{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2Fd71c6638-2943-4c6b-9a88-63cdf0a6bae9","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"The Frozen Embryo Transfer","description":"Kate and Natalie discuss the Frozen Embryo Transfer, explaining what it means when it happens and how it feels when cycles don\u2019t work. \r\nThe pair discuss how there is research to show that the success of the frozen cycle is as high as a fresh, so do not worry if you do have to freeze your embryos. With a frozen transfer, your body isn\u2019t full of all the medication, so you\u2019re embarking on a more natural cycle so there is also the thinking that you\u2019re putting those previous embryos back in a more natural environment. \r\n\r\n\r\nAmber Woodward is a brilliant blogger and former book reviewer on The Fertility Podcast.\r\n\r\n\r\nHow to prepare? \r\nAmber talks about how she learnt about nutrition to help her get pregnant as it wasn\u2019t happening and she had read a lot about the impact of your nutrition. Her medical records state unexplained infertility, underpinned by PCOS, Amber has had issues with her insulin and she discusses how it can make a real difference to your nutrition. \r\n\r\n\r\nAfter 12 months of changing her diet, she got regular cycles and talks about how much of a difference it can make for conceiving naturally and preparing IVF. Try to improve egg quality, keep your hormones balanced which she found very difficult and food has a big impact on her emotions. \r\n\r\n\r\nWhat about Eastern medicine - Chinese herbs? \r\nAmber talked about trying eastern medicine. Chinese medicine in particular despite her partner Joe\u2019s concerns and the disgusting taste. She said it also made her cycles go crazy. She didn\u2019t leave herself enough space between starting it and then doing IVF as it\u2019s not recommended when you start treatment. \r\n\r\n\r\nAmber talked about how the pair of them had forgotten how all-consuming \u2018trying again\u2019 was and also how the treatment felt, as well as other people announcing 2nd siblings. \r\n\r\n\r\nWorking and going through FET\r\nShe was at work when she had another FET, her nutrition wasn\u2019t great and she wasn\u2019t really exercising, so she didn\u2019t feel very prepared. She went into it feeling like she should have put more effort in and they had 2 embryos left and the pair had decided they weren\u2019t doing any more fresh cycles. \r\n\r\n\r\nWhat about when it doesn\u2019t work? \r\nWhen it didn\u2019t work - the clinic said \u2018it's just one of those things about 70% don\u2019t take. You can do everything and it doesn't work and you can do the opposite and not prepare. \r\n\r\n\r\nOn the final FET, she wanted to give it her best shot and have no regrets. They didn\u2019t need to wait very long after the failed cycle as you don\u2019t need to treat it like an IVF cycle as you aren't\u2019 stimulated. They were due to have the treatment in April as Covid took hold of the world. She describes how it was the best thing for them to have some time to adjust. Her clinic reopened the day before her birthday. \r\n\r\n\r\nHow long does it take? \r\nCovid changed how the clinic did the down-regulation. In January when she cycled failed, they had 1 month of downregulation and then the oestrogen for 3-4 weeks. Then you\u2019d have a couple of scans and then the progesterone. \r\nDuring Covid, the clinics wanted to limit the number of times you went there. Instead, she was posted the oestrogen (which increased womb lining) Amber was on this for approx 3 weeks and then 4 days later she had the transfer and two weeks later she had the pregnancy result. So a 5-week process. \r\n\r\n\r\nWhat if it doesn\u2019t work and how having that conversation about \u2018what if\u2019 helped\r\nAmber had shared on her socials about how the pair of them had talked about alternative life plans if it didn\u2019t work. They had prepared themselves for the FET to be their last treatment. They talked about just being able to put it all behind them such as focusing on their son, wondering about alternative career prospects that had been put on hold and they knew that after 6 years, they needed to have plans for how to move on. Do they spend their money on their son and a new kitchen or more IVF? You have a 100% if you buy a new kitc...","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/f5899438-013b-4aaa-a264-b972d12d022e/cover-image-ksu7bo9b-thefertpod.png"}