What Should You Do If You Get a Cold or Fever During IVF Treatment in Istanbul?
Manar Hegazy
Majd Eddin Khaled
An IVF trip may be progressing exactly as planned when you suddenly wake up with a sore throat, cough, fever, stomach illness, or other new symptoms.
The immediate questions are often: Should I stop my injections? Can treatment continue? Will egg retrieval or embryo transfer need to be postponed?
The answer depends not simply on having a cold, but on the type and severity of symptoms, presence of fever, treatment stage, medications being used, and whether an upcoming procedure involves sedation or anesthesia.
At Fertiliv, an important practical rule is to avoid stopping fertility medication or starting new medication on your own when illness develops during an IVF cycle.
Does a Mild Cold Automatically Stop an IVF Cycle?
Not necessarily.
Mild nasal congestion, a runny nose, or a minor sore throat without significant fever or systemic illness does not automatically mean treatment must stop.
However, the medical team may need to know:
When symptoms began
Whether you have a fever
Your temperature
Whether you are coughing
Whether breathing is affected
Whether you have vomiting or diarrhea
Whether you can eat and drink
Your current stimulation day
How close you are to egg retrieval or embryo transfer
These details help determine whether additional assessment is needed.
1. What Should You Do When Symptoms First Appear?
Do not wait until you feel significantly worse.
During the first few hours:
Check your temperature.
Record your symptoms and when they started.
Do not stop stimulation medication yourself.
Do not begin new medication without checking.
Inform the treatment team.
Tell them about anything you have already taken.
Maintain fluids when appropriate.
Monitor for new or worsening symptoms.
2. What If You Develop a Fever During Stimulation?
Fever should be treated differently from a minor runny nose.
If your temperature rises while you are using ovarian stimulation medication, inform the team.
Useful information includes:
Temperature
How long it has lasted
Chills
Cough or sore throat
Abdominal pain
Urinary symptoms
Vomiting or diarrhea
Medication already taken
A fever can have many causes, so its source should not be assumed without assessment.
3. Should You Stop IVF Injections When You Are Sick?
Do not stop them without instructions.
Stimulation medications follow a carefully timed schedule, and changing doses or timing independently may affect the treatment plan.
Depending on the situation, the physician may recommend:
Continuing unchanged
Additional monitoring
Further medical assessment
Adjusting part of the plan
Reconsidering the cycle in selected situations
The decision should be individualized.
4. Can You Take Cold Medicine During IVF?
Do not assume that every over-the-counter cold medicine is appropriate during fertility treatment.
Many cold products contain several active ingredients in one tablet, sachet, or syrup.
Before taking a new product, provide the medical team with:
Product name
Active ingredients
Dose
Saying that it is simply a “standard cold medicine” may not provide enough information.
5. What About Painkillers or Fever Medication?
If you need medication for fever or pain, ask which option and dose are appropriate for your current treatment stage and medical history.
Avoid choosing medication randomly, particularly around egg retrieval or embryo transfer.
6. Can You Take Antibiotics During IVF?
A sore throat or fever does not automatically require antibiotics.
The likely cause should first be assessed.
When antibiotics are medically needed, the treating physician should know that you are undergoing fertility treatment and which medications you are using.
Do not use leftover antibiotics from a previous illness.
7. What If You Have a Cough or Sore Throat During Stimulation?
Mild symptoms may not alter the cycle.
However, notify the team if:
Cough becomes severe
Fever develops
You have shortness of breath
Fatigue becomes significant
Chest pain appears
Egg retrieval is approaching
Respiratory symptoms become particularly important when an upcoming procedure may require sedation or anesthesia.
8. Why Is Illness Before Egg Retrieval Important?
Egg retrieval commonly involves sedation or anesthesia depending on the treatment setting, so respiratory symptoms and fever should be disclosed before the procedure. Sedated egg retrieval also requires specific fasting, discharge, and recovery precautions.
Do not arrive for retrieval without informing the team if you have:
Fever
Significant cough
Clear respiratory illness
Wheezing or breathing difficulty
Persistent vomiting
Severe fatigue
The team can then assess whether it is appropriate to proceed.
9. What If You Become Sick Before the Trigger Injection?
This is a time-sensitive stage of the IVF cycle.
Do not delay, advance, or cancel the trigger injection yourself.
Contact the team and report:
Your temperature
Symptoms
When they began
Medication taken
Whether you can eat and drink
Once the trigger is administered, egg retrieval timing is closely linked to it, making prompt communication important.
10. Can Egg Retrieval Simply Be Postponed?
Not in the same way as postponing a routine consultation.
Egg retrieval timing is linked to follicle development and the trigger injection.
When significant illness occurs around retrieval, the physician and anesthesia team, when applicable, may need to consider:
Severity of illness
Anesthesia or sedation safety
Stage of ovarian stimulation
Trigger timing
Overall medical condition
The appropriate decision can differ between patients.
11. What If You Have Vomiting or Diarrhea?
Repeated vomiting or diarrhea can be important because it may cause:
Dehydration
Fatigue
Difficulty taking oral medication
Reduced food intake
Difficulty attending appointments
Contact the team if you cannot keep fluids down.
Do not automatically assume abdominal symptoms are only a stomach infection, particularly late in stimulation or after retrieval.
12. Is It Illness or a Fertility-Treatment Symptom?
Some symptoms can overlap.
