Embryos are sometimes frozen after IVF cycles or as a form of fertility preservation. If you are freezing your embryos, understanding the typical frozen embryo transfer timeline can help you understand what to expect. Below, we will take a look at the timeline for the different aspects of a frozen embryo transfer.

Frozen Embryo Transfer Timeline

Pretesting

Prior to the transfer, the doctor may recommend that you undergo tests to examine the inside of your uterus. Hysterosonogram or another procedure may be used to screen for uterine abnormalities that could prevent pregnancy, such as bicornate uterus, uterine polyps, or uterine fibroids. If abnormalities are detected, the doctor may need to treat them prior to the transfer.‍

Medication

‍The frozen embryo transfer timeline mainly depends on medication, which will begin a few days after the start of the menstrual cycle. The timeline for most of the medication is flexible, but the embryos must be transferred within a certain period of time after progesterone is begun. The following medications are all used during a typical frozen embryo cycle:

• Estrogen
• Lupron
• Progesterone

Embryo Transfer

‍The doctor will thaw the embryos and prepare them for transfer on a certain day after the progesterone is begun. At IVF1, our policy is to schedule most embryo transfers for Thursdays. The embryo transfer is a same-day procedure, so you can go home once it is over.Once the embryos are thawed and examined to confirm that they are ready for transfer, the embryo transfer process is relatively simple. The doctor loads the embryos into a catheter, which is placed into the uterus through the cervix. The doctor then deposits the embryos in the uterus, then examines the catheter to ensure that all of the embryos were deposited. After the procedure, the woman can return to her normal activities as soon as she feels ready to do so.

‍Pregnancy Testing and Beyond

‍Within a couple of weeks, the doctor will perform a blood test to confirm pregnancy. Until it is known whether or not the woman is pregnant, she should continue taking progesterone to help prevent miscarriage. If the woman is pregnant, she may receive a prescription to continue taking progesterone throughout the first trimester and beyond. Dr. Randy Morris would be happy to meet with you about your fertility. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call IVF1 at (630) 357-6540.