FET with Apricity

We leverage medical excellence with personalised human care and the latest technology, to bring you the best experience possible and maximise your chances of success.

Who is FET for?

Most commonly used in the case of a previously unsuccessful IVF or ICSI cycle, FET ensures that embryos made during IVF can be used at a later date. Once the female partner's body has returned to normal following hormone stimulation, FET provides another opportunity to become pregnant. The treatment can also be carried out after a successful round of IVF, when a woman or couple is ready to add a sibling to their family. Additionally, FET can be useful for women who suffered from the rare condition OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) during their previous fertility treatment.

What does FET Treatment involve?

As the embryos will have already been created during IVF and frozen, FET means that initial ovarian stimulation is not needed. There are two ways that embryos may be replaced, depending on a female’s age and fertility history. In every case, Apricity’s expert consultants will decide which treatment is right for each patient – embryo transfer during a natural cycle, or in a cycle with hormone supplements. Both types of FET follow the same steps:

1. Ultrasound scans will be carried out at your preferred location, to check that the uterine lining is ready for embryo transfer. When this happens, your embryo transfer procedure can be arranged.
2. The frozen embryos are thawed and assessed for their suitability.
3. Once an embryo is selected, it is gently inserted into the uterus using a catheter, guided by ultrasound.
4. After the catheter is removed the ultrasound checks to see if the embryo has been transferred successfully.
5. Following successful transfer, a pregnancy test is arranged, usually around two weeks later. Our advisors will be there to discuss next steps following the pregnancy test.

Due to advances in freezing techniques, success rates when using frozen embryos are just as high as when fresh embryos are used. Embryos can be stored for up to ten years, and successful FET treatments are not dependent on the length of time they have been frozen.