One of the key steps of becoming a parent through surrogacy is the embryo transfer. After creating embryos through a successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle, they can be frozen for transfer at a later date.
You may already have frozen embryos from previous IVF attempts, or are in the process of preparing for IVF for surrogacy. If you already have frozen embryos, you’ll be glad to know that the success rate of an IVF frozen embryo transfer is generally higher than that of a fresh transfer.
Having embryos created means you can be matched with a surrogate. Connect with us today to find a surrogate and take the next step in your surrogacy journey.
What Is the Success Rate for a Frozen Embryo Transfer?
When it comes to IVF, frozen embryo transfer success rates can vary from person to person. Before the transfer, the fertility clinic you’re working with will grade each embryo based on how likely they are to grow once they have been transferred.
They’ll then freeze the embryos with the highest grades to use for your surrogacy process. Although there is not a fixed number or percentage regarding the frozen embryo transfer success rate, you can generally expect embryos with higher grades to have a better chance of developing into a full-fledged pregnancy.
Beyond the Frozen Embryo Transfer Success Rate [Other Benefits of FET]
Aside from the success rate of the embryo transfer, other benefits of FET include:
- Lower costs
- Easier scheduling
- Potential for genetic testing
- Reduces risks of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
Fresh vs. Frozen Embryo Transfer Success Rate
For the most part, fertility clinics have noticed better success rates for an embryo transfer when using a frozen embryo instead of a fresh one. The New England Journal of Medicine found that women experiencing infertility because of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had higher live birth rates when using a frozen embryo transfer.
Also, the British Medical Journal discovered that there were no higher ongoing pregnancy or live birth rates for people using a frozen embryo transfer, based on the study’s participants having regular periods and through gonadotropin-releasing hormones.
What Affects the Success Rates of Frozen Embryos?
There are several factors that influence a frozen embryo transfer success rate. First, there is the quality or grade of the embryo itself. As you may have figured, an embryo with a higher grade has a much better chance of successfully developing into a pregnancy. There are several different types of grading systems, so be sure to ask your fertility clinic what grading system they’re using.
Second, there is the type of freezing method. More than 95% of frozen embryos survive after being thawed thanks to a technique known as vitrification. This is a way to prevent ice crystals from growing and, thus, rendering an embryo unusable. Vitrification, in other words, leads to more successful pregnancies and embryo transfers.
We should also mention that the age of a surrogate is another factor. If you’re using eggs harvested from someone who is 35 or younger, then the likelier it will be that the embryo results in pregnancy. For instance, women under age 35 have a 44.5% live birth per egg retrieval rate. Women between ages 35 and 37 have a rate of 32.4%, and that decreases all the way to 2.9% for women over 42. That’s why our agency always works with women who are under 35.
Once your embryos have been created and frozen, fill out our online contact form and we can begin helping you find a surrogate today. Building your family is a beautiful journey, and we would be overjoyed to help you build yours whenever you’re ready.