Expect abdominal cramping and bloating for up to a week after your retrieval. The severity of symptoms can vary greatly between patients. It may take a couple weeks for your ovaries to return to normal size. If bloating and discomfort increases over the 7-10 days after your retrieval, let your nurse coordinator know.
Internal bleeding after egg collection, Puncture of a large blood vessel in the abdomen during egg collection occurs in about 1 in 1000 procedures. This would cause severe pain, and would usually occur before you went home.
The peak effect of your medications happens approximately 7-10 days after the procedure. After that time, the ovaries will slowly reduce in size and return to normal following your next menstrual cycle.
Ovarian enlargement secondary to hyperstimulation is common. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulates the ovaries to continue to grow (3). If no pregnancy occurs, the syndrome will typically resolve within 1 week.
Mild to moderate cramping and abdominal pain are common side effects of IVF treatment. The medications used during IVF treatment trigger hormonal changes that can lead to cramping. Some of the procedures performed during the IVF process, particularly egg retrieval and embryo transfer, are also known to cause cramping.
You can expect to experience some pain after egg retrieval, including bloating, mild soreness in the vaginal area, slight abdominal cramping, or some spotting, which can last a couple of days. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, will help. Most women feel back to normal by the next day.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) causes the ovaries to swell and become painful. ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) may occur in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or ovulation induction with injectable medications.
Discomfort usually occurs as multiple follicles develop, causing the ovaries to enlarge. The cramping and bloating usually lasts for 7-10 days, after which your ovaries should return to their normal size. As always, listen to your body though.
Bloating is a common post egg retrieval symptom, and it is a consequence of your ovaries being enlarged. Distention and a feeling of fullness after a less than normal sized meal are also commonly linked to bloating. If it is a case of mild OHSS, these symptoms should resolve on their own in around 1-2 weeks time.
Complications of oocyte retrieval include ovarian hemorrhage, damage to organs such as the uterus, bladder, intestinal tract, and large blood vessels [10], and pelvic infection.
Your fertility will be heightened for one to two months after you donate. This means your chances of getting pregnant are higher than average. However, after the donation process, it is up to you to decide when you're comfortable having intercourse again. Fertility levels should return to normal after 1 to 2 months.
Hygiene: Avoid tampons, vaginal douches, tub baths (showers are fine), and/or swimming for 7 days following your egg retrieval. Avoid hot tubs, hot baths, and saunas until you see your obstetrician. Sexual Relations: Sexual intercourse may be uncomfortable following your egg retrieval.
Drink plenty of fluids (water).
The more water you drink, the better. Aim for two to three litres per day. This might be counter-intuitive since you're already feeling full but drinking water will flush out the excess estrogen that is causing bloating.
If you experience a weight gain of more than 5 pounds during your injection cycle or after your egg retrieval and/or you have significant bloating and pain, let your fertility doctor know immediately. As you get further from egg retrieval, these side effects decrease rather quickly.
In general, an average of 8 to 14 eggs are typically retrieved from a woman's ovaries with IVF; however, its ultimately not the number of eggs that matter but the quality. 1 high quality egg is better than 20 poor quality eggs when it comes to success rates.
You should expect a menstrual period within 14 days after the egg retrieval. The first period is likely to be unusually heavy compared to your average period, but this is to be expected and is a side effect of the stimulation medication. Following your next period, your body should be completely back to normal.
Eat Foods High in Protein, Sodium, and Fiber
Eating a balanced diet with an increased intake of foods high in protein, sodium, and fiber can help speed up your recovery. It's important to nourish your body to help relieve bloating after egg retrieval.
HCG makes the blood vessels in the ovaries react abnormally and leak fluid. This fluid causes the ovaries to swell. Fertility treatments sometimes use HCG as a “trigger” to make a mature follicle release its egg. OHSS happens within a week after a patient receives this trigger injection and undergoes egg retrieval.
The primary cause of fatigue during the IVF process is a heightened level of progesterone in the body.
Drink lots of water and electrolytes
To help with constipation and bloating from the excess fluid that has accumulated in your ovaries, you need to intake electrolytes and water to help balance everything back out and keep your body from holding onto that excess fluid build-up.
The most potentially painful part of undergoing IVF is the procedure to implant the fertilized eggs back into the uterus.
There are many reasons someone may experience ovary pain, including ovarian cysts, ovulation pain, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or ovarian cancer.
It may take a couple weeks for your ovaries to return to normal size. If bloating and discomfort increases over the 7-10 days after your retrieval, let your nurse coordinator know. You are able to resume normal activity the day after your procedure as tolerated.
Is it normal to feel bloated after egg collection? Yes, it's normal to feel some bloating up to, and post, egg collection. This may well be due to the fertility medications which you have taken to help the ovaries produce and develop the eggs to be collected.