What is FET, and Who is it For?

An FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) is suitable for patients who have already had IVF or ICSI treatment and have frozen embryos. This may be because they had surplus good quality embryos after a fresh embryo transfer or because all embryos were frozen in that cycle.

How Does FET Work?

The patients’ embryo(s) will be thawed and placed into the uterus at the optimum time in the woman’s cycle to try to achieve a pregnancy. This may align with their natural cycle or a medicated cycle to help time the treatment.

The patient will be scanned at certain points during the cycle to determine when the embryo(s) should be thawed and transferred. Medications may be supplied to help support the lining of the womb to be as receptive to the embryo as possible.

Ten days after the transfer, the patient will perform a pregnancy test to determine whether implantation has occurred. If positive, an ultrasound scan two weeks later will be arranged to assess pregnancy viability. If negative, the patient will withdraw the medication, and a period will occur.

Why is FET Important?

FET allows patients to attempt to conceive without undergoing a full IVF or ICSI cycle, with equivalent chances of success. This helps to reduce interventions, appointments, and costs.

Why is FET Recommended?

Frozen embryo transfer (FET) is recommended in various situations, including:

• Negative pregnancy test after a fresh IVF/ICSI cycle
• All embryos frozen in the fresh IVF/ICSI cycle for medical reasons (OHSS, thin lining)
• Embryo banking
• Egg recipients
• Shared motherhood
• Embryo genetic testing

How Successful is FET?

Success rates of FET are comparable to fresh transfers. As with all IVF/ICSI treatments, success depends on patient and embryonic factors and may vary between individuals.

Contact Us

Ready to take the first step towards parenthood? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists. We are here to answer any questions you may have and help you get started on your journey.