Downsides to freezing embryos versus a fresh transfer?

[Anonymous]

I know I need IVF to conceive and I am starting the process. However I’m not sure I want to be pregnant right now and might want to delay the transfer by a year. Are there any downsides to doing this that I’m not thinking about? Money, health, anything else?

[Anonymous]

There is some evidence suggesting that transferring frozen blasts has higher success rates than a fresh transfer. If you want to do genetic testing, which could increase your chance of success, you pretty much have to do a frozen transfer. Testing aside, though, the hypothesis is that there’s something about the stimulated hormonal state following an egg retrieval that creates less than ideal uterine environments for embryo transfers. https://www.ccrmivf.com/services/ivf-fertilization/frozen-ivf-advantage/

The downside to a frozen transfer is (1) cost, (2) time, (3) the possibility that your embryos may not make it (or fewer of them would make it) to day 5 to freeze, and (4) not all frozen embryos successfully defrost.

[Anonymous]

Agree with above poster. We were one who lost an embryo in the thaw, however, which was hard to hear. That said, FET is so much easier on your body and, at least to me, emotional health. That shouldn’t be discounted if success rates are relatively equal!

[Anonymous]

There are risks if you are starting to age into Advanced Maternal Age category

Babies conceived now will be winter babies born during wave 3/4/5/whatever covid wave we are expecting next

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above poster. We were one who lost an embryo in the thaw, however, which was hard to hear. That said, FET is so much easier on your body and, at least to me, emotional health. That shouldn’t be discounted if success rates are relatively equal!

supposedly only the weaker ones don't make the thaw, if you only make low quality embryos it can be a deal breaker, but if you have many to choose from it can actually help "thin the herd"

[Anonymous]

The only risk would be not having any embryos make it to freeze. But you can do a round and if that is the case you can reevaluate your position on a fresh transfer.