The Process · 1 of 5
The full timeline — every stage, in order.
Ten stages from first appointment to frozen eggs. The sequence is consistent — the timing is different for everyone.
Before your cycle
Weeks to months — consultation, testing, orientation, medications
During your cycle
10–14 days — daily injections, morning monitoring, trigger shot, retrieval
After retrieval
Days to weeks — recovery, egg count confirmation, follow-up, storage
Before you read this
The stages below are in order. The timing is not fixed. My orientation was in March 2026. My retrieval is in June 2026. Three months — not because the cycle takes three months, but because a spotting issue needed to be investigated, a cycle window was missed, and I ended up on a waitlist before getting scheduled. That's real life, and it's more common than the clinical timeline suggests.
The stimulation phase itself runs on a strict schedule once it starts. Everything before that — getting to Day 2 — is on your body's timeline and your clinic's availability. Build more time into the pre-cycle preparation than you think you need.
The 10 stages — sourced from NYU Langone Fertility Center patient materials
The first appointment — often the hardest one to make, because making it means you're actually doing this. Happens at the clinic or over video. You'll meet the physician, discuss your goals, get an ultrasound, and have bloodwork drawn to assess ovarian reserve. This is where AMH and AFC numbers come back, which shape everything that follows.
Ask as many questions as you need. This is the right time for them.
A coordinator walks through the process, the medication protocol, and the prerequisite testing checklist. A billing representative reviews cycle fees and any applicable coverage. This is where the financial picture becomes concrete — and where the cycle reservation gets made.
A two-hour class — typically online — that covers the full stimulation protocol, injection technique for each medication, the retrieval process, consent forms, and cryostorage plans. Injection training videos are linked for reference later. This is also where the questions in your notes start to get answered.
This is what this site exists to supplement — not replace.
A checklist of bloodwork and any additional tests required before the cycle can start. Some may be completed at the new patient appointment. Others need a separate visit. All of it needs to be done before Day 2.
Prescriptions go to the pharmacy of your choice. Medication costs vary significantly between pharmacies — calling around is worth the time. Pick up only the first half of your order to start. You may not need everything, and trigger shot type isn't confirmed until later in the cycle.
Full medications guide →The cycle officially begins. On Day 1 — the first day of full flow — you call the clinic to schedule the Day 2 appointment. At that appointment: bloodwork and ultrasound to confirm the ovaries are suppressed and no cysts are present. If everything looks clear, injections start that evening. If your period arrives at night, don't worry — call Day 2 to schedule a Day 3 start instead.
This is when the cycle fees are due at NYU Langone.
Before your cycle starts →The stimulation phase. Daily hormone injections at the same time each evening. Morning monitoring appointments — bloodwork and ultrasound — on Days 5, 8, and 10 approximately, though this varies based on response. After each monitoring visit, the nurse calls in the afternoon with updated medication instructions and the next appointment. The calendar is not negotiable during this phase.
Morning monitoring happens 7–9am, including weekends. Plan accordingly.
Injections and monitoring →The trigger shot matures the eggs and initiates their release. Taken at a precise time assigned by the nurse — retrieval is scheduled exactly 34–36 hours later. This is the most time-sensitive moment of the entire process. Set multiple alarms. Don't buy the trigger shot until the nurse confirms which type is needed.
Full trigger shot guide →The procedure itself takes 15–30 minutes under anesthesia. Recovery is about 45 minutes. A preliminary egg count is given after the procedure. The next day, the lab calls with how many eggs were successfully frozen — the mature egg count is almost always lower than total eggs retrieved, which is normal. Plan to rest for the full day. Someone needs to take you home — no walking alone for 6–8 hours. Nothing to eat or drink for 8 hours before the procedure.
Full retrieval guide →A follow-up call or appointment to review the cycle outcome, confirm egg storage, and talk through next steps. Bloating and fatigue are common for a few days post-retrieval — typically resolving by day 3–5. Stay hydrated. The next period arrives 7–14 days after retrieval depending on which trigger shot was used. No high-impact exercise until after that period.
Eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen and can remain there indefinitely. Annual storage fees begin after the first year.
The stimulation phase is 10–14 days. But from orientation to retrieval, my process took almost three months. Nobody tells you that the pre-cycle part — the testing, the waitlists, the scheduling, the missed windows — can take as long as it does. Build in more time than you think you need before the actual cycle starts. Plan your calendar around the stimulation phase, but plan your life around the months before it.
Every stage here has its own dedicated page with more detail, context, and what I actually learned going through it. Use the navigation above or the previous/next links below to go deeper into any part of the process.
What I'd tell a friend
Build more buffer on the front end than you think you need. The stimulation phase is 10–14 days and very manageable. What nobody explains is that the pre-cycle part — testing, orientation, waitlists, scheduling, missed cycle windows — can take two to four months. I started researching seriously in January and didn't start injections until June. Plan for that gap specifically.
What surprised me
How calm the stimulation phase felt compared to the months of waiting before it. Two months of logistics and uncertainty, then ten days of injections that had a clear rhythm and a defined end point. The preparation was harder than the cycle.