No, egg retrieval is generally considered a low-risk procedure when performed by experienced fertility specialists, with most complications being minor; however, potential risks include bleeding, infection, anesthesia side effects, and the rarer, more serious Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which can cause severe pain, bloating, and fluid buildup, requiring close monitoring.
Egg Retrieval Risks & Side Effects
No two women are alike, so each may experience different post-retrieval symptoms. The major side effects of egg retrieval include constipation, bloating and cramping, breast tenderness, discharge, infection, and OHSS. Risks associated with anesthesia are usually very minimal.
The main risk of fertility treatment is a multiple birth. In rare cases, side effects from fertility drugs can be very dangerous. Be aware of symptoms that might indicate something's wrong.
Another complication reported after egg retrieval is ovarian torsion, which occurs when the ovary twists around its own axis, cutting off its blood supply. In a study involving 1,500 women, ovarian torsion occurred in 0.13% of cycles.
What egg retrieval is really like Of all the procedures I went through during in vitro fertilization treatment, egg retrieval was the most stressful. This is what it was like. Many people think that the embryo transfer is the most stressful part of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Jennifer Aniston underwent IVF treatments throughout her late 30s and 40s, a challenging period where she tried everything to conceive, eventually continuing into her early 50s, ultimately deciding to share her private fertility struggle years later in an interview with Allure.
Many patients can plan to go back to work the next day, while others may need an additional day or two to rest and recover from the procedure. It is important to protect your ovaries and avoid heavy exercise and high impact activities following an egg retrieval, walking and light activities are usually okay.
Conclusion: Egg retrieval is a safe and minimally invasive procedure within the IVF process. It is not designed to damage the ovaries; rather, it is carefully conducted to ensure the collection of mature eggs while preserving the patient's ovarian health.
But the most difficult part of IVF is the 10 – 14 days waiting period between transfer of embryo and waiting for the pregnancy test result. In IVF, the women are given various hormonal injections to stimulate her ovaries to release more eggs instead of just one egg which is released during the normal menstrual cycle.
To be safe, avoid tampons, vaginal douches, tub baths (showers are fine), and/or swimming for about a week- you will be healing and are vulnerable to infection from microorganisms entering the vagina during this time.
It appears that conception has no gender bias; however, the preimplantation genetic testing results show that female embryos are more likely to be karyotypically normal (there may be some autosomal abnormalities that are more frequent in male embryos). Within the first week, males out-survive females.
A high-risk pregnancy is one in which a woman and her fetus face a higher-than-normal chance of experiencing problems. These risks may be due to factors in the pregnancy itself, or they may stem from preexisting maternal medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, or lupus.
Strategies to help prevent OHSS include:
Did you know Billie Eilish was conceived via IVF? Her mom, Maggie Baird, has openly shared their fertility journey—highlighting the hope, science, and strength it took to bring Billie into the world. Proof that miracles can be both intentional and deeply meaningful.
The surgery, which generally lasts about 30 minutes, is done on an outpatient basis, and the woman usually goes home a few hours after the eggs are retrieved. This procedure is considered to be minor surgery.
Infertility in women
Actress Jennifer Aniston underwent multiple unsuccessful rounds of IVF (in vitro fertilization) during her journey to have children, revealing she tried for years, changed clinics, and experienced several failed cycles before stopping, but has expressed having "zero regrets" about her path. While the exact number isn't specified, she described it as a challenging, multi-year process involving numerous attempts.
Out of 100 women after IVF, up to 20% experience miscarriages. Moreover, 80% of them experience this misfortune during the first trimester. The most dangerous period for miscarriage, according to statistics, is 12 weeks.
Of particular relevance, several studies have reported differences between ART-conceived and naturally conceived offspring with regard to mental health outcomes, reporting a potentially higher prevalence of depression, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit disorder, and behavioural differences (15–17).
Isha Ambani used IVF to conceive her twins, Aadiya Shakti and Krishna, because she and her husband faced difficulties conceiving naturally, and she openly shared her journey to help normalize IVF and reduce the stigma, highlighting it as a modern, positive way to build a family, just as her own mother, Nita Ambani, had done for her and her brother Akash. She emphasized that there's nothing to feel ashamed of and that IVF offers a chance for parenthood, mirroring her mother's experience with fertility struggles.
You might experience a hormone crash, feeling emotional, cranky, and exhausted once all those pre-retrieval hormones leave your body. Post-procedure, it's also common to experience bloating and cramping, spotting, and fatigue, in addition to anesthesia sensitivities, like nausea or dizziness.
Bleeding and Infection with Retrieval
During egg retrieval, a needle is inserted into your ovary and there may be bleeding. Although it is very rare, it is possible to damage or puncture the bowel, bladder, or nearby blood vessels.
You should not eat or drink anything for 7 hours before your egg collection. This is because you are sedated for the procedure. Sedation is a type of anaesthetic that helps you relax and stops pain during the procedure. It can sometimes make you feel sick.
Improving Your Chances of Success After Embryo Transfers
In most cases, you will be asked to avoid heavy exercise and sexual intercourse, as possible uterine contractions can reduce the efficacy of the procedure if the embryo is hindered during the implantation process.
Approximately 18-24 hours after the egg and sperm come together (either by conventional insemination or ICSI), the genetic material of both female and male combine to form the zygote (fertilized egg) and fertilization is confirmed the morning after your egg retrieval.