By Hilary Metcalfe
You’ve braved the injections. Tracked every follicle like a hawk. Climbed the rollercoaster of hormones and hope. Then, in a blink, or rather, a groggy wake-up from anaesthesia, you’re done.
And suddenly, you feel it.
Not just groggy or sore. But heavy. Hot. Hollow. Like something enormous has happened, and left your body trying to catch up. Many women call it “the hot womb.” Others describe it as a wavelike collapse, a hormonal void, or even an out-of-body sadness they never expected.
Welcome to the physical letdown after egg retrieval or embryo transfer, one of the most under-discussed experiences in the IVF journey.
The Moment No One Prepares You For
"Nobody warned me that I'd wake up after retrieval feeling like I was floating above my own body, weepy, and drenched in warmth that didn’t feel comforting - it felt wrong," says Jodie, 34, after her second IVF round.
A growing number of women are coming forward to describe what feels like a deeply visceral reaction post-procedure, especially in the hours immediately after anaesthesia wears off.
Many talk about:
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A strange heat in the pelvic area, sometimes radiating through the torso
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A hormonal emptiness or sudden emotional crash
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Deep uterine soreness even when no embryos have been transferred yet
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And above all, a grief-like heaviness, even in hopeful cycles
So what’s going on?
Is It Just the Hormones?
The hormonal crash after egg retrieval is very real. During IVF, ovaries are hyperstimulated to produce multiple eggs, and estrogen levels skyrocket. But once those eggs are removed, there’s an abrupt drop.
It’s not just the absence of eggs. It’s the body’s perception of loss, on a cellular and endocrine level.
Dr. Eliza Morton, a reproductive endocrinologist, explains: “Think of it as a cliff-edge in estrogen and progesterone. That sudden vacuum doesn’t just affect your mood, it affects your physical perception of warmth, blood flow, energy levels, and yes, even grief.”
In many cultures, this would be considered a kind of post-partum of potential. A deep letting go.
But in Western clinics? You're given a juice box, told to rest, and sent home to Google "is it normal to feel like I’m falling apart after retrieval?"
The Role of Anaesthesia: Hot Womb, Cold Facts
And then there’s the anaesthesia.
IVF procedures often use a light sedation or twilight anaesthesia, but for sensitive bodies, this can still cause systemic responses that linger far beyond the OR. Blood pressure drops, circulation shifts, and the nervous system takes a hit.
Some women experience vasodilation (expanding blood vessels), especially in the pelvic area, hence the “hot womb” sensation. Others feel emotionally raw, almost as if the drugs stripped a layer of protection off their psyche.
“It felt like my womb was on fire, but I was frozen,” says Rachel, 39. “Like my body knew something sacred had been taken out.”
Emotional Letdown, Physical Grief
Beyond physiology, there’s something deeper.
In traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda or Chinese medicine, the womb is considered a seat of emotional memory. To undergo a procedure where something is removed — be it eggs, lining, or potential, may trigger what one practitioner called “an energetic hemorrhage.”
In Western terms? Unprocessed grief. A disconnect between the mind’s logic (“this is medical, this is hope”) and the body’s sensation (“something was taken, and I am not ok”).
Why We Need to Talk About This
Most IVF blogs focus on tips for success, self-injections, or dealing with the two-week wait. But the actual embodied experience of IVF is often sterilized, medically and emotionally.
And yet, more and more women are whispering the same thing:
“I felt gutted.”
“I didn’t expect it to be so emotional.”
“Nobody warned me about the after.”
We need a language for this. Not just the hormone charts and retrieval counts, but the emotional anatomy of IVF.
How to Prepare (and Protect) Yourself
If you’re approaching egg retrieval or embryo transfer, consider preparing for the letdown as intentionally as you prep for injections.
Here’s what might help:
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Post-retrieval care kit: Warm compresses, grounding herbal teas (our best recommendations below), electrolyte drinks, and magnesium for muscle calm.
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Emotional debriefing: A therapist, doula, or trusted friend to hold space, not fix, just witness.
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Rest and warmth: Your womb is not just a site of procedure, it’s a site of meaning. Keep it warm. Let it feel safe again.
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Name it. Share it. The more we name this moment “the hot womb,” the hormonal void, the post-retrieval grief, the less isolating it becomes.
