Anyone done a freeze all then FET?

[lmno]

Hello, I'm looking for some advice from those in the know.

Long story short we've done 3 full cycles of IVF:

- Cycle 1: 11 eggs no fertilisation

- Cycle 2 with ICSI: 9 eggs, 3 embryos. Fresh transfer failed, 1st FET positive but ended in missed miscarriage, 2nd FET positive (now my almost 2 year old daughter)

- Cycle 3 with ICSI: 5 eggs, 1 embryo, 3 day fresh transfer failed.

We decided to stop treatment after our failed cycle this summer but now have decided to go for it again after a very kind offer from family to fund another cycle.

Given that our 2 fresh transfers failed and our 2 frozen ones worked (albeit one ended in miscarriage) I can't get the thought out of my head that I don't want to do another fresh transfer. My clinic keeps saying there's no reason frozen is any more likely to work and that there's a 5-10% chance embryos wouldn't survive the thaw so we're adding additional risk. But after my egg collection ops I always feel awful and in pain and bloated, plus totally frazzled from the emotional and hormonal turmoil of it all. I just think my body is more receptive to frozen cycles once I've had a chance to recover from EC. Plus my clinic doesn't measure things like progesterone levels so maybe for some reason I respond better to the FET meds?

We are starting treatment in Jan and I have to tell them by Dec if we want to do a full cycle or freeze all. It works out as slightly more expensive to do freeze all and then FET but not significantly so.

Any advice? Thank you!

[Skittles11]

If your experience is that frozen works better for you then I would definitely go with that, especially if you've noticed you don't feel the best after fresh cycles. As much as we want to trust everything our clinics suggest we also know our own body's. You want to go into a cycle feeling hopeful and if frozen transfers would give you the most hope then that's what you should do in my opinion. Good luck xx

[lmno in reply to Skittles11]

Thank you - that's helpful and reassuring. It feels like a battle between listening to and knowing my own body vs the research presented by the clinic (which also sounds very old). My husband is very much in the do whatever the doctor advises camp, whereas I want to make sure that we're making decisions based on our situation and not the statistical average of thousands of people with very different circumstances. The tricky thing is my AMH has plummeted, and we only got 1 embryo in our last cycle, so freezing in this situation would be a big gamble.

[Skittles11 in reply to lmno]

It's difficult when your clinic suggest one direction but your instinct tells you to go a different way. Yes freezing can introduce additional risk however if the embryo is good quality then I think the risk is pretty low. I have low AMH and am freezing - and testing - any embryos that I get, despite the low reserve. I never achieved a pregnancy with fresh transfers either xx

[Hidden]

When I read what you have written my instinct is to go freeze all, however do you have the option to change your mind? I am just thinking that if you didn't get loads of embryos could you go for a fresh transfer rather than taking them to the freezer?

I always did fresh cycles (until I moved to DE) and I felt the same as you, I was always incredibly sore and bloated after EC and definitely not in the right head space, and always felt like it decreased my chances. I did get one BFP that later MMC and 2 x chemicals but I often wondered what would have happened if we had had enough to freeze - the problem is we didn't and I didn't want to waste the embryos as figured you had to be in it to win it! x

[lmno in reply to Hidden]

Oh 100% - the 'what-if' is exactly the conundrum isn't it? I did ask the clinic if I could change my mind but they seemed to say I would need to either book in for a freeze all or a full cycle so that they can plan (presumably staff time and procedure slots) which I can understand. But yes, I think it we ended up with only one embryo again the stakes are definitely higher to freeze. x

[Solly-44]

Hi, I have only ever had FETs so can’t compare to a fresh transfer, but I would go with your gut instinct on this one. I’m usually of the ‘follow your clinics guidance’ mindset but in this case, the evidence suggests that frozen embryos are at least as likely to succeed than fresh. In many clinics their frozen rate is actually higher, although I appreciate there are other factors in play (they won’t freeze low grade embryos but may do a fresh transfer with one if that’s all someone has etc). What I’m trying to say is it certainly won’t do any harm aside from the risk of them not surviving. My clinic say due to improved methods they expect almost 99% to survive now so it’s very low. I’m a fan of FETs! Lots of luck whichever you decide xx

[lmno in reply to Solly-44]

Oh thank you that's very encouraging x

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Stressful time for you and your OH - just wanted to wish you good luck with your treatment whatever route you decide to take

Sending a big hug and will be thinking of you

Janet

[lmno in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thanks Janet - if I'm honest we don't have high hopes of success (consultant said 10-15% chance of success), but if we don't try our hopes of success are 0.