FET timeline/process

[Norts10]

Wondering if anyone can give me some info on the process and timings a usual FET cycle will take.
Im starting my first round of IVF at the end of January and will be doing a freeze all but then I want to do the FET soon afterwards but I have no idea if there’s an amount of time I need to wait before I can start.
Also if anyone could share with me how long the process for a FET cycle is, from starting the medication to the transfer and what it involves.

Thanks

I also did a freeze all. I had a bleed about 10 days after EC and then had to wait until my next proper af in order to start. My clinic doesn’t do downreg for FET so I just had a scan on CD2 and started oestrogen tablets. I had a further scan around CD10 and added progesterone suppositories. Then transfer was 5 days after that. So basically 2 weeks for the whole process.

It does vary from clinic to clinic but hopefully that gives you an idea.

There are two main ways of having a FET (frozen embryo transfer):

Natural cycle - this is where your clinic will provide, or you need to buy an ovulation kit, this way you track your LH surge, when this is detected you call the clinic who will give you timings to come in for ET around about 2-3 days after the surge. They will scan you and check your lining is thick enough for transfer before thawing any embryos. Some clinics will suggest progesterone pessaries others do not offer further hormone support as this is like you normal cycle.

Medicated cycle - this cycle like the ivf cycles can vary. Generally you call the clinic n CD1 and they set you plan in place, you start down regulating (DR) on CD21 and a few days later will be called for a scan to check your lining is thin enough and ovaries are switched off. If this is the case you will begin some form of oestrogen tablets, most commonly progynova (estrodial variant), which ironically is a HRT tablet. This is used to thicken the lining of the womb. The amount you take is again different between clinics.

You usually take around 2x2mg a day for about 6 days then increase this to 3x2mg a day for about 6 days. You will then go for another scan to check the thickness of your lining. If it is fine then the clinic will inform you when ET will take place and when to begin your progesterone pessaries. This is dependant on what stage your embryos were frozen at, for example mine were frozen at 2 days. I started my pessaries as day -1, day 0 (day of EC), then carried on for day 1, day 2 (embryos thawed and left for 24 hours) day 3 ET.

Some clinics will thaw and transfer on the same day. You continue with the tablets and pessaries through the 2ww. The protocol is a lot easier on your body than a fresh cycle and you will feel the benefit of this (except DRing of course!) The most difficult part is waiting to see if your embryos have thawed well, it creates feeling similar to those of waiting for your fertilisation results.

I copied and pasted this from another post hope it helps xx

Thank you so much both, really really helpful.

Do you know how they decide whether you do a natural or medicated cycle? Does it depend on what the clinic prefers to do or is it more based upon the person?
I’m 30 and it’s male factor so I’m guessing I may do the natural FET?

I had two natural FETs. The first was 2 months after egg collection because I needed to wait for OHSS to go away. The second FET was for a second baby. You mention medication so my response may be useless but I'll tell you anyway as it differs slightly from Lotusflower's description above 🙂

I had a scan before each FET cycle to check everything was okay. Then I called on day 1 of my period. They told me to call back when my ovulation predictor kit detected the surge. I called and they had me come in 6 days after (many clinics do 5 days) for transfer. No drugs or progesterone. No additional scans to check lining etc. No blood test to check progesterone levels etc. (Other clinics do additional checks I believe.) I had to be very confident that my cycle worked as it should, but it was a very quick process!

Oh I x posted with you. If you're confident you ovulate regularly, have a regular cycle, your lining is good and all your hormones are as they should be, then a natural FET is a good idea.