Natural vs medicated FET

[GB844]

Hi everyone,

As the title suggests, I was wondering what others’ experience of natural vs medicate FET were. We have 8 frozen embryos and have just had a failed fresh transfer. Before that, I had a pregnancy that ended in an 8 wk MMC on a natural IUI cycle and 2 x chemical pregnancies on IUI with progesterone luteal support. During our fresh transfer, I used buserelin trigger and then had a very short luteal phase despite progesterone and estrodiol which meant I bled after 4 days and our top grade embryo didn’t even get a chance to implant.

I just feel as though every cycle where I have had luteal support I haven’t been able to implant and during our non- medicated IUI I implanted fine, but chromosome issues caused a MMC. On top of that, our fresh transfer didn’t go to plan due my hormones being messed up from medication. Therefore, I am really keen to do our next FET as a natural cycle but I am a little nervous as I’m not sure how accurate LH POAS tests are and I don’t want to waste an embryo. Was anyone offered LH blood tests alongside scans? I am yet to have a review appointment with the consultant, so was just wondering what others experiences were so I can be armed with the right questions.

Thanks a lot!

[Tnthketnf]

I had both but no success with either.

My clinic offers say they have similar outcomes with either option. they favour hrt because they can schedule things better this way. So this is service centered and not patient centred decision.

After my last attempt with an hrt cycle where my lining didn't thicken- and due to double downregulation I am not able to have a period for a long and unknown timeframe -I will stay away from hrt protocols.

if I am not wrong all fet protocols have more all less the same results with the hrt being slightly less successful but not significantly. Just to say here apart from natural and hrt there is also modified natural (trigger to pinpoint ovulation) and mild stimulation (no egg collection only follicle stimulation to produce estrogen which will then thicken the lining).

natural in my clinic means true natural no luteal support but they are happy to add it on if you ask. They ask you to use poas ovulation tests but on your first positive they check with a blood test. No scans for natural in my clinic. Maybe they will offer one if you ask but they will moan about it. I personally don't feel reassured without a scan

I would ask the clinic to see what they recommend.

all the best!

[GB844 in reply to Tnthketnf]

Hi 😀

Thanks for taking the time to reply and I'm really sorry to hear you didn't have success with your FETs. It was really interesting to hear about the modified natural protocol, which would take the guessing out of when I ovulated/LH surge etc. Definitely food for thought and a lot more to take back to the consultant in a couple of weeks, so thank you.

Very best of luck to you in your fertility journey! x

[hoping_for_our_time]

My lining is always better with natural FETs. It's also much better in terms of less meds. I say go for it.

[GB844 in reply to hoping_for_our_time]

I've heard a few people say this, certainly something I'm going to enquire about with my consultant. Thanks for your reply Xx

[Twiglet2]

hi - I’ve tried completely natural FET before and the process was that I phoned up on day 1 of cycle and the clinic told me when to start using at home ovulation test (I used the purple clear blue ones with flashing and then sold smiley face) when I got solid smiley I phoned up the clinic and they got me in that day for a blood test to double check for the surge (I wasn’t quite there yet the first day but was the next) and then transfer was scheduled 5 days later. It didn’t work for me but neither did the medicated FET the following month but I did feel like it was much more natural and a ‘normal’ month ovulation and period wise so if that’s where you have your luck with that amount of embryos it might well be worth a go! Xx

[GB844 in reply to Twiglet2]

Thanks for your reply. I think that one of the things that really attracts me to the natural cycle, is that if it doesn't work (not that I'm being pessimistic, it's just better to be prepared for all eventualities) then there isn't as much of a waiting period for my hormones to return to normal like you say. One of the hardest things for me during our fertility journey has been the time between our IUI's, MMC and chemical pregnancies whilst we waited for my hormones to regulate.

Good luck to you in your fertility journey! xx