![\"freeze-all-ivf-](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/freeze-all-ivf.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat are the advantages of freeze all cycles?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are certain situations where a freeze-all cycle is advantageous or necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mitigates the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a potentially serious complication that can develop during an IVF treatment cycle.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n It occurs when your ovaries have a strong response to the ovarian stimulation (aka high responders). If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, you are at increased risk of OHSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms are caused by fluid build-up inside the abdomen and other parts of the body, causing pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While freezing the embryos does nothing to your risk of developing OHSS, it does protect you from experiencing a more severe form of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s because OHSS is worsened by b-HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the pregnancy hormone. If you happen to transfer one or more fresh embryos and get pregnant, your OHSS symptoms will significantly worsen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, you might also be able to prevent OHSS by freezing your embryos. Getting pregnant immediately following your egg retrieval could be the catalyst to spark the development in your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second way that freeze-all is advantageous is if your hormones aren\u2019t in an optimal state to receive an embryo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does this actually mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only time in which your body should produce high levels of progesterone is after you ovulate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After ovulation, your progesterone level should rise as it is being produced by the corpus luteum (the cyst that contained the egg that you ovulated).<\/p>\n\n\n\n During this time, the egg and the sperm meet at the Fallopian tube and make their way down into the uterus over a span of 5 days<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that your uterus is exposed to progesterone for 5 days before an embryo has traveled from your Fallopian tube and into your uterine lining (aka the endometrium).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your progesterone levels happen to become elevated before you ovulate, this will throw off the timing and synchrony between your endometrium and your hormone levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We use a cut-off of 1.5 ng\/mL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your progesterone is higher than 1.5 ng\/mL before your egg retrieval (aka ovulation day)<\/a>, then there may be a shift in your endometrial receptivity, and we do not recommend that you undergo a fresh embryo transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, there is a chance that the lining of the uterus does not grow appropriately during an IVF cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, we like to see a 7mm thickness to your endometrium with a triple stripe (trilaminar) appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, there shouldn’t be any fluid or blood in your lining which can have a negative impact on implantation rates.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If neither of these things is present by the time you have an egg retrieval, you should not undergo a fresh embryo transfer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also have a medical reason for freezing all of your embryos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, cancer patients are often referred to a fertility specialist for emergency in vitro fertilization<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to preserve fertility before undergoing cancer treatments which can potentially damage a woman’s uterus and reproductive potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are other medical reasons too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might have a contraindication to getting pregnant right away, or perhaps you want to delay pregnancy to take care of a medical condition first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In these situations, you can freeze all of your embryos and use them at some point in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, you may choose to freeze your viable embryos if you do not want to get pregnant right away. Perhaps you have other professional duties or extended travel coming up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Embryo cryopreservation is a great way of delaying pregnancy for a more convenient time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The last reason a freeze-all strategy is beneficial is if you are planning on doing preimplantation genetic testing.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Embryos that make it to the blastocyst stage<\/a> are biopsied and frozen while the results of the genetic screening are awaited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, biopsy results can take 10-14 days to return. In the meantime, your embryos will be frozen and safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All embryos can be frozen at any stage. An embryo can be frozen as early as the 2PN stage (which is Day 1), at the cleavage stage (Day 3), or the blastocyst stage (Days 5,6, or 7.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people will freeze embryos at the blastocyst stage for three reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A frozen embryo can be used at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To use them, you will need to undergo a frozen embryo transfer cycle of FET for short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A FET allows for additional time to prepare for pregnancy and allows for a better uterine environment prior to embryo transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two types of FETs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Either way, the goal is to transfer the embryo after your uterine lining has grown and has been exposed to progesterone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the disadvantages of freezing your embryos?<\/p>\n\n\n\n First and foremost, freezing your embryos automatically indicates that you have to undergo a frozen embryo transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three main downsides to this are<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing a frozen embryo transfer entails another cycle of morning monitoring ultrasounds and blood work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, the embryo has to be thawed. These additional visits, analyses, and procedures will increase the cost of your treatment. There are also annual storage fees that need to be paid to keep your embryos frozen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondly, you will have to wait at least another month after your egg retrieval before you can have the transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s an example of a Freeze all IVF cycle timeline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can learn more about a Frozen Embryo Transfer Timeline here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Last but not least, a frozen embryo transfer requires that your embryo be thawed after freezing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although rare, there is a small chance that your embryo does not survive the thawing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I go over these 3 disadvantages of frozen embryo transfer in more detail in this post.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some data indicate that frozen embryo transfers are more successful than fresh embryo transfers, however, some show no significant differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt decreases Endometrial dyssynchrony<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"picture](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/menstrual-cycle-hormones.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIt optimizes The endometrium<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It Allows Pregnancy Planning for Medical reasons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Or personal reasons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It allows for PGT testing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"pgs-test-results](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/pgs-test-results.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCan all embryos \/ blastocysts be frozen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When can you use a frozen embryo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are the disadvantages of freezing your embryos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other Related Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Are frozen IVF cycles more successful?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"alex](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/alex-robles-md.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n