What is a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)?
After IVF treatment there may be good quality embryos left over after embryo transfer. There is the option to freeze them to use in the future (in case treatment doesn’t work for example, or to try for a sibling).
The frozen embryos are thawed and transferred into the womb after suitable preparation of the lining of the womb. As the embryos already exist, this cycle does not involve stimulation of your ovaries or egg collection. A frozen embryo transfer cycle can be conducted at any time.
Kate and I discuss how it’s a good thing that when embarking on a FET your body isn’t full of all the medication, so it’s a more natural cycle so there is also the thinking that you’re putting those previous embryos back in a more natural environment.
We spoke with blogger Amber Woodward about her experience, how she prepared both physically and mentally and how she continued with further treatment after her cycle failed.
We discuss how to prepare in terms of nutrition
Amber has written a blog about how she worked on her diet for over 12 months, changing her diet due to insulin issues and then how she got regular cycles and talks about how much of a difference it can make for conceiving naturally and preparing IVF. Try to improve egg quality, keep your hormones balanced which she found very difficult and food had a big impact on her emotions.
Chinese herbs – do you try them?
Amber talked about trying Eastern medicine. Chinese medicine in particular despite her partner Joe’s concerns (who was convinced the herbalist would feed them bleach after something he watched on TV) plus the disgusting taste. She said it also made her cycles go crazy, however, because she didn’t leave herself enough space between starting it and then doing IVF, she wasn’t sure about the benefit. It is not recommended to be taking Chinese herbs when you start treatment.
Working and going through FET
Amber was at work when she had another FET, her nutrition wasn’t great and she wasn’t really exercising, so she didn’t feel very prepared. She went into it feeling like she should have put more effort in and felt guilty as they had 2 embryos left. You need to do what feels right for you.
What about when it doesn’t work?
When it didn’t work – the clinic said ‘it is just one of those things’ about 70% don’t take. You can do everything and it doesn’t work and you can do the opposite and not prepare.
How long does it take?
A minimum of 5 weeks.
What if it doesn’t work?
Amber had shared on her socials about how the pair of them had talked about alternative life plans if it didn’t work. They had prepared themselves for the FET to be their last treatment. They talked about just being able to put it all behind them such as focusing on their son, wondering about alternative career prospects that had been put on hold and they knew that after 6 years, they needed to have plans for how to move on.
What do you need to know about a FET:
1. Oestrogen to plump up womb lining what if it’s not enough
2. Worrying about what if my embryo doesn’t make it through the thaw
3. Waiting to hear from the clinic about whether it’s been successful
4. The endless Google rabbit holes it sends you on
TOP TIP – to avoid the ‘Embryo quality’ rabbit hole
If it’s good enough to freeze it can make a baby.
I have learnt from the conversations I’ve had with embryologists that there is still so much to learn about embryos and all it’s based on is how it looks under a microscope and different embryologists mark them differently. This is why you can’t get obsessed with the numbers. Easier said than done, I know, and Amber spoke about how it’s hard to say why one of lesser quality would work when a better one didn’t. Which doesn’t make sense as the lesser quality work.
It’s also worthing thinking about how we have no idea what natural embryos look like, they may well be of lesser quality than the ones seen in IVF.
What else can you do to prepare?
Amber recommends ‘It starts with an Egg’ (2nd edition) which has a chapter on preparing for FET and she followed the vitamin recommendations and felt that it helped. I must add here that Kate is not a fan of this book and if you want to know why drop her a DM and I’ll ask her to explain during our Brew at 2 this week.
Taking time out for yourself – empty your calendar whilst you are going through it.
Don’t put any pressure on yourself during the timeframe as it’s nice to just focus on what you are doing and what you are going through and you never know how tired you will be and it is also incredibly emotional. Even if you know what’s coming.
Stay away from Dr Google.
You can check out Amber on Instagram and find her awesome blog.
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You can hear this week’s episode here.
