IVF timeline with genetic testing: The main phases to expect

If you're planning to start IVF or are already in the thick of it, you know how complex, emotional, and time-sensitive the process can be. For many people, the timeline is already overwhelming; add genetic testing to the mix, and things get even more layered, with more decisions to make, more waiting, and more factors to consider before transfer.

We'll walk you through the complete IVF timeline with genetic testing and highlight where and how genetic screening adds time, complexity, and opportunities for clarity. 

Whether you're considering PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR, or PGT-P or still learning what these mean, we'll explain the differences in the procedures and timing, why results matter, and what happens after testing is done. 

How long does IVF with genetic testing take?

The standard IVF cycle takes between four to six weeks. If you also include preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), the process typically takes longer — potentially extending the total timeline to anywhere between six weeks and four months, depending on the type of testing and clinic-specific logistics.

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There are several phases in the IVF cycle with embryo genetic testing included, and each has its own timeline. These include:

1. Initial consultation and fertility prep

2. Ovarian stimulation

3. Egg retrieval and fertilization

4. Preimplantation genetic testing

5. Embryo selection 

6. Embryo transfer and pregnancy testing

In the following sections, we’ll explain this timeline in more detail.

1: Initial consultation and fertility prep (one to four weeks) 

To start the IVF process, you'll first book an appointment with your fertility doctor. During the consultation, you'll discuss your family planning goals, what tests the doctor will need to run, and what the PGT test involves.

After the initial consultation, your doctor will schedule a physical and health assessment as soon as possible, depending on three main factors:

• At what point in her menstrual cycle the female partner is

• The reproductive partners' availability

• The fertility clinic's operating schedule

During the assessment, you and your doctor will customize your IVF treatment plan. The doctor will order a few tests, such as HIV, a complete blood count (CBC), and a PAP smear. 

By the time the tests are run and results come back, you may already be a month into your IVF cycle.

2: Ovarian stimulation (one to two weeks)

During the ovarian stimulation phase, the female partner will take hormonal injections to stimulate the ovaries for multiple egg production. In the natural cycle, ovaries release only one viable egg a month, but IVF requires multiple eggs to increase the chances of success. 

This phase can take up to two weeks, during which the physician monitors how the female partner responds to the medication through blood tests. 

3: Egg retrieval/ sperm collection and fertilization (one to seven days)

Source: Nadezhda Moryak

When the ovaries are ready to produce eggs (or when ovarian follicles are mature), the female partner will take a trigger shot to induce ovulation. 

Around 36 hours later, the fertility specialist will perform the egg retrieval procedure, which typically lasts between 20 to 45 minutes and is done under anesthesia. During the procedure, they'll use a fine needle to retrieve the eggs. 

At the same time, the embryologist will prepare and optimize the sperm by activating and concentrating it to increase the chances of successful fertilization.

The next step is fertilization or insemination, where the fertility specialist chooses between the CI and ICSI methods: 

• Conventional IVF or insemination (CI): The sperm and eggs are mixed in a petri dish so the sperm naturally penetrates the egg. This method is best for couples or reproductive partners with normal or slightly optimized fertility parameters (e.g., normal sperm count, motility, and egg quality).

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): The sperm is injected into the center of the egg with a microscopic needle to induce fertilization. ICSI is typically recommended in cases with male fertility issues (e.g., low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or issues with sperm morphology.

The embryologist will monitor the eggs to see if fertilization has occurred. When the eggs form two “pronuclei” (DNA, one from the sperm and one from the egg), the process signals that the fertilized egg is now an embryo. 

After five or six days, the embryos will reach the blastocyst stage, which is when they are fully developed and ready for genetic testing before transfer. 

4: Preimplantation genetic testing (one to six weeks)

After fertilization, your clinic may recommend PGT. To begin the process, the embryologist will draw a small number of cells from each embryo using a microscopic procedure. These cells are then sent to a specialized lab for genetic analysis.

While testing is underway (which can take between one and six weeks, depending on the type of PGT), the clinic will cryopreserve your embryos — a process that prevents ice crystal formation and protects embryo viability, maintaining 99.9% of their quality.

