The first step in the process involves hormone injections given with a small needle that goes under the skin of the abdomen. Our nurse will teach you how to give these injections to yourself. They are easy to administer, and most people do not report any significant discomfort.
The hormone injections stimulate your ovaries to enlarge and produce eggs. This leads to the production of estrogen in higher levels than your body typically makes, which can cause discomforts such as bloating, fluid retention, and nausea. You may also experience pelvic pain related to the enlargement of the ovaries.
Most people are concerned about pain during egg retrieval. You will receive anesthesia and will be asleep during the procedure, so you will not feel pain. Afterward, some people report pelvic cramping and light bleeding, but significant pain is uncommon. Most people take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen to manage the pain and are back to normal in a few days.