In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an amazing advancement in the field of fertility treatment. It has aided in turning the dreams of having a baby real for hundreds of thousands of couples across the world.
The treatment involves simple five stages beginning with ovarian stimulation to produce eggs to transferring the fertilised embryo into the uterus.
In transferring the fertilized egg stage you have two options to choose from: using freshly fertilized embryo(s) or a frozen embryo(s) fertilized earlier and kept in cryopreservation.
The benefits of going with either fresh or frozen embryos differ based on factors such as age, individual health, and so on.
Let’s first delve into the understanding of the fresh and frozen embryo options to get a wholesome idea of the choices you have with the embryo transfer phase in IVF.
Difference Between Fresh and Frozen Embryo Transfer
- Fresh embryo transfer happens immediately after fertilisation, while frozen embryo transfer preserves embryos for later use
For the IVF process, both self and donor eggs and/or sperm can be used for fertilization.
After fertilization of the egg with the sperm the embryo developed is either transferred after a few days or kept in preservation for later use. This gives rise to two kinds of embryo transfer options: Fresh embryo transfer or frozen embryo transfer.
Fresh Embryo Transfer: The embryo developed in the lab is transferred during the ongoing IVF cycle after a few days of egg retrieval into the uterus.
Frozen Embryo Transfer: Here, the embryo developed is frozen and stored for transfer in another IVF cycle.
Thus the core difference between fresh embryo transfer and frozen embryo transfer is the timing of the transfer.
All the Best for your IVF Journey !
Fresh Embryo Transfer
In fresh embryo transfer, the best embryo(s) developed from the retrieved eggs are transferred into the uterus after a few days, usually around the 5th day of embryo development.
Pros of Fresh Embryo Transfer
- Minimal steps are involved between the embryo fertilization and embryo transfer phases.
- Aligns with the natural flow of the woman’s menstrual cycle.
- Do not have to wait for the next menstrual and IVF cycle
- Less expensive owing to no embryo storage or thawing charge
Cons of Fresh Embryo Transfer
While immediately transferring before the weaning off of drugs prescribed for IVF there is a possibility of the hormone drugs to have negatively affected the uterine lining.
The embryo transfer has to take place within the limited optimal time available for transfer within the particular cycle.
Frozen Embryo Transfer
In this process, the embryos developed are frozen immediately and are kept in cryopreservation. They are thawed and transferred in the next IVF initiative, usually around 5 to 6 weeks after the IVF cycle where the eggs were retrieved.
Pros of Frozen Embryo Transfer
- Highly beneficial for women with PCOS who require time to strengthen their uterine lining before embryo transfer.
- Provides enough time for the body to adjust to the conducive environment for embryo implantation.
- Enables the facility for testing the embryos for preimplantation genetic testing.
Cons of Frozen Embryo Transfer
- There is a need to wait for the next IVF cycle to initiate the transfer process.
- Involves charges for embryo storage and thawing.
Success Rate of Fresh and Frozen Embryo Transfer
- Success rates for fresh and frozen embryo transfers vary based on age, embryo quality, and developmental stage at transfer.
The success rate of both fresh and frozen embryo transfer depends upon a wide range of factors. Among them most importantly the factor of age, the number of embryos transferred, and the stage of the embryo while transferring.
Based on a 2021 study the live birth rate was higher with the cleavage stage transfer of the embryo in the fresh embryo transfer option. In the frozen embryo transfer option, the live birth rate was higher with the embryos transferred during the blastocyst stage.
So the success rate depends upon factors such as age, stage of embryo development, quantity, and quality of embryos transferred besides the embryo transfer being fresh or frozen.
What to Choose: Fresh or Frozen Embryo Transfer?
Various studies done on fresh and frozen embryo transfers exhibit various results and symptoms regarding determining the higher success rate of live births.
The choice ultimately lies with the person undergoing the IVF process under the guidance and advice of the fertility specialist involved.
Disregarding the expenses and the type of embryo transfer, take into careful consideration your age, overall health, and quality of the embryo transferred to hope for a successful IVF.
To know more about fresh and frozen embryo transfer contact a fertility specialist.
FAQs
Frozen embryo transfer includes charges for cryopreservation and thawing of the embryo for future embryo transfer. Above all, the charges of the IVF process including the kind of embryo transfer depend upon the service provider and may vary from package to package.
Yes, the stage of embryo division influences the success of the implantation. The blastocyst stage is preferred over the initial embryo cleavage stage for higher chances of embryo implantation.
The blastocyst stage occurs around five days after fertilization of the egg and sperm. Around 300 cells would be present in a mature blastocyst.