Embryo Transfer

An embryo transfer is the last stage in the IVF/ICSI process, where the fertilized egg that has been left to grow for several days is placed in the woman’s uterus where it will hopefully implant, become a fetus, and result in the birth of a healthy child.
The embryo transfer procedure is done by loading the embryo into a catheter, which is then passed through the woman’s vagina and cervix, and deposited in the uterus. Anesthesia is usually not necessary

Embryo Freezing & Embryo Storage

Often after a cycle of IVF or ICSI, there are a number of successfully fertilised embryos that we can freeze and store for your future use. Whether your cycle was successful or unsuccessful, frozen embryo transfer gives you another chance of pregnancy from the initial egg collection with a much reduced cost and without having to go through an egg collection again.

Embryo freezing

There are two methods of embryo freezing: slow freezing and vitrification. Slow freezing has been used for many years with good results, but vitrification is a newer method showing much higher success rates – often as high as fresh transfers. The embryologist will decide if any of your embryos are suitable for freezing. They do need to be of good quality as poor-quality embryos do not survive the freezing/warming process. Embryos can be frozen at various stages between the cleavage stage (day 2, at about 4 cells) to the blastocyst stage (day 5 or 6).

Frozen embryo transfer cycle

An advanced assisted reproduction process, embryo freezing is undertaken only when a couple has given its written consent for their embryos to be freezed.The embryo(s) are transferred in the same way as for your fresh cycle. You may be given some extra drugs, to help keep the lining of your womb optimal for implantation. As with a fresh cycle, you will the have a pregnancy test two weeks after the transfer.