I’m looking for some honest input in whether you found embryo transfer painful. Hopefully, I’ll be having a frozen embryo transfer if an egg fertilises and makes it to that stage!
I am asking because I’ve seen online sources that say it’s like a smear test. However, I think my pain threshold might be low as I was also told that having a coil inserted (years ago) and a hycosy would also only cause “mild discomfort”. For me, these procedures were extremely painful, so I might be quite sensitive.
If I’m lucky enough to get as far as embryo transfer, I am wondering whether it’s worth pushing for either a trial run or sedation, so I’m just looking for honest reflections rather than reassurances.
Thank you so much for sharing with me xx
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Hi, I've had 3 transfers and didn't find any of them painful. I wouldn't say it's quite like a smear because it's definitely more uncomfortable having a speculum inside when your bladder is full 😩 but it really wasn't sore. Saying that though, if you're really anxious about it you might be more tense and so you mught find it more difficult. If you're worried, there's no harm in speaking to your clinic about sedatives. Have you had / will you be having egg retrieval?
Thank so much for the reply. I have just had egg retrieval and fell asleep under that sedation. I’ve had IUI before and didn’t find that at all painful. I think it’s the hycosy and coil insertion experiences that have made me wonder if “mild discomfort” might be a very relative term!
Hi, I was told by my nurse that it is very similar to IUI, which I had 3 of. First one I found uncomfortable but mainly because I had an overly full bladder and was desperate to pee x
I’ve had multiple transfers, never found any of them painful, bit of discomfort while they put the spectrum in if I’m not relaxed that’s all xxx good luck xxx
Hello, I also think I have a very low pain threshold and had the same concerns prior to transfer but it was surprisingly ok. 6 transfers and all fine.( hopefully you only need 1 transfer 🤞). The full bladder takes your mind off everything else.
I found the coil procedure painful (it was the copper one) - but none of the transfers I did were painful…. It’s a much simpler and quicker procedure. The hycosy I remember was uncomfortable, but not painful….
I also didn’t find the transfers painful. What is uncomfortable is having to have a full bladder and honestly, I could think of nothing else except ‘when can I wee’ I asked the doctor to use the smallest speculum so you could also ask for this if you are worried about discomfort. Goodluck xx
Hi. I found it exactly like an IUI. I’ve had 3 IUIs and 2 transfers and they all were fine… it’s less painful than a smear it’s just the full bladder that makes it a bit uncomfortable. I also had a hysteroscopy and found that quite painful when they flushed with the dye. Transfers have been nowhere near that pain level for me.
I’ve had 3 and never found them painful at all. The only issue I had , with my last one was that I hadn’t drank enough water so my bladder wasn’t quite full enough so they had to press down a bit on my tummy. But the transfer, absolutely fine…
I honestly didn’t find it any more uncomfortable than having a follicle scan !! X
I’ve had 6 and out of those I found 1 really uncomfortable and 1 actually painful. I don’t think they should be and the dr who did my successful transfer said you should barely feel it (and that was the case with the round I had my son from). I also found the hycosy horrendously painful so I wouldn’t link the 2! Xx
I’ve had 4 transfers - 2 awake and 2 sedated. I suffer horrendous pain - I’m quite rare in that though and I have fibroids and adenomyosis so that contributes.
I had a few. The ones I found painful was because the vaginal pessaries I was taking had caused irritation of the skin so when the speculum was inserted and dilated, it caused pain. For the transfers I was on progesterone injections instead, it was fine. The actual transfer of the catheter was always fine.
Another is issue is having a full bladder. At the beginning I was having a full bladder which was making the process super uncomfortable. I finally worked it out that for my bladder it was enough to drink one glass of water about an hour before the transfer.
Unfortunately I am one of those that is in the minority that do find them painful and extremely so. I’ve never had a coil or hycosy so cannot compare for you but I’ve had smears and for me smears are fine. The transfers for me were absolutely nothing like a smear and I was in pain for 5 transfers that all didn’t work. They even gave me a mock transfer to test if it was something going on whilst on the drugs. It was still painful.
Obviously I am in the extreme minority and I don’t want to scare you, however you’ve asked for honesty and I can’t read and not put across the other side.
You could ask for a mock transfer and see how you go. The only two successful transfers (one is my daughter and the other I’m currently five weeks pregnant with), both were under sedation. The docs and I think it was the adrenaline I was producing as well as tough entrance due to the pain, that was causing my transfers to fail. When it’s a tough entrance the embryo can pick up bacteria and adrenaline turns off your reproductive and digestive system for a bit. However, those transfers that worked I did also start on prednisolone so it’s likely a combination
I hope this advice is helpful. As I say I just wanted to provide the other side so that you are armed with all info to make a decision that’s right for you.
thank you - it is super helpful and as I said I’m looking for honest reflections rather than reassurances so I can work out what to ask for. I think a mock transfer might be a good idea for me. I’m sorry that you had to go through pain in your treatment. It’s lovely to hear that you have a daughter and big congratulations on your pregnancy!
