Failed fresh transfer – start FET in Dec or wait for Jan? Anyone been through similar?

[Nikc89]

Hi all

Looking for some experiences/advice as my head is all over the place.

I’m 36 and had a fresh blastocyst transfer on 15 November. Unfortunately I started bleeding on 27 November (heavy, with clots) and tested negative. My official pregnancy test was meant to be 28 November, but it was clear the transfer had failed.

I’m not even 100% sure whether the bleeding was a proper period or bleeding caused by the meds stopping – it felt like a period, but timing-wise it’s all a bit confusing.

I have one frozen embryo.

Initially the clinic suggested waiting for one normal cycle before starting a frozen embryo transfer, but then at my follow-up they said I could start a medicated FET cycle on 26 December instead.

Now I’m really torn:

• Part of me thinks doing it in December is fine and avoids a long wait
• Another part of me wonders if I’m emotionally rushing into it because the fresh transfer only failed recently
• Waiting until January would mean having a normal period and maybe feeling more settled, but it also feels like a very long 6-week wait when time already feels precious at 36

The clinic has said hormone-wise it’s fine to go ahead in December, but I’m struggling to decide what’s best for me.

Has anyone:

• Started an FET cycle straight after a failed fresh transfer?
• Or waited one cycle and felt it helped emotionally or physically?
• Had success either way?

Would really appreciate hearing how others decided, especially with just one embryo left.

Thanks so much ❤️

My clinic insisted I have a natural period between the withdrawal bleed after egg collection and after the withdrawal bleed after my last FET that failed before starting prep for the next FET.

Im now on week two of prep for my second transfer on Friday( all being well). It has been a long wait (my last FET was 10th October) but it has allowed me to get some more investigations done and organise the additional medication I needed.

I had a failed fresh transfer (chemical pregnancy). Pregnancy ended with a bleed like the one you described late September. My clinic said I had to have a normal period in-between so get my body back to normal...it took 8 weeks to have a period. I am starting meds now for frozen and FET will happen mid January. I understand the feeling of running out of time as I'm the same age we you but personally I would let your body recover properly to give yourself the best chance.. but other people might have had success doing it straight away. I feel much better in myself than I did a month or so ago, and I still had slightly swollen ovaries / follicles then too.

To second the last poster. Mentally I just wanted to get on and try again too.

But both times the withdrawal bleed has been similar to a normal period, maybe a bit heavier. However, I’ve then experienced odd feelings throughout the next month with twinges and cramps in uterus/ ovaries etc ahead of a very heavy (for me) real period so my body definitely needed a reset of sorts.