Stimulation and retrieval may be followed by:
Bloating
Abdominal heaviness
Nausea
Fatigue
Fertility treatment also has recognized uncommon complications, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, while IVF procedures carry rare risks such as infection and bleeding.
Do not diagnose significant or worsening symptoms yourself as “just a cold” or “only the stimulation.”
13. What If You Develop Fever After Egg Retrieval?
Fever after retrieval should be reported, particularly when accompanied by:
Increasing pain
Unusual bleeding
Abnormal discharge
Chills
Severe dizziness
Vomiting
General deterioration
Do not wait several days for significant symptoms to resolve on their own.
14. Which Symptoms Need Prompt Medical Assessment?
Contact the medical team promptly for:
High or persistent fever
Shortness of breath
Severe or increasing pain
Repeated vomiting
Inability to drink fluids
Rapid or significant abdominal swelling
Markedly reduced urination
Severe dizziness or fainting
Heavy bleeding
Chest pain
Significant deterioration in general condition
These symptoms should not be managed only with general messages or home remedies.
15. What If You Get a Cold Before Embryo Transfer?
A mild runny nose does not automatically mean embryo transfer must be cancelled.
However, the physician may reassess the plan when there is:
Fever
Significant infection
Severe systemic illness
Need for new medication
Another medical reason not to proceed
The decision depends on your overall condition rather than one isolated symptom.
16. Can Embryo Transfer Be Postponed?
In some situations, changing embryo-transfer timing may be more flexible than changing egg retrieval.
When embryos have been created but fresh transfer is not medically appropriate, suitable embryos may be frozen and transferred during a later cycle according to the physician and laboratory plan.
This is one reason why the final transfer strategy may change during treatment.
17. What If You Become Sick During Frozen Embryo Transfer Preparation?
Tell the team if you develop fever or significant illness while preparing for a frozen embryo transfer.
You may be using:
Estrogen
Progesterone
Or a natural-cycle protocol
Do not stop medication independently.
Progesterone timing and embryo-transfer timing can be closely linked, so any changes should be medically coordinated.
18. Does a Cold Affect Egg or Embryo Quality?
A simple cold alone cannot be used to predict egg quality, embryo quality, or cycle success.
The practical decision should focus on:
Severity of illness
Fever
Whether treatment can continue safely
Current treatment stage
Medication use
Physician assessment
Do not cancel a cycle based only on fear that a cold has “damaged the eggs.”
19. What If the Male Partner Becomes Sick?
This can also matter.
If the male partner develops fever or significant illness close to semen collection, tell the team.
Useful details include:
When fever began
How long it lasted
Medication used
Whether frozen sperm is already available
Existing male-factor infertility
Expected egg-retrieval date
This information may be relevant to planning.
20. What Information Should You Send the Treatment Team?
Instead of simply writing:
“I am sick. What should I do?”
Include:
Current temperature
Highest recorded temperature
When symptoms started
Main symptoms
Cough or breathing problems
Vomiting or diarrhea
Current stimulation day
Fertility medications being used
Any other medication taken
Time of your next dose
Date of your next scan, retrieval, or transfer
Clear information allows more useful guidance.
What Should You Do During the First Two Hours?
Use this checklist:
Check your temperature.
Record your symptoms.
Do not stop fertility medication.
Do not start a new drug without checking.
Contact the treatment team.
Maintain fluids when appropriate.
Watch for breathing difficulty, severe pain, or vomiting.
Prepare a list of all medication you are taking.
Mention clearly if retrieval or transfer is within 24–48 hours.
Seek medical assessment for severe symptoms rather than waiting for routine messaging.
How Can You Reduce Problems From Illness During an IVF Trip?
Not every illness can be prevented, but practical preparation helps:
Carry a thermometer.
Keep a medication list.
Check before starting new medicine.
Wash your hands regularly.
Avoid close exposure to clearly ill people when possible.
Prioritize sleep and rest.
Maintain appropriate food and fluid intake.
Know how to contact the treatment team.
Read What Should You Pack for an IVF Trip to Istanbul?.
What If Illness Changes Your Return Date?
Additional assessment may require you to change your flight or extend accommodation.
Flexible travel arrangements can therefore be useful.
Read How Long Should You Stay in Turkey for IVF?.
You can also review Do You Need Travel Insurance for an IVF Trip to Istanbul?.
Conclusion
A cold or sore throat during IVF does not automatically mean your cycle must be cancelled. Fever, significant illness, or symptoms appearing close to egg retrieval or embryo transfer, however, should be reported and assessed before treatment decisions are made.
The most important step is not to stop fertility medication, change injection timing, or start new medication independently. Report your symptoms, temperature, treatment stage, and current medications so the medical team can decide whether the plan can continue unchanged or needs adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions: What Should You Do If You Get a Cold or Fever During IVF Treatment in Istanbul?
Does a Cold Stop IVF Treatment?
Not necessarily. The decision depends on symptom severity, fever, treatment stage, and medical assessment.
Should I Stop Stimulation Injections if I Have a Fever?
Do not stop them yourself. Contact the treatment team for instructions regarding your medication and schedule.
Can Egg Retrieval Proceed if I Have a Cough or Fever?
Your condition should be assessed first, particularly when sedation or anesthesia is planned.
What Should I Do if I Develop Fever After Egg Retrieval?
Contact the team, especially if fever occurs with increasing pain, unusual bleeding, vomiting, or general deterioration.
Can Embryo Transfer Proceed if I Have a Cold?
It may be possible with mild symptoms, while fever or significant illness requires medical reassessment before proceeding.