Preparing for FET

[Bibs2014]

After getting my bfn this week, we are now moving to FET. The clinic said we can do it in the new year on my next cycle but I'm not sure if we should take a break and I should get healthy - lose that half stone that's been hanging around - get some exercise in , eat healthy, really focus on getting my body ready, or do these things not make a difference? Did you do any special prep for yours?

I've only ever had fresh cycles with 3-4 months in between to let the drugs clear out of the system and for the natural cycle recover, so it might be different for FET. After first failed cycle I did all the things that you mentioned and it meant I was in a much better headspace for the second cycle and felt my body was better prepared, and got a BFP.

Sadly I had a second trimester pregnancy loss and wanted to cycle again at the earliest opportunity which was 3 months later. I was still eating healthier but didn't lose my pregnancy weight and couldn't face exercise so my body didn't feel as 'ready' as I wanted. The clinic were ok with my weight so we went ahead and I got another BFP (v early days so I don't want to jinx things).

So in my experience it's down to whether waiting and getting healthier will help make you feel better or not. You could push the cycle back one month and do all those things that you mention, it doesn't need to be a long break for FET I believe.

Good luck whatever you decide xx

Thanks Blue. I have been lurking on these boards for a while so I know your story - so pleased you got your BFP.

I'm so confused as what to do! Hurry up and get on with it or get healthy?!

Aw thanks Bibs. Either option is equally valid and it depends on what feels right to you. If you were having fresh, I'd say wait 3 months. It takes eggs and sperm about 90 days to mature so the benefits of waiting and getting into shape, eating the right things, supplements etc will help with starting from scratch. I genuinely don't know what specifically helps improve the quality of lining/chance of implantation with FET but if you're wavering, I would wait, and then you know you've given it your best shot.

I was ovulating naturally so after our first FET failed we were given the option of waiting or going straight into a non medicated FET cycle. We decided to go for it, I had regular blood tests to monitor my hormone levels and when ovulation was detected they thawed our best looking embryo and transferred. It felt a bit strange after a fresh IVF cycle with all the injections and drugs. We did no special prep but just made sure we were doing the things we normally did, eating healthy, regular walks etc... the only thing I did was eat Brazil nuts after transfer. I think I read somewhere that they helped implantation and after 5 years of infertility was willing to try anything.

That thawed embryo is turning 2 next month. Good luck with your FET, whenever you decide to have it.

I meant to add - I think it's a very personal decision based on many factors. How many snow babies do you have? Do you know if they're blastocysts, day 5, day 3 etc...? Do you feel comfortable speaking to the embryologists?

We were told we had 4 blastocysts and they all had around a 60% chance of surviving the thaw. After that we had 1 day 3 embryo that was viable but our chances of success were much lower. We were already relatively fit and healthy so we didn't know what more we could do. Did the fact we had 4 blastocysts make us more willing to go straight into another cycle? Probably. If we had a single embryo or had more failed cycles/embryos that didn't survive that we would have maybe considered waiting and finding out if we had done everything possible before transfer.

Have you been offered a FET chat with one of the nurses? I found they were always the best people to give advice and would be honest with what your options were and which decision would be most beneficial to choose

I've had 2fet

Did 1st month after fresh cycle 3 failed. Clinic said no reason not to if we are happy

It did fail - waited 5mths to lick wounds and save/pay off loans and did fet 2/ivf 5 in July and that worked and 24w preg

I had 6 frozen so have a few left tho won't use them as lucky to be preg plus 43 and getting old

Fets are so much nicer then full cycle. Usually done within 20 days

Day 1 of period contact clinic. They will tell you what drugs to take In both mine was 4mg of progynova for think 3/4days then 6mg taken in 3 doses over the day equally

Did 7am 3pm and 10pm

Got scanned think 12-13 day and if lining looked ok then carry on for another 6/7days plus pesseries and fet day 20

Sure all clinics vary so ask how your clinic does it

Plus blood test think 12/13 when got scanned

Thanks everyone for answering. We have one embryo frozen so it's really make or break as we don't really have the money to go again.

I will speak with the team - have our consultants appt next Tues - and take it from there a