Mama Recover Blend — Between IVF Rounds
Intention: Postpartum recovery, rich in nutrient-dense herbs (like nettle, alfalfa, oat straw, raspberry leaf, etc.) that replenish iron, minerals, and support tissue repair and energy.
Safety & Use:
✅ Generally safe between IVF rounds.
These herbs are tonic and restorative, not hormonally active in a way that would interfere with fertility medications or early hormonal cues.
✅ Helpful during breaks: They can support your nutrient stores, circulation, adrenal health, and overall uterine tone before the next stimulation cycle.
⚠️ Stop once stimulation starts or transfer is planned. During ovarian stimulation, implantation, or after embryo transfer, you want to avoid any uterine-stimulating herbs — even mildly toning ones.
👉 Ideal between rounds to nourish and rebuild, but pause once your next cycle or protocol begins.
Gentle Period Blend — For Cycle Regulation
Intention: To support natural cycle flow, reduce cramps and PMS symptoms, and encourage hormonal balance through herbs like raspberry leaf, chamomile, ginger, and possibly mild emmenagogues (herbs that encourage uterine blood flow).
Safety & Use:
⚠️ Not recommended during IVF or implantation windows.
Gentle Period contains herbs that can stimulate uterine blood flow or contractions, which are beneficial when regulating cycles naturally but not during luteal or implantation phases.
✅ Can be used between rounds (if no embryo transfer is pending). It helps the body recalibrate between medicated cycles, clear residual hormones, and re-establish a balanced rhythm.
Acknowledging the Sacred in Science
IVF is a marvel of modern medicine. But the body is still ancient, still wise, still sacred.
And it deserves more than silence after surgery. It deserves space to process what it’s just been through, physically, emotionally, hormonally.
Whether or not you retrieve the number of eggs you hoped for, whether or not a baby comes from this cycle, you are still allowed to grieve. And you are still worthy of softness, safety, and support.
Because the womb is not just a factory. It is a feeling place.
And it remembers.
References
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Sharara FI, et al. “Hormonal dynamics of ovarian stimulation for IVF and their impact on mood and well-being.” Fertility and Sterility, 2005.
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Boivin J, et al. “Emotional distress in infertile women and men: a meta-analysis.” Human Reproduction Update, 2011.
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Leslie K, et al. “Awareness during anesthesia: a prospective case study.” Anesthesia & Analgesia, 2000.
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Charkoudian N. “Mechanisms of sympathetic vasoconstriction in human skin during normothermia and hyperthermia.” Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010.
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Svoboda R. Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity. Penguin Books.
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Kaptchuk TJ. The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine. McGraw-Hill Education.
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Resolve.org. National Infertility Association. https://resolve.org
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Reddit IVF Forum. r/IVF — Community narratives and support.
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IVF Babble. https://ivfbabble.com
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Briden L. Period Repair Manual. Pan Macmillan, 2017.
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Gunter J. The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina—Separating the Myth from the Medicine. Kensington, 2019.
ABOUT HILARY
Hilary is the Co-Founder of the SABI, a Holistic Nutritionist, natural, whole foods Chef, product developer and advocate for women getting to know their bodies, cycles and selves better. Born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Baja California, Mexico, she now lives in Los Cabos with her partner Kees, a curly-tailed rescue dog from Curacao, Flint and her rainbow babies Paloma and Bea.
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HORMONAL & PROUD
Created as a brand to help women navigate the toughest moments in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum — and practically every stage of life, the SABI aims to change the narrative around our hormones from one of taboo, embarrassment and loneliness, to awareness and even pride. Much more than a wellness brand, SABI offers a carefully crafted line of products to carry you through your hormonal journey; a set of rituals, supportive tools, and ancient herbal remedies that have been tested time and again by women and now, backed by medicine. SABI is a blend of science and nature conceived by women who have experienced the joys and deep implications of bringing a child into the world, the pains of a heavy and difficult period, miscarriage and difficulty conceiving
Here is an invitation to get to know your body and its cycles better and to really understand what is going on inside. Learn to use your hormonal cycle to your advantage no matter your stage of life, and know that you can always support and balance your hormone levels. Look for the right sources of information, know that there is help, and know that you’re supported.
DISCLAIMER
The SABI blog and articles are not meant to instruct or advise on medical or health conditions, but to inform. The information and opinions presented here do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals for your unique situation.
