The folder is thick: blood tests, scan reports, two clinics’ opinions, a page of questions in the margin. For many couples, IVF arrives after years of hoping. What helps most at this point is not a promise — it is a clear picture of each step, how long it takes, and what to ask. Here it is.
Before you travel
A good IVF clinic starts with your history, not a package. Before booking flights, you will usually be asked for:
- For her: AMH (a blood test that estimates egg reserve), day-2 hormones, thyroid and prolactin, a recent pelvic ultrasound with an antral follicle count, and any reports of previous cycles.
- For him: a recent semen analysis.
- For both: infection screening, blood group, passports and marriage documents if the clinic requires them.
India’s ART Act regulates fertility clinics: they must be registered, written informed consent is mandatory, and the law sets age limits and other conditions. The clinic confirms each couple’s eligibility and documents before treatment — please send your papers early so there are no surprises on arrival.
The IVF cycle, step by step
- Day 1 of your period (often at home): the clinic tells you when to start. Some protocols begin with tablets or injections the month before.
- Days 2–12 — stimulation: daily hormone injections, usually given at home or your stay, to help several eggs grow. You will have three or four ultrasound scans and blood tests so the doctor can adjust the dose.
- Trigger injection: when follicles are ready, a final injection matures the eggs. Timing is precise, to the hour.
- Egg collection (about 34–36 hours later): a short procedure under sedation, guided by ultrasound. Most women rest for the day.
- Fertilisation: the same day, eggs are mixed with sperm (conventional IVF) or each egg is injected with a single sperm (ICSI).
- Embryo culture (3–5 days): the embryologist updates you daily on how the embryos are developing.
- Embryo transfer: a painless, quick procedure, much like a smear test. Or the clinic may advise freezing all embryos and transferring in a later cycle.
- The two-week wait: a blood pregnancy test about two weeks after transfer, which can be done at home and shared with the clinic.
How long to stay in India
For a fresh cycle, most couples plan three to four weeks: about two weeks of stimulation and scans, egg collection, and a few days until transfer. The male partner usually needs to be present only around egg collection, unless sperm is frozen in advance.
If embryos are frozen for a later transfer, some women return for a shorter second trip of about one week. Your clinic will tell you which approach suits your body — for example, freezing all embryos is often advised when the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation is high.
Chandigarh is about an hour from Delhi by air and quieter than a metropolis, which many couples find calming during a stressful month. Our long-stay options — Hoppers from US$999 a month with three meals — give you a kitchen-free, restful base between scans.
Look after the emotional side too. IVF months are full of waiting — for scans, for calls from the embryologist, for the final test. Couples tell us small routines help: a short walk each morning, regular meals, and agreeing in advance how you will share news with family. Ask the clinic whether a counsellor is available; many fertility centres offer one.
Understanding success rates
Success depends above all on the woman’s age and the cause of infertility. National registries make this clear. In the UK, the regulator reports that, for fresh transfers with a patient’s own eggs, about 35% of embryos transferred led to a birth for women aged 18–34 in 2023 — compared with 5% for women aged 43–44.
| Ages 18–34 | 35% |
|---|---|
| All ages (average) | 25% |
| Ages 43–44 | 5% |
Fresh embryo transfers using the patient’s own eggs. HFEA, Fertility Treatment 2023: Trends and Figures (preliminary, published June 2025).
When you compare clinics, ask exactly how their figures are counted. A “pregnancy rate” per cycle started is very different from a live birth rate per embryo transferred. Ask for rates for women of your own age, using your type of treatment, over the last full year — and ask how many embryos they usually transfer. Transferring one good embryo at a time is the safer choice for mother and baby.
Questions to ask the clinic
- Which protocol do you recommend for me, and why?
- What exactly does the package include — medicines, ICSI, embryo freezing, storage?
- What is your live birth rate per embryo transfer for women my age?
- How many embryos do you transfer, and what is your policy on freezing?
- Who will I speak to each day, and who answers at night if I feel unwell?
Prices are per person (or per couple, where the clinic quotes it so) and exclude flights; medicines vary by dose and can change the total. Read our IVF and fertility guide and questions to ask a doctor, or book a consultation — US$99 includes two calls with a fertility specialist.
Independent research. Figures are quoted from the official and published sources listed below, as they stood when we checked them (October 2026). BookMedTrip is an independent facilitator and is not affiliated with any government body, hospital, charity or organisation named here, and receives no commission from them. If anything here is out of date or inaccurate, please write to care@bookmedtrip.com and we will correct it.
Questions
How long does IVF take in India?
Most couples plan three to four weeks for one fresh cycle: about two weeks of stimulation, egg collection, then embryo transfer a few days later.
How much does one IVF cycle cost in India?
Published ranges are about ₹1–2.5 lakh (about US$1,050–2,650) per cycle. Medicines, ICSI and embryo freezing can change the total.
Who is eligible for IVF in India?
India’s ART Act sets conditions including age limits. The clinic confirms each couple’s eligibility and documents before treatment begins.
