The likelihood of pregnancy in any treatment cycle is determined directly by the number and quality of embryos transferred. However, increasing the number of embryos transferred must be balanced by a corresponding likelihood of multiple pregnancy (twins and triplets).

Multiple pregnancy is considered a significant medical risk and FTFC has improved embryo quality to a point where acceptable pregnancy rates are obtained by transfer of a single embryo.

As more suitable embryos than is safe to transfer are usually available in each IVF cycle, the vitrification of additional suitable embryos (that have not been transferred) affords a greater opportunity for pregnancy from each egg collection.

Therefore, if multiple viable embryos result from an IVF cycle, our fertility specialist might suggest transferring one or two of them and vitrifying any additional suitable embryos. The vitrified embryos may remain in storage indefinitely without harm and are available for thaw and transfer subsequently without the need to undergo further ovarian stimulation.

If your fertility is at risk due to ovary-damaging cancer treatment then embryo vitrification allows you to preserve your fertility.

If your current cycle is unsuccessful or you decide later that you would like to try for another baby, the frozen embryos are able to be thawed and transferred without you having to undergo another egg collection procedure.

At Footsteps To Fertility, a large number of births, over many years, have come from the transfer of frozen embryos. Success rates depend, among other factors, on the age of the woman when eggs are collected and inseminated and the resultant embryos are frozen.

Therefore, if a 42-year-old woman uses frozen embryos created when she was 38, her chance of pregnancy from those embryos will be that of a 38-year-old woman.