Part 1 of 8
Overview
Fertility treatment covers a range of medical interventions.
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The most important thing for a manager to understand is that different stages have very different practical demands, and that treatment affects people of all genders.
Part 2 of 8
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
Sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation.
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Requires 2–4 monitoring appointments per cycle (blood tests and/or ultrasound), often early morning.
The insemination itself is a brief outpatient procedure, but the timing is medically determined and cannot be rescheduled. A two-week wait follows each cycle.
Part 3 of 8
IVF / ICSI
The most intensive pathway. Involves:
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- 10–14 days of daily self-administered injections
- Monitoring appointments every 1–3 days (typically early morning, 20–45 minutes each)
- Egg collection: a full day procedure under sedation, with 1–3 days physical recovery
- Embryo transfer: a short procedure, followed by a two-week wait
- Significant hormonal and emotional demands throughout
Part 4 of 8
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
No egg collection involved. Requires hormonal preparation, monitoring appointments, a precisely timed transfer procedure, and a two-week wait.
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Less physically intense than full IVF but carries the same emotional weight.
Part 5 of 8
Fertility Preservation (Egg or Sperm Freezing)
The stimulation and collection phase is clinically identical to IVF.
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All the same demands apply, daily injections, frequent monitoring, egg collection under sedation.
This applies whether the person is freezing proactively or before cancer treatment.
Part 6 of 8
Male Surgical Procedures
Micro-TESE (testicular sperm extraction): surgery under general anaesthesia to retrieve sperm.
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Clinics commonly advise 3–7 days off work, followed by 2–4 weeks with no heavy lifting or strenuous physical activity.
Significant psychological impact, particularly if the procedure is unsuccessful.
Varicocele repair: surgical or interventional radiology procedure to improve sperm quality.
Requires 1–7 days off work depending on method, followed by physical restrictions.
Part 7 of 8
The Two-Week Wait
The period between embryo transfer (or insemination) and the pregnancy test result, on the date the clinic gives (often about 16 days after egg collection; frozen cycles have their own date).
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The person is often at work during this period but research consistently identifies this as the highest-anxiety phase of the entire treatment process.
There are no physical restrictions, but presenteeism is common.
Part 8 of 8
Important Note
The demands of fertility treatment are not limited to procedure days.
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The monitoring schedule, medication management, hormonal effects, and psychological burden affect daily functioning throughout the cycle.