I'm after a bit of help please as google is a mindfield. We've had 2 cycles of ICSI with fresh embryos and unfortunately the first didn't catch and the second was a chemical pregnancy.
We have 1 frozen embryo left that we are looking to use at the end of November. But I am unsure of the process with frozen embryo transfer with regards to cycle, medications etc? Could anyone please help will approx. timeline of events for this type of cycle? I know everyone is different but just an idea of timings etc?
Much appreciated and than you in advance 😀
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angs0203
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Hi. Often a FET is done with your natural cycle if your periods are regular with the supporting medication. Some stims can be given to ensure your womb
Ining is sufficient. Others will jump on with their experiences. Good luck Diane
Call clinic on Day 1 to book in for scan between days 8-12 (I had to have an early one as I ovulate early).
I took trigger on day 8 (this would often be day 14 for others, I just naturally ovulate between days 9 and 11).
Started progesterone 2 days after, in the afternoon (pessaries) and injections from that evening.
Our embryo was a 5 day blast, so transferred 7 days after trigger (which is approx. 5 days after ovulation).
Our clinic has quite a strict timing thing, where egg collection and scans are in the morning and embryo transfer in the afternoon. So, you might want to check if yours has similar, as that will give you further info on timings.
Honestly, the run up to transfer is a bit of a damp squib -not a lot happens, just 2 scans and in it goes! I think that is part of what makes the wait afterwards seem so long (our OTA was 11 days post transfer, counting transfer day as day 0, again because we had a 5 day blast, so timings would be different if day 3 embryo etc).
I started medication on day one of my cycle(20th July) continued until my transfer on 6th August.
Did my test on 17th Aug and had my first scan on 4th. It was meant to be on the 10th but I asked to bring it forward.
Re medications I took Elleste solo/progynova 3x a day tablet form, Cyclogest pessaries morning and evening approx 12 hours apart and an injection of lubion at lunchtime. I think the meds are really different for everyone and depend on your circumstances - probably age and history etc.
I hope this helps but feel free to ask any questions! X
it really depends on your clinics protocol for you, there are a few different types of FET. One is a fully medicated down reg FET that can take a few months as they completely shut off your own cycle and then take over it. There’s a medicated one that follows your own cycle more or less with a trigger shot that is roughly 5 days after your ovulation, but like an egg collection they time this to an extent for the transfer and there is also a completely natural one that just again follows your own cycle completely. There is also variations of this across clinics with different ways to down reg etc. give your clinic a call and ask them what there protocol is and which one you will be on 🤗 xx
I think Twiglet2 gave a great explanation. It’s not the fact it’s a FET but rather the protocol followed that dictates, and there are a great deal of variations.
The one that worked for me was FET with modified natural transfer. I used ovulation tests to track my cycle, then started progesterone support and took a trigger shot when I got my peak. Transfer was then around a week later. It was my least medicated least stressful transfer. I had no scans or bloods however on previous transfers my lining and progesterone levels were always “optimal”.
I’ve had 3 frozen transfers. All a similar protocol. CD 1 start eostrogen tablets x3 a day but increased to x4 a day. Also 7 days of an injection x1 a day (can’t remember the name of it). Day 12 of oestrogen- scan to see if lining is thick enough. Next day start progesterone pessaries x3. First and second FET I had a transfer on day 6 of progesterone. Third FET transfer was on day 7 of progesterone due to ERA test saying I needed extra time on progesterone. 3rd FET worked. After all transfers continued on oestrogen x4 and progesterone x3 a day x
Hi! I had a medicated FET and just started another one. They down regulate me so thought I'd let you know how that went for me in case you will down reg too....Day 21 prostap (I request this over buserilin)
Thank you all so much for your help - I really appreciate you sharing with me 😘 I'm going to get in touch with the clinic to arrange a planning appointment in case I need a run up for this one as I don't want to miss my window x
I currently have 3 embryos sitting frozen following our second ICSI cycle. I attempted a natural FET back in February this year. I was given a Decapeptyl injection 3 weeks after my period arrived in February (as down regulation instead of daily buserelin injections). I then went back 2 weeks later (after having another bleed) for a baseline scan to check that my womb lining was thin. I was then put onto Progynova tablets daily for 2 weeks and asked to go back for another scan, at which point my lining had only gotten to 5.8mm. I had the dosage of the tablets increased and asked to come back in another week, at which point my lining had reduced to 5.6mm so we had to cancel the cycle altogether.
As a result of that, our clinic decided that I should go onto a high protocol HRT medicated cycle with enhanced luteal phase support which we started in August. I have again had the Decapeptyl injection, had my baseline scan on Friday, and as of yesterday have started 4 x Estraderm MX100 HRT patches. I need to keep these patches on until Friday, then I take all 4 off and put another 4 on every 2 days until my next scan on the 23rd. If the lining has thickened (which it should - the nurse told me that when all else fails the HRT patches work) I will then be given Lubion injections and Cyclogest pessaries. If the transfer is successful and I stay pregnant, all of these meds will be continued until I am 12 weeks.
Hope the above helps give you a bit more information as to what might happen. Best of luck for your upcoming transfer! ✨
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