how long between EC and FET in a freeze-all cycle?

[mincedpea]

Hello all,

I'm on my first IVF cycle - day 6 of a short protocol, expecting egg collection early next week. We already know we're doing a freeze-all due to OHSS risk. Does anyone know how long we might have to wait before attempting a FET?

I know we're meant to have "a cycle off" after the stimms phase, but I've read that sometimes people get their periods much earlier than expected after egg collection, perhaps because of the trigger used. So does that period count, or do you actually have to wait for the next period after that too before you can start prepping for a FET?

I'll ask my clinic at my next scan, but just hoped someone on here might already know.

Thanks and good luck to all!

I don't know the rules exactly, but I ended up waiting three months because apart from ohss I had a big bleed and I wanted to feel strong and healthy again begore I tried getting pregnant and that took me about two months and then I had a vacation.

You have been waiting so long for this, please don't worry about an extra month or two. Better to see this period as a time to concentrate exfra on your health to get the best enviroment possible for the transfer. I'm not sure that I agree with transferring in the same cycle as collection because your body is putting energy in healing where it should put energy in implating and growing. But feel free to disagree, I just wanted to share my perspective.

Hi mincedpea, we did a freeze all cycle for the same reason. EC was 27 August, then my FET was 25 Sep. My period came 5 days after EC, which was very early and was short. Then i ovulated on cd15 and did FET on cd20 (5dpo). I didn't have to wait a cycle in between though so you might need to add a month on to that in your case.

My first two FETs weren't successful but my third was and I'm almost 20w now.

Good luck, happy to answer any other questions

I had short protocol ICSI IVF - EC Jan 29th also freeze all due to OHSS - I had a withdrawal bleed 5 days later and then got period 2 weeks after that so 3 weeks after EC. Ovulated 13 days later and the FET 5 days after that so March 10th was my transfer day. Mine was so quick because my cycle came back so quick and also I was doing a non medicated natural FET

I had short protocol IVF - EC 8th Jan and freeze all due to OHSS. FET done today 22nd May. Our clinic recommended a 3 month period between EC and FET to allow for your body to go back to normal and to calm down. Crushingly disappointing at the time, but looking back much better for my health and these few months have flown by.

My clinic advised FET when I had my 2nd natural cycle. We had EC in October and FET in Jan, allowed my body to rid itself off the excess hormones etc. Currently 20 weeks now

Thanks so much for the replies everyone!

@cranstonmanor Sorry to hear about your big bleed but thanks for sharing your experiences, it helps me be a bit more realistic about when things might happen. I agree that giving it the best chance possible is what we should be aiming for.

@Catren Congratulations on getting your BFP! So pretty much exactly 2 months for you between EC and FET, hopefully I'll have the same. How's it all going?

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted Yours was really quick! That is sort of what I am expecting, a withdrawal bleed and then a real period, and then potentially FET. Does FET have to line up with ovulation?

@Pose34 You have the patience of a saint! Not sure I could wait that long, but I want to be healthy enough to make it as good as possible, and it sounds like the wait wasn't too bad for you. Hope the FET went well today and fingers crossed for you.

Thanks mincedpea it's all going really well. Much more anxious this time round (first dc was naturally conceived) and it took ages to really believe it. Bump is firmly in place now so better get prepared!

Best of luck, it can be so hard to wait for the transfer but I've heard frozen embryos have really great odds so just try and rest your body after all the drugs. I did acupuncture, lots of exercise and had immune system treatment at the clinic on my successful cycle. Don't know what did it, but i felt a lot more healthy third time round.

Thanks for all the advice @Catren, it's always good to hear people with positive stories, makes it seem a bit more possible and not just a pipe dream. I'm thinking about acupuncture too, just to de-stress a little. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

Congrats @64632K, sounds like taking a few months off in between has worked for you too. I had been keen to get going ASAP, but I'm now going to be patient and hope that pays off. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy too!

@mincedpea yes If you do a drug free natural transfer like mine then they need to see that you have ovulated so you watch for the peak ovulation test and transfer 5 days after ovulation day. that's naturally when a fertilised egg would have reached the uterus and your body naturally has the most hospitable environment for a FET

Lots of people have medicated transfers as the ivf clinics like to be in control and give you drugs to stop ovulation and also artificially build up your lining - I'm not really keen on anything that "stops" ovulation as always worried about how long it will take to come back

Plus you get an extra bonus month of trying naturally as we also had sex around ovulation time to double our chances! (Didn't work for us but a friend of a friend ended up with triplets after a single FET as she got pregnant naturally the same time as her FET! )

@mincedpea yes If you do a drug free natural transfer like mine then they need to see that you have ovulated so you watch for the peak ovulation test and transfer 5 days after ovulation day. that's naturally when a fertilised egg would have reached the uterus and your body naturally has the most hospitable environment for a FET

Lots of people have medicated transfers as the ivf clinics like to be in control and give you drugs to stop ovulation and also artificially build up your lining - I'm not really keen on anything that "stops" ovulation as always worried about how long it will take to come back

Plus you get an extra bonus month of trying naturally as we also had sex around ovulation time to double our chances! (Didn't work for us but a friend of a friend ended up with triplets after a single FET as she got pregnant naturally the same time as her FET! )

Mincedpea we spoke to our coordinator and embryologist. They talked is through what goes on in the body after u have egg retrieval and what each drug of the protocol we wete on doed to your body and hormones etc. They advised as least one natural cycle but then also told us that the first natural cycle can be quite disrupted from your normal timetable. My first period after retrieval came after 7 days. We then had to wait I think it was 60 days or something like that for the first natural cycle and then my cycle normalised with number 2. It was then we knew my body had reset itself and decided to go ahead. Glad we did

Freeze all at EC on 30th jan, transfer on 23rd April so nearly 3 months. My clinic recommended withdrawal bleed, a period and then start on the period after that.

So I had an unexpected freeze all on 17th April-and will transfer probably around 11th June. So mine has been very quick -the clinic were quite happy for me to start downregulation drugs on the cycle after my fresh cycle. I feel so much healthier than I did after my egg collection so I’m pleased in a way I got forced to do a freeze all.good luck!