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An embryo transfer is the part of fertility treatment that everyone wants to get to. It’s a day full of hope, both for the patients and staff, at which point the hard work of egg collection and creating embryos has already been done. After the embryo transfer, it is out of our hands (and yours) and all you can do is sit back and wait to see if you become pregnant or not...
An embryo is a fertilised egg, one which is created through the process of IVF or ICSI. At Thérapie Fertility we do both fresh embryo transfers and frozen embryo transfers. These procedures are identical except in one case the embryo is transferred back to the uterus 5 or 6 days after fertilisation, and in the other, the embryo has been ‘on ice’ for a number of weeks, months or years until you were ready for the transfer. The sole aim of an embryo transfer is to assist a person in becoming pregnant.
An embryo transfer is performed in the theatre. You do not need to be sedated during this procedure, in fact it’s very similar to having a smear test. You will be given a gown and will walk into the theatre where you sit on the bed, with your legs in stirrups. If you have a partner, they are able to stay with you the entire time throughout the procedure. There is a large TV screen on the wall in front of you, and the team will talk to you through what’s happening at every stage.
After your embryo transfer, you do not need to rest, but it is advised to take it easy especially as emotions can be high! About 10 days after the embryo transfer, you'll be booked in to come back for a beta HCG blood test, which will determine if the procedure has been successful or not.
The Embryologists POV
Many people only see what happens in the theatre on the day of embryo transfer, but on the other side of the wall and window, the lab team are very busy ensuring that your precious embryo is transferred safely back to you. An embryologist who is assigned to your transfer will introduce themselves through the window hatch and will be responsible for preparing and loading up your embryo into the embryo transfer catheter.
