Hey! I rang in my new year with egg retrieval. We had our eggs froze on day 6 as we waited for PGS results. We have an appointment with our provider on Friday to go over the next steps but I'm impatient. I'm wondering - have any of you done a mostly natural transfer? When in your cycle do they take place? Is there anything I should be doing to prep my body? When we made our game plan before retrieval my doctor said she just wants to do a low dose letrozole cycle with us and progesterone after transfer. Anyone else do something similar?
Also, did you find out/choose gender? We are 50% wanting to know and 50% thinking that's weird and wanting to keep some element of surprise in this process.
This is so egggggciting! We did a natural transfer for our last transfer and out of all the protocols I’ve been on, I preferred it the most.
They had me notify them when I started my period and had me start letrozole day 3 (I took an antibiotic and a steroid as well). They monitored my lining and ovaries to measure follicle growth. Once my blood work and scans indicated that I was about to ovulate, they had me ovulate naturally and timed transfer based on the day I ovulated - I also started progesterone the day I ovulated. Your dr may have you trigger to ovulate, which mine was going to do but I ovulated on my own and it was too late for that. I don’t think that led to the failure of my cycle because of the recent discoveries about my autoimmune issues and possible endo.
We do know now the sex of our remaining embryos, and have known the sex of the ones we lost. First, I’m a control freak and a planner so I had to know and second, I knew that if it didn’t work, I’d have a comfort in knowing the gender so they weren’t just an “it.”
As as far as prep goes, I’d just say to not plan anything. Do things that make you feel relaxed and chilled. Clean your house and change your sheets before transfer so you have a clean, peaceful place to lounge around afterwards. Maybe even meal prep. Hopefully you’re already taking a prenatal with a good amount of folate, etc.
Let me know now if you have any other questions!!
Ha, I'm a control freak too but I'm also afraid of attaching myself to something without knowing if it will work. I'm considering having them choose and then just telling me right after haha. It will likely be an in the moment decision!
Thanks for the feedback! I love the reminder to have a clean, cozy space to return to. I feel so much more in control (speaking of control freaks) and relaxed when my house is in order. :)
I understand you not wanting to get attached. Listen to your gut. I'm so excited for the possibility that it WILL work for you guys!
Hi Jean.
That's very exciting! We did a natural cycle frozen embryo transfer. We had previously tried a couple of different protocols but I actually responded best when we went for the natural cycle. Basically they monitored me until ovulation then scheduled at the transfer based on that. The only meds I took were the trigger shot right before ovulation and progesterone afterwards so it was very easy and less stressful than other protocols. It's also nice that you could basically choose to do it any month that works for you. All I had to do was call in cycle day 1 and give them the go-ahead.
The only thing I did to prepare was acupuncture. I did it once a week for a leading up to the transfer and then immediately before and after the transfer right there in the clinic. I don't know if it actually helped but I enjoyed it so I guess it was helpful for me.
I'm in Canada so we are not able to know the gender. I don't know what I would have done had that been an option. I think I'd be so curious I'd have to find out!
Good luck to you!
Thank you! So is it basically timed the same as an IUI? I did acupuncture for months leading up to egg retrieval and the week following. I am taking two weeks off from it and will start again in about a week as we lead up to transfer. I have no idea if it helps either but I'm willing to try!
We just received our protocol for our second FET. First in December was medicated and I am just only now starting to feeling back to normal after a full break cycle... obviously that FET was unsuccessful. From what I understand the natural will just be more monitoring than the medicated and more like like an IUI. Will be triggered for ovulation when I have a dominant follicle of adequate size (my Dr. said their is a higher risk of cancellation with natural in the case you don’t ovulate or produce a dominant follicle probably why they are using letrezole/that wasn’t suggested to me for whatever reason). At this time there is no plan for any medications to be added aside from the HCG trigger and a couple HCG boosters after the transfer. This will make the first Beta possibly a false positive so we won’t know of relative success until beta 2&3. The transfer will be on day 5 after ovulation as they are day 5 embryos. I think I will be having a check that my progesterone is rising on its own as well. My Dr. didn‘t say it was necessary but because I brought it up I could have it checked. In my case I didn’t PGS which I kind of regret because we wound up will 11 frozen embryos (all graded high but that doesn’t mean much aside from they look pretty). I really hope we hit a good one without having to go through very many FET’s. Also in Canada, so can‘t find out genders anyway but I have looked up some statistics based on embryo grading haha.
Good luck to you! :)
Also recently saw this which adds a possible benefit to a natural cycle (FET and pre-eclampsia article) https://www.cdapress.com/article/20190114/AP/301149923
That makes so much sense!!