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Part of Start Here: IVF Patients — my curated, honest reading path through IVF. New to the site? Begin there.
Patient: Dr. Malpani, I’ve heard that frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles are better than fresh cycles. Is that true? Dr. Malpani: Yes, that’s absolutely correct! In fact, frozen embryo transfers are not only more effective but also much simpler and less stressful for the patient. Patient: That’s interesting. I always assumed fresh cycles had a higher success rate. Dr. Malpani: It’s a common misconception. But the reality is that frozen embryo transfers actually increase pregnancy rates. The key reason? We can optimize endometrial receptivity, ensuring that your uterus is perfectly prepared to accept the embryo before transfer. Patient: That makes sense. But what exactly makes the FET cycle simpler? Dr. Malpani: The biggest advantage is that you don’t need any injections at all! Unlike a fresh cycle, where your body is flooded with hormones to stimulate egg production, a frozen cycle is far gentler on your body. We simply need to prepare your endometrial lining so that it is receptive, and then we transfer your frozen embryos after thawing them. Patient: So, how does the treatment actually work? Dr. Malpani: It’s very straightforward. Here’s what a typical frozen embryo transfer cycle looks like: Day 1 – No action needed. Just email or WhatsApp us to inform us that you’re starting your treatment cycle. Day 2 to Day 10 – You take Progynova (estradiol valerate, 2 mg, 3 tablets daily) to help your endometrial lining grow. Day 10 – You get a vaginal ultrasound scan to check the thickness of your endometrial lining. If the lining is not yet ready (less than 8 mm and not trilaminar), we increase the dose of Progynova and repeat the scan after five days. Once the lining reaches 8 mm and is trilaminar, we start you on Susten (progesterone vaginal pessaries) to prepare for embryo transfer. Five days later – We thaw and transfer your frozen embryos. We provide you with photos of your embryos to document the high quality of care we provide. Two days after transfer, you are free to travel back home. Twelve days after the transfer, you take a beta HCG blood test to confirm pregnancy. This is the daily treatment plan. Day 1 – No action needed. Email and whatsapp us that you are starting your treatment cycle Day 2 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 3 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 4 tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 5 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 6 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 7 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 8 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 9 Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Day 10. Tab Progynova ( 2 mg) 3 tab daily Vaginal ultrasound scan to monitor endometrial thickness. If the lining is not fine, we will double the dose of Progynova and repeat the scan after 5 days Once the lining is mature ( 8 mm and trilaminar) , we start you on Susten ( progesterone vaginal pessaries) and embryo transfer is performed 5 days later We provide you with photos of your embryos to document the high quality of medical care we provide After the transfer, luteal phase support is provided with daily Progynova ( estradiol valerate2 mg, 3 tab daily; and Susten ( 400 mg), 2 vaginal suppositories daily. You can travel back 2 days after the embryo transfer. 12 days after the transfer, you need to do a blood test for beta HCG to confirm a pregnancy. Patient: That sounds much easier than what I imagined! But I’m worried—do frozen embryos survive the thawing process? Dr. Malpani: That’s a great question! Many years ago, when older slow-freezing techniques were used, there was a risk of losing embryos during thawing. But today, we use vitrification, a state-of-the-art rapid freezing technique. In a good IVF clinic like ours, the survival rate of vitrified embryos is nearly 100%. Patient: That’s reassuring. And what about the success rates compared to fresh embryo transfers? Dr. Malpani: Interestingly, frozen embryo transfers often have higher success rates than fresh transfers. Here’s why:- Better Endometrial Receptivity – In fresh cycles, the uterus is exposed to high hormone levels due to ovarian stimulation, which can make it less receptive. In a frozen cycle, we can time the transfer perfectly when the uterus is most welcoming.
- Less Stress on the Body – Fresh cycles can be physically and emotionally draining. In contrast, frozen cycles are much more relaxed and controlled.
- Ability to Plan the Transfer – Since we are not rushing to transfer embryos immediately after egg retrieval, we can carefully plan and optimize your cycle.