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5 Pointers for a Peaceful, Productive, and Plentiful Egg Retrieval

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  1. It’s go time!
    The big day is here. You are filled with anticipation, angst, and probably some fear. To minimize some of the negative thoughts running through your hormone-infused head, we have a suggestion. Before you walk into the operating room, make sure you have spoken with your doctor and have an idea about what to expect. What will the procedure be like, how many eggs do they think you will get, and how many embryos will you ultimately have? Managing expectations (particularly when it comes to the number side of things) will make both walking in to and out of the operating room a whole lot easier.
  2. Pain is not a part of the process.
    No pain, no gain does not apply to the retrieval. We want to minimize the physical (and mental) discomfort you feel in every way possible. There will be an anesthesiologist present during your retrieval whose job is to focus on you, your comfort, and your overall well-being. Their cocktail will ensure that you neither feel pain nor remember a thing (without the calories or the hangover!).
  3. Don’t be tardy for this party.
    We are pretty punctual when it comes to retrieval time (no airport delays here!). The time of the trigger medication and the retrieval are more coordinated than the worst bridezilla’s bridal party’s attire; while clinics vary in how many hours separate the trigger medication and the retrieval (some do 34, some 35, and some 36), what doesn’t vary is their commitment to staying on time. When things run behind schedule, what’s at stake is not your connecting flight but our ability to retrieve those eggs (ovulation can occur). So give yourself plenty of time to face the morning rush hour and the inevitable street closures—you don’t need another thing to stress about.
  4. All in all, the process is pretty quick.
    Retrieving eggs is a fairly simple and fast procedure. In fact, most egg retrievals are no longer than a power nap and take no more than 15–20 minutes. Before you know it, you will be recovering in the recovery room, drinking apple juice, and eating graham crackers!
  5. Relax—we’ve got you covered!
    Most fertility doctors are more comfortable doing retrievals than tying their shoes. As medical procedures go, this is our “bread and butter.” Think of something that you do every day (with ease and with grace): that is how we feel about extracting eggs. So while fear and anxiety are totally normal emotions, take solace in our experience. Close your eyes, enjoy the relaxing medications, and dream of something good. We will see you on the other side.