What to expect from your sedation when you attend Aria for egg collection

My name is Dr Joe Lipton, and I am one of the team of consultant anaesthetists working here at Aria. This short blog post is designed to help you understand what to expect from your sedation when you attend the clinic for egg collection, either as part of egg freezing or IVF.

All anaesthetists at Aria are experienced consultants who also work in London teaching hospitals. Our role is to keep you safe, comfortable and well-supported throughout your procedure. When you meet your anaesthetist on the day, they will ask about your medical history, any previous experiences with sedation or general anaesthesia, and talk you through the process step by step.

Occasionally – usually for patients with particular underlying health conditions – you may need to have an anaesthetist consultation in advance to help plan your care. In rare circumstances, we may recommend sedation in a hospital setting, though this is uncommon.

Before your sedation

As part of your preparation, you will receive clear instructions on eating and drinking. It is important to follow these carefully:

• No food or drinks containing milk for at least 6 hours before sedation
• No drinks at all, including water, for the final 2 hours

You will still be offered a dose of paracetamol on arrival, which can safely be taken with a small sip of water. These fasting guidelines are essential for your safety, as having sedation with food or drink remaining in the stomach carries a risk of regurgitation while sedated.

During the egg retrieval procedure

In the procedure room, we will attach routine monitoring equipment and provide you with oxygen via a face mask. The anaesthetist will place a small cannula (a thin tube) into a vein in your hand or arm. Through this, we administer a strong pain-relieving medication together with a sedative. The sedative that is administered can sometimes sting, feel cold or uncomfortable for a short time as it is injected, but these sensations should pass quickly.

These medicines work quickly to produce a state of deep sedation. With deep sedation, some patients may have brief awareness or recall during the procedure; however, most patients are very relaxed, comfortable, and unaware of what is happening, and many do not remember anything from the time the medication is given until they wake up afterwards.

Your anaesthetist will remain with you throughout the procedure, carefully monitoring you and adjusting medication as needed to ensure your comfort and safety.

After your egg collection procedure

Once the egg collection is complete, we stop administering sedation, and you will wake up shortly afterwards. It is normal to feel drowsy for several minutes while the medication wears off. The nursing team will monitor you closely in recovery and ensure you are comfortable, including providing additional pain relief if needed.

Mild cramping or discomfort is common immediately after egg collection, but this usually settles quickly. Some patients feel nauseated after sedation; if you have experienced this before, please tell your anaesthetist, as we can give preventative anti-sickness medication.

The procedure itself usually takes 20–30 minutes, and you will typically spend around an hour in recovery. You can go home once you feel well, have had something to eat and drink, and have emptied your bladder. Your Anaesthetist will review you before you leave, and the nursing team will talk you through aftercare instructions. It is normal to experience some discomfort at home after your procedure, so you should stock up on simple painkillers that can be purchased over the counter.

You may continue to feel the residual effects of sedation for up to 24 hours, so you should not drive, operate machinery, or sign important documents during this time.

Further information

You may wish to watch the videos we have posted, which show the procedure room and give a clearer sense of what to expect. If you have any concerns about sedation or would like to speak with an anaesthetist in advance, the clinic can arrange this.

We wish you all the very best with your fertility journey, and we look forward to meeting you.