Historically, Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) cycles required taking birth control pills, followed by about 3 weeks of daily Lupron injections, and then taking the dreaded Progesterone in Oil injections for at least 2 weeks, and if you were pregnant for 2 additional weeks. Although a FET cycle was simple compared to a fresh IVF cycle, it still involved a number of injections.
Well those days are over! A new protocol for FET cycles eliminates, in most cases, any injections at all! With the new approach, patients just call with Day 1 of full flow and they are instructed to start taking natural estrogen (Estrace) tablets the same day. A monitoring appointment is then scheduled for Day 2, 3 or 4. After taking Estrace for about 9-11 days, patients return for another monitoring appointment to check the uterine lining thickness and to be sure that they have not ovulated. Most of our patients just continue this monitoring on a weekly basis until they are ready to start their progesterone support. A small percentage of patients (< 5%) do show signs that they might ovulate in which case a daily injection of Ganirelix (ganirelix acetate, a GnRH-antagonist) is required. This is a subcutaneous injection though (tiny needle), and it is only necessary for a short period of time.
Once a patient is ready to start the progesterone support (approximately 6 days before their transfer), they only have to use Crinone Gel twice a day instead of the Progesterone in Oil injections. Just imagine – no more shots in your bum! The cycle is also shortened from approximately 6 weeks with the old protocol to only about 4 weeks with the new one. And of course the most important thing is that the success rates remain the same. So the old saying -No Pain, No Gain– doesn’t apply to FET cycles anymore!
The success rates with this (relatively) new protocol are comparable to the old protocol. At InVia Fertility Specialists, the FET pregnancy rate approximates 40%. The number will vary based on the patients age and the number of embryos transferred.
To see a fertility specialist who is a board-certified physician with excellent success rates,make an appointment at one of InVia’s four Chicago area fertility clinics.
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