
Frozen Embryo Transfer
Frozen Embryo Transfer or FET is the process of using a frozen embryo previously formed in an IVF cycle. This is an assisted reproductive technology procedure that uses frozen embryos that were not transferred during the last IVF cycle and were suitable for freezing or cryopreservation.
In an IVF cycle, most commonly the best embryos are selected. If any suitable quality embryos remain, they can be frozen for use in the future. It is also important to know that not all cycles have embryos that can be frozen. The survival rate following the thawing of frozen embryos is about 90% therefore only good quality embryos should be frozen.
How does Frozen Embryo Transfer work with IVF?
Frozen Embryo Transfer is one of the ways to avoid desynchronization. By delaying the process of embryo transfer to a later date, it allows the woman’s hormones to normalize before preceding. It also gives a better chance at pregnancy as they can then get time to recover from IVF. Once the body returns to a normal cycle, the embryos can be thawed and implanted.
What is the difference between Frozen Embryo Transfer and Fresh Embryo Transfer?
In a fresh embryo transfer, the eggs are retrieved, fertilized, and allowed to develop in a lab before they are transferred back into the woman’s uterus 5-6 days after retrieval. This embryo transfer occurs in the same cycle as the IVF cycle.
In a frozen embryo transfer, a woman who undergoes IVF, her eggs are retrieved, fertilized, and allowed to develop in a lab. On day 3 or 5 after the retrieval, the embryos are frozen instead of being transferred into a woman’s uterus for later use.
How long can my embryos be stored?
The standard period for storing embryos is 10 years.
What is the rate of success of Frozen Embryo Transfer?
The success rate for Frozen Embryo Transfer is about 70%. It has improved significantly in recent years. This is due to its close resemblance to the process of natural conception. Frozen Embryo Transfer has resulted in better pregnancy success rates, reduced miscarriages, and healthier babies.
What is the cost of Frozen Embryo Transfer?
The cost of Frozen Embryo Transfer transfer depends on where and from whom you’re getting your treatment done. It varies from doctor to doctor and location to location.
The average cost for this type of transfer also includes monitoring, hormonal support, and costs associated with the transfer process.
Am I a suitable candidate for Frozen Embryo Transfer?
Many women can largely benefit from a frozen embryo transfer. The best way to find out if this is the right treatment plan for you, consult the right fertility expert.
FAQs
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability of a couple to conceive even after a year of trying to get pregnant through unprotected and well-timed sexual intercourse in which the woman is under the age of 35. If the woman is above 35, it is diagnosed after six months of trying to get pregnant. Infertility can be due to male or female factors or even both. It can also be due to unexplained reasons.
Does age affect fertility and chances of conception?
Yes, age does affect a woman’s ability to have children. More and more women now prefer to wait until their 30s to conceive. A woman’s fertility starts to reduce from her 30s and more after the age of 35. As much as one-third of couples who face fertility problems are those where the woman’s age is above 35.
How does age affect a woman’s ability to have children?
Here are a few ways of how a woman’s ability conceive reduces due to her age:
- The ability of ovaries to release eggs ready for fertilization reduces with age
- The quality of eggs released reduces with an increase in the age of women
- An increase in age can lead to more health problems which may interfere with a woman’s fertility
- The risk of miscarriages increases as a woman ages
- Children born to older women tend to have more abnormalities
How long should women try to get pregnant before visiting a doctor?
Women who are healthy and below the age of 30 need not worry about infertility unless they have been trying to get pregnant for a year or so. If such is the case, they should talk to their doctor for a fertility evaluation. They should also ask their partners to do the same.
Women in their 30s trying to get pregnant should talk to their doctor after trying for 6 months as a woman’s chances of having a baby decline rapidly after the age of 30.
Is infertility only a woman’s problem?
No, infertility can affect both men and women. About one-third of cases of infertility are due to female factors and another one third are due to male factors. The remaining cases are either due to a mixture of both male and female factors or due to unknown reasons.
Can male infertility be treated?
In most cases, male infertility can be treated. Your doctor may suggest you use assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF, ICSI, TESA and Micro-TESE. Although ART cannot cure or treat the causes of infertility, it can help couples achieve pregnancy even when the male’s sperm count is low or zero.
What are the risk factors for infertility?
There are several external factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental causes that can lead to infertility. Although some risk factors can be gender-specific, some common risk factors are:
- Age
- Smoking
- Alcohol Consumption
- Substance Abuse
- Obesity and Underweight
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Diabetes
- Tubal Disease
- Stress
- Genetic Causes
What are the ways to treat infertility?
There are many ways to treat infertility for both men and women. With advancing medical technologies, you and your partner along with your doctor can decide depending on the options available.
What causes infertility in women?
The most common reason for infertility in women is problems with ovulation. No ovulation or improper ovulation can prevent eggs from fertilizing or there may be no eggs at all. Irregular periods or no periods are a sign of no or improper ovulation. Some other causes of infertility include:
- Endometriosis
- PCOD/PCOS
- Uterine Fibroids
- Blocked Fallopian Tubes
- Physical problems with the uterus
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Several Miscarriages
- Unexplained Reasons
What causes infertility in men?
Infertility in men can be due to the following:
- Low or no sperm production
- Low motility of sperms- sperms inability to move fast or reach the egg to fertilize it
- Abnormal shape/structure of sperms that prevent it from fertilizing the egg
- Erectile Dysfunction or Retrograde Ejaculation
Sometimes, men may be born with these problems, and the other times, they may develop these problems due to an illness or injury.