Anyone have lower estrogen levels before modified natural FET and use estradiol patches?

[Meliana]

Hi everyone,

Im hoping someone who has been through a modified natural FET could share if estrogen was added to your protocol? After several medicated FETS failed I'm preparing for a modified natural FET transfer this Monday with two untested 4CB embryos.

My own natural estrogen level before trigger with ovidrel on Monday was 250 pg, but my follow up labs yesterday after trigger showed that my estrogen dropped to 94.6 pg. My lining before trigger was 8 mm which was amazing for me because I have had issues with thin lining before. I was worried after reading studies that this drop in estrogen after trigger could negatively impact implantation so I sent my doctor a message in the portal. My doctor said it was a "natural cycle " so no need to cancel my FET but agreed estrogen level was low and that I should start using 2 estrogen patches 0.1 mcg and change them every 3 days. I'll be doing follow up labs on Monday the same day of transfer.

I was wondering if anyone had to add estrogen to their natural FET protocol and had success? Also I am now thinking that adding the equivalent of 4 mg estrogen with these two patches may suppress my own body's natural estrogen production and makes this more of an artificial cycle.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. I would love to hear what was your successful modified natural FET protocol.

[Spicycurry]

I had mild stims every other day for natural modified frozen transfer. It boosted estrogen and increased lining to an optimum thickness. Depending on age, you probably only need 150 or 225iu meriofert every other day. You take lh tests and have scans to check and take trigger when one follicle is at least 18mm.

[Spicycurry]

By the way, I had a successful transfer following the natural modified frozen transfer with stims.

[Meliana in reply to Spicycurry]

Hi Spicycurry. Thanks for taking the time to reply and sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear your transfer was successful! I also did a stimulated FET cycle last year which resulted in a great lining but was unsuccessful. For this FET, the first part was completely natural with monitoring until my lining reached 8 mm and was told to trigger that evening. The part I still don't understand was how my estrogen dropped after trigger from 256 pg to 94.6 pg after trigger which is why I'm now on estrogen patches. I'm worried about this now being a more artificial cycle and how it could impact success and my own body's production of estrogen. I will just have to trust my doc, and hope this transfer works.

[Spicycurry]

My estrogen was 1500 on trigger day. It wasn’t tested again but my progesterone was 129 on transfer day and 186 on test day. The mild stims really helped but a month before that I took norethisterone for 25 days to control cycle and mildly stop fsh from rising.

[Meliana]

Thanks for sharing your experience - glad your stimulated FET worked! Today for my transfer - my estrogen with the two patches I have now - went up from 94 pg to 356 pg. Hoping this transfer #8 is the one that sticks!