At the same time, your fertility specialist may start you on hormonal medications to prepare your uterus for the eventual embryo transfer since you won't proceed with a fresh transfer during this cycle.

Here are some of the PGT tests you can get and how long they can take: 

Even though the wait can be overwhelming, PGT can be especially valuable for patients over 35, those with recurrent pregnancy loss, or couples who’ve experienced multiple failed IVF cycles.

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5: Embryo selection (one day)

When results arrive, your fertility specialist will review them with you, and you can then start the embryo selection stage. The process could look like this:

1. Get medical advice from your fertility doctor and determine which embryos are chromosomally suitable for transfer. Embryos are typically classified as euploid (genetically normal), aneuploid (indicating chromosomal abnormalities), or mosaic (showing a mixture of normal and abnormal cells). 

2. Prioritize: If you have multiple viable embryos, your doctor can help you select the healthiest ones to optimize for a successful IVF cycle. Depending on preferences, you can even choose your child's sex based on the chromosomal data (XX for female, XY for male). 

3. Prepare for transfer: After the selection, you will book an appointment for the transfer.

💡Tip

While a PGT report highlights key genetic findings, it can still leave you with additional questions or uncertainties. Nucleus Embryo is a genetic optimization software you can use after PGT to analyze your results more deeply before choosing embryos. It helps you compare embryos based on both genetic and non-genetic traits, supporting a more informed decision when selecting the healthiest embryos for transfer.

6. Embryo transfer and pregnancy test (one day to three weeks)

Source: invitra

By now, the doctor will have administered hormonal treatment to prepare the uterus for pregnancy so you can get an appointment as soon as possible.

The embryologist will thaw the embryo you selected and place it in a catheter. You'll then prepare for the frozen embryo transfer (FET), which takes about five to 20 minutes. During this procedure, the fertility specialist will guide the embryo through the cervix and position it in the optimal spot within the uterus. 

After about two weeks, you'll return to the clinic for a blood test to check for pregnancy. This test will help your doctor determine the next steps.

What happens after preimplantation genetic testing?

After a PGT test, you'll have more clarity to make an informed family planning decision. One choice is to continue with the transfer if you have healthy embryos. If, however, a PGT test reveals the risk of aneuploidy or another genetic condition, your doctor can recommend a treatment plan or a repeat of the IVF cycle. 

Regardless of the outcome, the PGT report will help you understand the genetic factors that could affect your chances of a successful pregnancy, both in the current cycle and in future IVF cycles. 

When it comes to deciding which embryos to transfer, having more detailed genetic insights can make the decision easier. Tools like Nucleus Embryo build upon your PGT results, give you a deeper understanding of your embryos, and provide valuable context to help you choose the healthiest options for transfer. 

Nucleus Embryo: Get deeper genetic insights before embryo transfer

Nucleus Embryo is an advanced genetic optimization software designed for couples undergoing IVF. It helps you gain deeper insights into your embryos' genetic makeup, enabling you to compare and decide which embryos to transfer.

With Nucleus Embryo, you can gain a deeper understanding of the embryos’ risk of developing 2,000+ health conditions, including diseases like Type 2 Diabetes. You can also learn about rare genetic markers detected that can lead to chronic inherited conditions but are often undetected.

Some parents may also determine which embryos to transfer based on traits like eye color, height, left-handedness, hair color, and others that a standard PGT report won’t highlight.

Nucleus Embryo comes with a user-friendly and interactive dashboard. You just need to upload the PGT report, and Nucleus will provide you with digestible insights in plain language. 

While it's not a diagnostic tool and won’t replace your doctor's advice during and after an IVF cycle, Nucleus Embryo will help you select the healthiest embryos and understand what to anticipate after a possible live birth.

How to get started with Nucleus Embryo

You can get started with Nucleus Embryo in a few simple steps:

1. Ask your clinic for PGT-P testing with LifeView by Genomic Prediction

2. Sign up for Nucleus Embryo during or after you complete your IVF cycle

3. Request your embryos’ PGT-P DNA data from your clinic

4. Upload the data to Nucleus Embryo and analyze the embryo analysis reportts

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Featured image source: Mart Production