Pros and cons of natural or medicated frozen embryo transfere?

Hi all.

I've not had a frozen embryo transfere before. I've had too fresh transfers that have been unsuccessful.

Now I have left two low grade embryos, these are my last hope it feels!

The Dr from my clinic called yesterday and explained I can have them put in together and would I ike a medicated transfere or natural.

I understand that medications will control your ovulation, and the natural one will be cheaper and they wait for ovualtion. I don't really understand when the embryos are meant to be implanted with regards to ovualtion as obviously I'm not having an egg retrieval. I just couldn't really get an idea from her of which would be best for me? She said they have the same success rates. Of course less money is alwasy tempting but I just want it to work!

Any ideas or experience of why we would choose one over the odea.

Thankyou xxx

[Minniemouse88]

Hi, I've done both so a bit of experience. With natural cycles, your body's own oestrogen does the work in building the uterus lining. As you approach ovulation, the clinic do scans to check the follicle size and blood tests for signs of impending ovulation ( there are quite a few more scans required) If they catch ovulation, embryo is transferred the appropriate number of days after I believe depending on embryo. So, for example, I had a day 5 blastocyst transferred 5 days after ovulation. I opted to take some progesterone too.

Advantages of natural for me we're: less hormones (the oestrogen made me quite sick) and I like the idea of running with my own body's process.

Disadvantages were: many more trips to clinic, risk of cycle being cancelled if they couldn't detect ovulation or lining didn't get thick enough. Another issue with my clinic is they're closed on Sundays so if ovulation falls on a Tuesday, I will have to cancel and wait another month.

I'm NHS funded so cost isn't a factor for me (yet)

As with everything, I think it's very much dependent on your own situation. Perhaps try and get some clarity from your clinic about pros and cons for you.

Best of luck whatever you decide xx

[Hidden in reply to Minniemouse88]

Minniemouse88 thankyou for this! I'd hate for it to be cancelled last minute but you have given me some good points to think about and thanks for explaining, I find my clinic arnt the best at explaining sometimes! Good luck with everything xx

[Twiglet2]

I would ask a little bit more about what they class as ‘natural’ and medicated as this can different from clinic to clinic. Mine is fully natural ie I do at home ovulation tests and when I am ovulating I go into the clinic to confirm the surge with a blood test- transfer is scheduled for 5 days later (as our embryos were 5 days embryos).

Medicated for us involved a months down regulation with prostrap injection were the clinic then restart your cycle and control it so they time when to transfer the embryo based on that. The success rates look fairly similar if you have regular periods around 28-32 day cycles. I’ve tried both (had had enough of the meds a couple of times so went natural) but only ever had BFP with a medicated, which could be completely coincidental xx

[Hidden in reply to Twiglet2]

Thankyou Twiglet2 ,I'm thinking I may go medicated. I do have regular periods but I'm just not sure I want to risk it! I also havnt had 2 bad effects from medications. Hope you are doing OK xxx

[Twiglet2 in reply to Hidden]

If my clinic had done naturally modified I might have been more inclined to try it more but I’m the same now sticking to medicated (although had nothing to freeze last 2 egg collections 🙈 so fresh only). Best of luck to you lovely xx

[Positivechangeplease]

Hi I think it depends on your body. There was no sign my womb had any problems carrying a baby. My first FET was medicated and didn’t work. I went for a naturally modified one the second time as I didn’t like the way the drugs made me feel pregnant when I wasn’t. And the naturally modified worked. I think it’s pot luck really

[Hidden in reply to Positivechangeplease]

Thankyou Positivechangeplease , oh really, thats great it worked for you the natural way. I was thinking the medicated way maybe but I'm just not sure, maybe ill have to call the clinic again for more advice! Natural would def be cheaper too, hope you are well xx

[Positivechangeplease in reply to Hidden]

yes I can say if I did it again I’d do the same naturally modified FET. All good thank you 😊 good luck with which option you choose