I am so pleased it was helpful. When I was going through it I only found a few people online that said it was painful so I am pleased I could provide my experience to help you and others make informed decisions. The sedation was like magic for me, I woke up after what felt like a lovely nap, ate some biccies and went home and had a lovely sleep. Zero anxiety beforehand and no pain whatsoever. xx
I am so pleased my experience was able to help you too. As you can see from my response above they were such different and better experiences to all the previous transfers. It's expensive to be sedated but in my opinion absolutely worth it. Best of luck xx
I had 3 transfers which weren’t too painful at all. Then after I gave birth to our miracle child I’ve had to have all further transfers (all unsuccessful) under sedation because my uterus is difficult to access now. It’s been a nightmare and sedation was the only answer. Therefore I think it really depends on your personal circumstances I’m afraid. X
9 transfers and 6 IUIs and none of them were painful (even the ones after I’ve given birth). It isn’t fun and a little uncomfortable but there isn’t any pain really and the more relaxed you are the easier it is too I’ve found. My last smear was defo more painful and the hycosy I found awful. It looks like for some it can be painful but I am usually in and out of the clinic in less than 20mins and it’s actually a really magical moment to see the wee embryos going in 🥰 (when you can stop thinking about needing to pee that is 🤣) good luck xx
thanks Twiglet2 - this sounds similar to me so it’s helpful to know that transfers were not painful for you. Starting to think my main concern should be if I’ll accidentally pee mid-transfer! 😳
lol I haven’t ever felt I was actually going to pee it’s more uncomfortable bladder making you feel really full when they press down to scan you to guide the catheter in so it’s more in your tummy feeling full and bloated than actually going to pee when lying down if that makes sense. Defo nothing to worry about and takes your mind off everything else I guess 🤣 xx
I found a hycosy very painful but out of my four transfers none were painful - they really are like a Pap test- so a bit uncomfortable in the few seconds it takes for them to insert the embryo then afterwards it’s totally fine, no ongoing discomfort in my experience. Much easier to get the embryo in than the eventual (hopefully!) baby out 🤣
It is certainly uncomfortable, just like a smear test that lasts longer, but it wasn’t painful. As CornflowerMoon said the most uncomfortable part is having a full bladder.
hello, the embryo transfer is basically exactly the same as IUI, so if you were ok with that, you will be fine with FET. I do think it’s similar to a smear test, but when you really need a wee! I actually found FET more comfortable than IUI because my clinic give a painkiller suppository 2 hours before transfer. (Diclofenac I think) which I think is to relax your uterus too.
I’ve never had a coil fitted so can’t comment from experience on that one but I do know that loads of people find that a painful, even traumatic experience.
From your post I am assuming you’ve had the collection already? I’m not sure if you was asleep or awake for that. I was awake for mine.
From my experience do not worry at all! It’s completely painless. And is just like a smear. The hardest part was having the full bladder for the transfer 😅 but it’s over pretty quickly.
I haven’t had a coil, but did have a hycosy test, like you, I was told it isn’t painful but I did find it really painful. Through the whole IVF experience, the hycosy for me was the most psychically painful part so I would say you’ve got the worse part out of the way.
Hi Lucy014 - yes I've already had the egg collection which I was sedated for and slept all the way through. Were you awake because the sedation did not fully put you to sleep or because you did not have any anaesthetic? Thanks for sharing - it's helpful to know that the hycosy ranked the worst for you. I hope any more treatments that you have are pain free!
my clinic doesn’t use general anaesthetic, instead gives you pain relief and some other “party cocktail” to help you not remember it all clearly, but I do remember a fair bit and found it all ok.
We only had 1 egg from our first collection that made it to 5 days and the transfer was unsuccessful so I have to go through the whole process again but I’m not put off at all and have no worries doing so, so that says a lot.
I find smear test extremely uncomfortable and painful, both physically and psychologically (even with the smallest speculum), and I dread it every time the reminder arrives.
I also have an anteverted uterus which can make transfer slightly more complicated.
The last thing I want is that I am extremely stressed running up to/during it, so I am opting for embryo transfer under sedation.
Hey jinis , I'm glad to hear that sedation is an option for you and I hope that will help you feel less stressed about it. I'm wishing you all the very best for your treatment xx
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I asked the doctor to use the smallest speculum so you could also ask for this if you are worried about discomfort. Goodluck xx 
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