Medicated or natural modified FET

[MitchyTitchy]

Hi everyone,

I'm coming up to the time to do my first FET. My cycles are usually every 31-34 days, ovulate around day 19. I do have PCOS but it's manageable. My clinic is suggesting a fully medicated cycle, but I thought it might have been worth considering a natural modified cycle.

They said I can try this if I wanted to....but they seem to advise a medicated round. I'd love to know what others think or have experienced. We're funded this ourselves and at this stage I want to go for the option that's going to have the best success outcomes.

Has anyone had a successful medicated cycle even though their cycles are somewhat regular, and would be great to hear the pros and cons of medicated or natural modified. Thanks so much in advance!

Hiya, from what I've read natural modified has a slightly higher success rate than medicated. Have your clinic told you why they suggest medicated? I think natural modified is a bit easier on your body and if you have regular cycles I would have thought it would make more sense to go with that

Hi, I’ve had 3 medicated FETs, via NHS so no choice despite regular cycles.

Pros - timing and scheduling is much clearer so easier to plan around. Greater certainty that you have enough progesterone as this is entirely medicated, rather than relying on your own body. My understanding is different from pp, in that medicated FET have the highest success rates.

Cons - more drugs = more cost, you do not create a ‘corpus luteum’ as you don’t ovulate so you are entirely reliant on the meds until your placenta takes over at 10-12 weeks. Injections last until weeks 10-14 which obviously isn’t fun!

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Thank you both!

@Zypig I have a consultation coming up with the nurse, so will understand more then, but did you have to use progesterone injections? Was it not an option to use the suppositories or it wasn’t enough?

did you have to take anything else?

Hi, different clinics have different approaches to progesterone. Mine (UCLH via CRGH) have a belt and braces approach so the protocol included x2 cyclogest pessaries and x2 0.25 progesterone injections a day. But I think some clinics just go for one or the other.

In terms of other meds, I took estrogen (3-5 tablets a day) and Arovi (aka clexane) x1 injection per day which is a blood thinner. Some people also have skin patches for additional estrogen.

Our clinic prefers natural but only if your cycles are regular. We did fully natural previously but since going back for sibling round they’ve changed to modified natural and now have progesterone added in.
They believe that natural has higher success rates