Transvaginal Egg Aspiration (TVA)

Post Patient and Partner Instructions for Transvaginal Egg Aspiration (TVA)

You may experience mild cramping following the TVA. You may also experience some mild vaginal bleeding/spotting. These are normal. Please report heavy bleeding, chills, or temperature elevation over 100.4 Fahrenheit. You should "take it easy" and take the day off of work the day of the TVA. You may return to work the following day.


You must have someone available to drive you home after the TVA.


Do not lift, push, or pull objects heavier than ~10-15 lbs until the time of your Embryo Transfer (ET) where you will be given additional instructions.


On the day of your Transvaginal Egg Aspiration begin and continue until the evening of your Embryo Transfer:


  1. Progesterone support in the evening - For most patients this will consist of progesterone-in-oil (50 mg = 1 ml) intramuscularly [progesterone-in-oil] OR vaginally [Crinone/Prochieve at bedtime] in addition to the oral progesterone [Prometrium 200 mg twice a day]. Continue the Progesterone until we tell you to stop.

  2. Cipro - This antibiotic should be started in the am following the procedure when you return home. You will take 500mg by mouth twice a day with food.

  3. Methylprednisolone - This low dose steroid is used to reduce the cellular immune response and may assist in implementation although the exact mechanism of this is unclear. You will take 16 mg by mouth, once a day.

  4. Remember to take your multivitamin and folic acid daily.

  5. Continue your baby aspirin as directed until further notice.


Your pregnancy test is scheduled for 14 days after your retrieval date. This will be scheduled at the time of your Embryo Transfer as date is currently unknown.


If you wish to satellite, please notify the staff and you will be provided with a prescription for your blood draw.


Embryo Transfer Guidelines


Regarding your embryo transfer (ET), you should be prepared to be available on an "on call" basis:


  1. One Day after your retrieval you will receive a call from the laboratory informing you of the results of the fertilization check.

  2. Two Days after your retrieval you will receive a call at the end of the day from the clinical staff informing you of the time of your embryo transfer (ET) procedure, should it take place on Day 3. You will not hear from the lab on this day and there will be no further information available regarding your embryos because they are not "checked" on this day.

  3. Three days after the retrieval you will come in for your tentatively scheduled Day 3 ET. Take ibuprofen 800 mg 1 hour prior to your scheduled embryo transfer. If you live at a distance from our practice, you may receive a phone call telling you that it is our recommendation to wait until day 5 to do a blastocyst transfer. If we reschedule you for a day 5 blastocyst transfer, we will not know the time of your transfer on the morning of day 3, just that your transfer will be on day 5. You will receive a call from the clinical staff later that day with a newly scheduled time for your transfer on day 5. The timing of the ET is variable, and may be scheduled at any time of the day as upcoming retrievals take precedence over embryo transfers. These determinations are not made until one of our physicians reviews hormone levels and ultrasound results later in the day.

  4. On the day of your embryo transfer, please arrive at the office at the determined time and report to the 3rd floor waiting room with a full bladder. There is no need to check in at the reception desk downstairs.