Frozen embryo transfer can increase the likelihood of IVF success
More than 40 years ago, the first IVF birth revolutionized reproductive medicine. It opened doors that would give couples and individuals more options to overcome infertility. Advances in this field have continued to ensure our patients have access to high-quality care and leading-edge treatments. Robert Anderson MD and Don Royster MD, our Newport Beach fertility doctors, offer our patients top-notch fertility treatments, including IVF with frozen embryo transfer, also known as FET.
A quick review of IVF
When using IVF, our doctors guide patients through several steps to achieve a healthy pregnancy. First, we regulate the female patient’s cycle with fertility medications and monitor her egg development until the eggs reach maturity.
At the appropriate time, one of our Newport Beach fertility doctors will perform the egg retrieval. An embryologist will then combine the eggs with sperm from the patient’s partner or chosen sperm donor. Our team can evaluate the resulting embryos so that your physician will only transfer the highest quality embryos to the uterus. Doing so increases the chance of conceiving and having a healthy baby.
For the embryo transfer, the doctor will perform a quick outpatient procedure in our office. The physician will place a catheter through the cervix and into the uterus to transfer an embryo. If the transfer succeeds, the embryo will implant within six to 10 days.
Fresh versus frozen embryo transfer
Generally, our Newport Beach fertility doctors recommend frozen embryo transfer over fresh embryo transfer. The medications for ovarian stimulation can interfere with embryo implantation during a fresh cycle. Additionally, there is not enough time to perform preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) on fresh embryos. With a frozen transfer, we can avoid these problems and have greater flexibility in scheduling the transfer.
Dr. Anderson and Dr. Royster use proven reproductive medical treatments, including IVF with frozen embryo transfer, to help our patients start and grow their families. We serve as trusted partners during the entire process, from the first appointment until the positive pregnancy test. Contact our office for more information on FET or to schedule an appointment.