustion. That's why it helps to know what's happening inside your body and how to prepare emotionally for that first blood test.
Our full second week of IVF pregnancy guide explores all of these aspects, including what rising (or low) hCG levels might mean.
3rd Week of IVF Pregnancy – Early Symptoms and Rising hCG
By now, your beta hCG results are likely in—and if they’re positive, congratulations. You’re officially pregnant. But even with a confirmed result, Week 3 of IVF pregnancy can bring many mixed emotions: excitement, fear, doubt, and that constant voice in your head asking, “Is everything okay?”
This week, your hCG levels should rise steadily, and your clinic may schedule a follow-up test to confirm the increase. You might start noticing mild symptoms—like slight nausea, sore breasts, or extra tiredness—but don’t worry if you don’t. Some women don’t feel anything for weeks, even in a healthy pregnancy.
This week is also characterised by a sense of fragility in the pregnancy. You’re pregnant, but you may not yet feel pregnant—and that’s where emotional support matters.
Read the whole third week of the IVF pregnancy guide to understand better what’s happening inside your body and how to track early progress gently.
4th Week of IVF Pregnancy – Confirming Pregnancy
This week often brings your first actual confirmation that pregnancy is progressing. If your hCG levels have been rising well, your doctor may schedule your first ultrasound soon, though it might still be too early to see much more than the gestational sac. That’s completely normal.
Some women begin to feel more pregnancy-like now, with sore breasts, mood shifts, fatigue, or even light nausea. Others still feel nothing. If you’ve had IVF before or experienced loss, it’s also common to feel extra cautious or emotionally distant. That’s okay, too. Permit yourself to feel however you feel.
Your medication (like progesterone or estrogen support) will likely continue, and you’ll remain under close observation. This is a week to breathe, observe, and care for your emotions just as much as your body.
You can explore what to expect medically and emotionally in our fourth week of the IVF pregnancy guide.
5th Week of IVF Pregnancy – What’s Happening Inside
Week 5 is when early pregnancy starts to feel a little more real. The embryo grows rapidly inside your uterus, and the brain, spinal cord, and heart form inside it. If your hCG levels continue rising well, your doctor might schedule your first ultrasound around the end of this week or early next.
Physically, you may feel light cramping, breast tenderness, or waves of fatigue. Emotionally, it can still feel like a mix of joy, fear, hope, and hesitation. For IVF moms, this week is often filled with cautious optimism. You want to believe, but you’re scared to be too sure.
This week can feel heavier if you’ve experienced previous loss or uncertainty. But your body is doing something powerful—slowly, it’s preparing for more.
To learn what’s developing inside and how to approach your first ultrasound, read the whole 5th week of the IVF pregnancy guide.
6th Week of IVF Pregnancy – First Heartbeat Possibility
This week can be a big emotional week for IVF pregnancy. Many clinics arrange the first ultrasound around Week 6; if the timing is ideal, you could witness your baby's heartbeat.
However, it's essential to acknowledge that not everyone experiences the heartbeat this week, and that's perfectly acceptable. Implantation timing, embryo development speed, and even a day or two of variation can make a big difference. If your doctor recommends waiting a few more days, please remain calm—this is more common than you might expect.
Physically, symptoms like nausea, tiredness, or breast changes may become more noticeable. You're also still taking medications like progesterone, which can amplify everything.
Do you want to know what's normal, what to expect during the scan, and when to be concerned? You'll find gentle, straightforward answers in our sixth week of the IVF pregnancy guide.
7th Week of IVF Pregnancy – Symptoms & Emotional Shifts
By Week 7, your pregnancy hormones are fully active, affecting your feelings. You might be feeling more exhausted, hungrier than usual, or suddenly hit with waves of nausea. For some, it’s the first week when pregnancy starts to feel “real.” For others, it still feels uncertain.
If your ultrasound hasn’t happened yet, it’s likely scheduled for this week. Seeing that tiny flicker of a heartbeat (or two, if it’s twins) can bring relief, but also start up new anxieties. IVF moms often carry an invisible emotional burden: the fear of becoming overly attached too soon.
This week is just as much about emotional care as physical progress. Whether you’re feeling excited, numb, or cautiously hopeful—it’s all valid.
To understand what’s happening inside your body and how to handle these emotional shifts, read our whole 7th week of IVF pregnancy guide.
8th Week of IVF Pregnancy – Scan Expectations & Cramping
Week 8 can bring both relief and new worries. Seeing a heartbeat helps you breathe easier if you've already had your first scan. If your scan is this week, you might be feeling anxious all over again—and that's completely normal, especially in an IVF journey.
You may notice stronger pregnancy symptoms now: nausea, breast tenderness, bloating, and mood swings. Cramping is also common and usually not a concern unless it's severe or accompanied by bleeding. Many women feel more emotionally fragile this week, often cycling between hope and fear several times a day.
This is also a good week to check in with yourself—physically, mentally, and emotionally. You've come a long way, even if you don't feel it.
To learn what's considered normal in scans, cramping, and symptoms this week, explore the 8th week of the IVF pregnancy guide.
9th Week of IVF Pregnancy – Stronger Symptoms & First Milestones
At 9 weeks, your baby is growing quickly, and so are your pregnancy symptoms. You may experience stronger nausea, heightened fatigue, or unexpected emotional fluctuations. These changes can be intense, but they're signs that your body is doing something amazing.
For IVF moms, this week can bring a shift: the first milestone of feeling like you're "in" the pregnancy. You've seen the heartbeat. Your clinic may start reducing medications. And you might even be preparing to transition from your IVF specialist to a regular OB.
Still, many women feel relief and fear—"What if something still goes wrong?" That fear is valid, but you're further than you think.
To understand what's happening with your baby's development, how symptoms evolve, and what your next steps may look like, read the 9th week of the IVF pregnancy guide.
