The two weeks after embryo transfer are the most difficult and stressful of the entire procedure.
This is supported by almost all the research conducted into in vitro fertilisation.
Some women identify the injections, egg collection, or embryo transfer as the most painful stages of in vitro fertilisation, but almost all say that the two weeks waiting to see if the embryos implant is almost unbearable.
Some choose to carry on life as normal during the period and hope that their daily routine will ease the tension.
Others go away on holiday.
Whichever, it is difficult to stop yourself from checking for symptoms either of pregnancy or menstruation.
Most clinics prescribe progesterone during this two-week period to prepare the lining of the womb for the embryo to implant and support its development.
The body does produce its own progesterone, but this might not be at a level to match all the other hormones taken during the treatment.
Progesterone, by pessaries or injections, can produce side-effects similar to those of early pregnancy, including headaches and mood swings.
After two weeks the woman has a pregnancy test.
She may meanwhile have experienced some bleeding.
If so, clinics usually say it is still possible that she is pregnant and it is worth having a test.
Carried out by the clinics, tests are very sensitive to raised levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pregnancy and detectable in the woman's urine.
Unfortunately these tests may only indicate a chemical pregnancy; where the hormone levels are consistent with pregnancy, but there is no viable embryo in die womb.