The intended parents often have the freedom to choose whether to transfer one or two embryos. But they should not make this decision lightly or naively. At the Fertility Center of Las Vegas, we strongly recommend the transfer of a single embryo in all cases. All about embryo implantation A critical statistic in IVF is the implantation rate. Is twin pregnancy really a bad thing? So, should your doctor do a single or double embryo transfer?
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Featured On. Source: CYN Fertility. Embryos from past IVF cycles can be stored and frozen for an indefinite period. Because of this, many intended parents with leftover embryos from previous egg retrievals opt to thaw and then transfer their excess embryos when this happens. Frozen embryo transfers are the most commonly performed kind of transfer, because they allow for genetic testing of embryos before implantation, which creates higher success rates and less chance of genetic defect or miscarriage.
Your doctor uses a fine transfer catheter during a frozen embryo transfer to place the thawed embryos past the cervix into your uterus. Also known as a Cleavage embryo, these embryos are named after the cells in the embryo, which are cleaving or dividing.
However, the embryo itself is not growing in size. Also called a Blastocyst, the day five embryo has developed into a sphere of 60 to cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity. Blastocysts typically form on day five but can happen beyond then. Blastocysts are often considered a better option than an earlier stage embryo because they have a higher chance of being genetically normal, implanting and leading to a live birth than the Day 3 embryo.
By prolonging the time before you transfer the embryo, your fertility doctor can better elect the embryo s with the best chance of implantation and successful pregnancy. Intended parents often wonder if transferring multiple embryos increases the likelihood of a successful pregnancy following your IVF cycle.
In many cases, your fertility specialist will only transfer one embryo into the uterus. Sometimes, transferring two embryos can increase the chances of successful implantation for women 35 or older.
The results? Multiple embryo transfers are done less and less frequently as medical technology and techniques improve. These tests allow your fertility doctor to analyze and evaluate which embryo s have the highest chance of implantation and a healthy conception, boosting your likelihood of a successful cycle.
Both have benefits, and both have downsides. Note that cramping and vaginal bleeding are common, but more severe side effects like perforation of the uterus and infection are incredibly rare. Make sure that you select a fertility clinic with no track record of these risks associated with IVF or embryo transfers. With both frozen and fresh embryo transfers, women will have their endometrium uterine lining evaluated for thickness and quality.
However, fresh embryo transfers use ovarian stimulation medication during the IVF cycle to cause an increase in estrogen levels, whereas frozen embryo transfers use different types of medications or no medications to help the uterine lining. The main benefit of using a fresh embryo transfer is the shorter time to conception.
Additionally, insurance companies are less likely to cover the cost of embryo cryopreservation or embryo freezing, so patients opt for fresh transfers for financial reasons. However, there are constraints for individuals considering fresh transfers. Additionally, patients at risk for OHSS should avoid using fresh transfers, as the medications used to induce egg maturation can be harmful.
Women opt for frozen embryo transfers for many reasons. Perhaps you want to give your body downtime after an egg retrieval procedure, or maybe your focus was originally fertility preservation, but you finally feel ready to get pregnant with the egg or embryo of a previous cycle. Perhaps the most important benefit of frozen embryo transfers, is that unlike fresh transfers, frozen transfers allow for embryos to be genetically tested before implantation, increasing success rates, and lowering the odds of genetic abnormalities.
Frozen embryos remain viable well over ten years after their initial freeze, so intended parents can choose to do a FET cycle following an unsuccessful IVF cycle at any point in the future. Every viable embryo has some chance of implanting, and the more you put in, the greater the chance that one will turn into a pregnancy.
But the success rate may not increase all that much with additional embryos, and the more embryos you transfer, the greater the chance of multiple pregnancy. I have twins myself, and they were healthy and a great joy to raise, but I would never wish twins on someone, as the risks of prematurity and its associated complications are higher with twins; and the risks are astronomically higher with triplets or quadruplets.
Thus, IVF programs and their patients balance the risk of no pregnancy versus the risk of multiple pregnancy when choosing how many embryos to put back. However, I am personally uncomfortable with this dictatorial approach to determining how many embryos to transfer. In virtually every other aspect of medicine, decisions for medical care are made cooperatively between patient and doctor. Another key factor to consider when choosing how many embryos to transfer is the chance of a multiple birth.
When 2 or more embryos are implanted, the odds of a multiple birth increase significantly. Still, it's possible that intended parents that transfer 2 embryos will only see 1 implanted within the uterus. If a couple has struggled with infertility, the idea of having twins or triplets may seem great.
However, there are practical factors to consider as well. Patients should realize that multiple births are more likely to result in premature births or low birth weights, both of which can cause complications. This is not to say that multiple embryo transfer is not a good option for some patients, but just one that should be carefully considered prior to the transfer procedure. IVF has allowed many patients to finally experience the joys of pregnancy and parenthood. If you are struggling with infertility and would like to learn more about the IVF process and the benefits of single vs.
You can schedule a personal consultation with one of our fertility specialists by calling or Note: This is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Information provided is for general educational purposes only and is subject to change without notice.
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