Collapsed embryo

[FET2021]

Has anyone had a FET with an embryo that had collapsed? If so, did you have success?
Embryo had expanded after thaw so they were happy to transfer, but did mention that it had also collapsed.
Thanks in advance.

@FET2021 Never done a FET, but there's a thread in Reddit called AskEmbryologists where people often upload photos of their embryos and ask embryologists their opinions on them and a lot of the time the embryologists will say 'this is collapsed because of the freeze, which is completely normal ', so I had the impression that they always collapse and then re-expand with the freeze and thaw. The embryologists usually say it makes them hard to grade as they can't really see them, but doesn't hurt the embryos

Collapsing and re-expanding can be normal for a blastocyst, as they develop towards being ready to implant, and a degree of collapse associated with the freezing/thawing process can be normal too. It doesn't always happen, but happens often enough that it's not unexpected.

There have been some studies suggesting that a embryo which is collapsed at the time of transfer and implantation may be less successful at implanting than an embryo which has expanded by that time, and that embryos which experience spontaneous collapse (ie not associated with an obvious cause, eg freezing) may be less successful, but it doesn't sound like either of those particularly apply to your clinical circumstances. So, I'd try to remain optimistic.

@KatRee @Scirocco thanks both so much for your replies. It's reassuring! X