At Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group (PREG), we are excited to report that we are now able to help more couples achieve their dreams of getting pregnant. In the past, frozen embryo transfers were much less successful than In Vitro Fertilization, but with the latest technology available to cryopreserve embryos, we are happy to report that success rates have improved dramatically.
According to Heather Blackmon, MS, Clinical Embryologist, PREG currently has a 95% viability rate post thaw. This increased success means that more patients have a second chance at achieving pregnancy rather than going through another expensive IVF cycle. Our pregnancy rates are well above the national average.
What is a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)?
Embryo cryopreservation or “freezing” is used when a patient is going through an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle and they have an excess of high quality embryos. The extra embryos are frozen and stored on-site for future use.
When the patient is ready to proceed with another attempt at pregnancy, she will have an ultrasound to assure that there are no visible ovarian cysts or problems with her uterus. She will be given medications to thicken the lining of the uterus to make it receptive for an embryo transfer. The total amount of medication needed for an FET is significantly less than with an IVF cycle. There are also only two or three appointments needed for lab work and ultrasounds which is much more convenient.
With the higher quality embryos being cryopreserved for FET along with lower costs and great pregnancy rates, we are able to provide our patients multiple attempts at pregnancy from a single IVF cycle.
