The Two-week wait, what is it and how to endure it?

By Reproclinic Editorial Committee

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is one of the most demanded treatments of assisted reproduction when other unsuccessful methods such as artificial insemination have been tried. In Vitro Fertilization consists of an oocytes extraction from the future mother to fertilize them in the laboratory to then implant the highest quality embryos in her uterus.

 

The period of time from the embryos being implanted into the uterus until the hormone test is done is called the two-week wait. This waiting period can be exasperating for many women, as it involve feelings and thoughts, also it is added the impatience, the fear of failure and the illusion of having managed to get pregnant.

 

How to manage all these emotions and not to be weak? Above all, it is important to keep yourself physically and mentally occupied.

 

Advices to survive at the Two-week wait

 

It is not easy to pretend that nothing happened once you have done a reproduction treatment to be able to get pregnant and you are waiting for a positive result, but you must try.

 

Here below, we give you some tips that will help you to endure those weeks without falling into anxiety.

 

• Express your emotions with your relatives, whether family or couple, if you have. This will help you to stay calm and to think that you are not carrying with the full weight of the treatment or the waiting.

 

• Do not feel guilty about the emotional changes you may have. It is normal to be afraid.

 

• Do not try to predict the future. Whatever has to happen, it will go through so avoid hanging it over your head and to enter in a stress and anguish spiral.

 

• Do soft physical activities such as walking or cycling. This will help you not to overthink and to relax.

 

• Contact Reproclinic experts whenever you need some advice or have any questions.

 

• Stay positive and with an optimistic attitude.

 

Following the tips will help you to make more manageable those 15 days, which is more or less what the two-week wait lasts.

 

What you should not do

 

In addition to all the above, there are some things you should not do while you are waiting:

 

• It is not recommended to have penetrative sexual intercourse 48-72h after the embryo transfer.

 

• It is also not recommended to have a bath, either in the pool, beach, etc…  after 4-5 days of the transfer.

 

• You should not make absolute rest, it is not necessary and that could lead to greater stress.

 

Two-week wait symptoms

 

The similarity between the symptoms of a pregnancy and the arrival of the period does not help when we really need to stay calm during the two-week wait phase.

 

The main symptoms are:

 

• Tiredness and heaviness
• Swelling
• Sickness
• Light bleeding

 

The fact of having these symptoms does not confirm that the treatment has been successful, or not having them means that the pregnancy has not occurred.

 

At Reproclinic you have a psychological support team that will be by your side from the start to the end of your way to motherhood!

 

Medical Director at Reproclinic
Specialist in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine