Tuesday, February 22, 2011

FET Road Map

As we roll into "Operation Baby#2" I realize that I talk a lot about infertility stuff around here, and that a fair few of you (like my lovely family and friends) have no idea what any of this actually means, or what you should expect over the next month. So I figured it was a good time for an FET road map. Like the one I did for IVF back in 2008. I am nothing if not considerate when I choose to talk about nothing but a topic you all know little about.

So a Road Map for the FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer... so this is to transfer the embryos we have left over from the IVF that gave us Henry):
  • Begin birth control about 6-8 weeks before desired transfer. This is to regulate your cycle timing. I started he birth control pills (BCP) in late January.
  • Stop Birth control about three weeks weeks before desired transfer. This should trigger your period, and then you are good to go. For us (because we love to be different) the BCP triggered three weeks of bleeding so they don't expect me to have a period. Still, I start hormones on Wednesday.
  • Wednesday February 23: start hormone patches. I will be changing/ increasing hormone patches from now until the transfer date. This will get my lining to the correct thickness for implantation.
  • March 7-9: I will go in for an ultrasound to check to make sure the old trusty uterus looks good for a baby. Mainly just the lining thickness is checked. Thumbs up here means we are good to go for transfer!
  • March 9: begin progesterone. This will continue (along with patches) until 12 weeks of pregnancy if I am pregnant.
  • March 13-14: Embryos will be thawed. Since we are using frozen embryos we have left over from our IVF, so we are not actually 100% sure we will have anything to transfer until this point. Some embryos do not survive, but since we have 6 on ice we feel confident at least one or two will make it. (I am hoping we actually get 2 FET transfers out of the ice-babies, but time will tell)
  • March 14-15: Transfer. We will go in to the fertility clinic and have two (as long as we have two) 5-day blast embryos transferred. (Yay!!)
  • March 15-23: Wait
  • March 23-24: Pregnancy test!
So that's it. A road map to the madness. I don't know if you can tell, but this is a much easier process than the IVF was back in 2008. Less medications, less procedures, less money, NO shots (crazy!). All around a better deal. The trade off is that the success rate is a little less, but only time will tell what that means for us.

Fingers crossed because here we go!

12 comments:

  1. Wishing you the best of luck! FET is so much easier than IVF.

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  2. Thank you for detailing it!!! We've been thinking about going back for our frozen embies this fall, and I've been wondering about the process. It seems much much easier!!! We only have two, though, so hopefully they'll make it!

    Good luck--your timeline actually almost matches my timeline from last year exactly...and my boy was born on November 19. :)

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  3. I am SO excited for you!!!! Crossing my fingers and holding out HOPE for you!

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  4. Fingers and toes crossed! (I'll cross my arms, too, when I'm done typing this.)

    Here's hoping we have a LOT to celebrate around March 23. :)

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  5. Hi from ICLW. My sister has FET twin girls who are the same age as my adopted Ava.(9 months) So...dang...fun. Here's to another successful cycle for you!!!

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  6. Thanks for the info on FET, we have two ice babies right now, and are debating if we should thaw them out in hopes they survive or do another IVF in hopes of BFP and more ice babies.
    Happy ICLW.

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  7. Good luck and thanks for the roadmap! I'm not there yet, but appreciate knowing what may be in my future. Can't wait til next month to see what happens. Fingers crossed!
    AP

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  8. I am so nervous and excited for you! I feel like I am on pins and needles. I really hope this works out. I am praying so hard right along with you. You have no idea. I would love to see you get a BFP and kick infertility in the back side again.

    Let operation Bring Home a Sibling for Henry commence!

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  9. Thanks for the outline, and good luck!

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  10. Stopping in for ICLW...I am so glad you posted this!! Our IVF miracles are eight months old, so I'm not quite ready yet, but as they grow I do find myself thinking about the future and our little snowflake babies, and what FET involves. I am so glad to read that there are no shots in your protocol!! That's awesome!

    Best of luck to you - hope March brings good news your way! :)

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  11. My first ICLW (I'm #110)

    ere's hoping we both have a successful March! Fingers crossed legs not so much ;P

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  12. Visiting from ICLW to wish you the very best of luck on your FET. This is my first time visiting your blog and I am glad to have you.

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