FET Protocol

The frozen embryo protocol is MUCH easier than the fresh cycle protocol.  You are not filling your body with hormones to grow tons of eggs, you’re just trying to over-prepare your fluffy lining to grab that thawed little embryo!

Here is the protocol we followed for our cycle:

(1) Birth control pills.  Easy.  Stopped them July 18.

(2) Lupron.  (Lupron suppresses ovulation.  No ovulation in this cycle.)  Started July 18.  20 units at first.  On the 10^th day (July 24), ultrasound and blood draw.  Then if all looks good (ovaries “quiet,” no eggs in site), move down to 5 units (starting July 25).  The Lupron is administered via shots, like last time.  But, like last time, the shots are not too bad—it’s just those tiny little insulin needles.

(3) Baby aspirin (81mg).  One time a day (starting July 25).  Apparently, the theory is that implantation is better with thinner blood.  They don’t do baby aspirin for a fresh cycle because of the risk of bleeding from the procedure.

(4) Hormone replacement (to build a big fluffy lining).  Best part about this—no shots!  The first day of this part is considered “day 1”.  (For me, July 25.)  Start with 2mg Estrace (estrogen) tablets one time a day.  After 5 days, move to 2mg two times a day.   After 4 more days, move to 2mg three times a day.  Easy peasy!  (Keep doing 5mg of Lupron for days 1-10.  Stop August 3.)

Day 14, there’s a follow-up ultrasound and blood draw.  (Only two doctor visits for the whole cycle until transfer!)

(5) Progesterone.  I started on day 18.  My clinic still prefers shots of progesterone, but they let me do suppositories instead.  Three times a day.  Oh yea.

(6) Antibiotics.  Four days.  Easy.

Transfer on day 23 of the cycle.  (August 12!)  One valium an hour before transfer. 

After the transfer, continue estrogen, progesterone, and baby aspirin.