What to Expect During a Frozen Embryo Transfer
An embryo transfer is a 15-20 minute procedure usually well-tolerated without anesthesia. Many women feel a little discomfort and some feel pain but, fortunately, it is short-lived. I prefer to take a pain reliever and a diazepam thirty minutes beforehand; you can ask your doctor about this.
I’ve had four embryo transfers so far; two in Sweden and two in Finland, using fresh and frozen embryos. The process for both (at this part of the procedure) is identical.
A speculum is placed to open the vagina. At my Swedish clinic, they didn’t like to put lubrication on it (no idea why), so that part was kind of rough, but they did at the Finnish clinic, which was easier. Then, a long catheter is slowly inserted, which passes through the cervix into the uterus. For me, this produces a VERY sharp pain for a second, and then some light cramping sets in. And then it’s over!
Before or after the procedure, you will have a discussion with your doctor or nurse. In Sweden, we were given a little room to get ready in, with robes, surgical caps, and booties for our feet. In Finland, we went straight into the transfer room where they, simply, told me to take my pants off. This is typical in doctor’s offices in Europe! Then there are usually two or three people in the transfer room.
When you’re in the chair, they’ll first perform an ultrasound to make sure your uterine environment looks good for the incoming embryo and will often check your endometrial lining.
Transfer day can feel very emotional because it’s the moment your developing embryo leaves the lab and enters your body. You hope that you’ll be pregnant very soon! I prefer to have Alexis sitting beside me and holding my hand (and letting me squeeze his). I highly recommend having a loved one there with you. Sometimes the embryologist shows you your tiny blastocyst on a screen. Then they confirm that your name and date of birth matches the label on the tube.
I hope this helps you to know what to expect when you’re having an embryo transfer. If you have any questions or need some guidance, feel free to contact me at Jess@InfertilityandMS.com. Best of luck to you!