Frozen embryo transfer (FET) makes pregnancy possible

Thanks to ever-evolving technology, Park Avenue Fertility and Reproductive Medicine regularly relies on frozen embryo transfer (FET) as a critical step in the IVF process for people on the pathway to pregnancy. Our fertility specialist, Dr. Andrew Levi, has helped countless Connecticut fertility patients start or grow their families using state-of-the-art embryo cryopreservation.

What is a frozen embryo transfer?

It’s common for multiple embryos to develop in our lab during an IVF cycle. When the time comes for an embryo transfer, our fertility expert, Andrew Levi MD, most commonly transfers one embryo at a time. This decreases the chance of multiples in Connecticut fertility patients and protects the mother from a high-risk pregnancy.

Patients fortunate enough to have multiple embryos can freeze them using a process called vitrification, which uses flash freezing with liquid nitrogen. This prevents ice crystals from forming that could damage the cells of the embryo and allows for long-term, safe storage.

The FET process usually occurs at least six to eight weeks after the embryo is frozen. It consists of multiple steps, carefully directed by Dr. Levi. As our sole physician, he customizes treatment to each patient, taking great care to understand specific needs.

• Before your frozen embryo transfer, you may take medication, such as birth control pills, to quiet the ovaries.
• We then focus on building the uterine lining, using hormones to mirror an optimal menstrual cycle. Estrogen (estradiol) builds the uterine lining to the right thickness, and progesterone helps create the best environment for successful embryo implantation. Our Park Avenue Fertility team will check the thickness of your lining using ultrasound.
• The final step involves meticulously thawing the embryo before the transfer occurs.

What are the benefits of frozen embryo transfer?

Fertility treatment is ever-changing, thanks to scientific advances. At one time, fresh embryo transfers were common, but now Park Avenue Fertility strongly prefers FET because of the many benefits to Connecticut fertility patients.

• Cryopreservation can ease your fertility concerns if you did not have a successful initial IVF cycle, or if you want to try for a sibling for your child after a successful IVF pregnancy. Having frozen embryos ready to transfer means patients can bypass ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval in hopes of getting pregnant. This is far less taxing than a “fresh” transfer.
• Frozen embryos can be stored indefinitely. This provides peace of mind for those considering future fertility preservation in the face of advancing age or medical treatments, including chemotherapy or radiation.
• Securely storing a frozen embryo gives the gift of time necessary to conduct preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). PGT occurs shortly after egg retrieval, and once completed, an embryologist can choose only chromosomally normal embryos for transfer. By transferring only normal embryos, pregnancy success is greatly improved.
• Multiple studies have shown FET reduces the chances of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) because the ovaries have time to recover.

At Park Avenue Fertility, we support Connecticut fertility patients and encourage questions about how frozen embryo transfer can deliver on family-building dreams. Contact us to learn more.