FET (frozen embryo transfer)

FET (frozen embryo transfer) is the step of thawing an embryo that was frozen during an earlier IVF cycle and placing it into the uterus, instead of transferring a fresh embryo in the same cycle the eggs were collected. The embryos are ones already created and frozen, so a FET skips the stimulation and egg-collection stages entirely.

When FET is used

FET is common for a few reasons: a cycle may produce more good embryos than can be transferred at once, so the rest are frozen for later attempts; freezing all embryos and transferring in a later cycle lets the uterus recover from the hormones of stimulation; and it is the safer choice when there is a risk of OHSS. It is also needed when embryos are frozen while genetic test results are awaited.

How it works

Because the embryos already exist, a FET cycle is lighter than a fresh one. The lining of the uterus is prepared, either following your natural cycle or with some medication, the embryo is thawed at the right moment, and the transfer itself is quick and painless, much like a smear test. The two-week wait that follows is the same as after a fresh transfer.

How well it works

For most people, success with a frozen transfer is broadly similar to a fresh one, and for some it is better, partly because the uterus is not still recovering from stimulation. It is not universally better, though: for certain situations a fresh transfer can give a higher chance, so this is worth discussing with your clinic for your specific case rather than assuming one is always superior.

FET in India

FET is offered by Level 2 (advanced ART) clinics on the National ART and Surrogacy Registry. A FET cycle usually costs much less than a full fresh cycle, commonly about 70,000 to 1,20,000 rupees, because it skips stimulation and egg collection. There may also be an annual fee to keep embryos in storage. Ask for both the transfer cost and the storage fee in writing.