Embryo transfer is a key phase in different fertility clinic treatments, but do you know how is it done? Who decides how many embryos are transferred? Is it true that the more embryos transferred, the better the success rate? We will answer all these questions throughout this post.
What is embryo transfer?
This stage consists of introducing the embryos into the uterus of the future mother. These embryos have previously been cultured in the laboratory until the blastocyst stage (day 5-6 of their development).
At this stage, the woman should come to the fertility clinic with a half-full bladder to improve the position of the uterus and the ultrasound visualisation. It is a non-painful process that lasts approximately 10 minutes, so it is not necessary to use anaesthesia. At this stage the specialist will introduce a catheter into the uterine cavity to deposit the embryos.
Is it possible to transfer as many embryos as I want?
This is not possible in Spain, as Law 14/2006 on assisted reproduction techniques specifies that, in vitro fertilisation and related techniques, only the transfer of a maximum of three embryos in each reproductive cycle is authorised.
Does the number of embryos transferred affect the pregnancy success rate?
The quality of the embryos that are transferred is key to achieving high success rates in IVF cycles. However, when we talk about the number of embryos transferred, we must consider different aspects. Firstly, it is true that transferring more than one embryo increases the chances of one of them to be implanted and consequently, achieving pregnancy. However, it also increases the risk of multiple pregnancies, which implies certain risks for both the mother and the foetus. Nowadays, we have many techniques that allow us to evaluate the quality of the embryos and select those that have the highest probability of implantation and thus reduce the number of embryos to be transferred, achieving the best pregnancy rates and reducing the risks for the baby and the mother.
Who decides how many embryos are transferred?
The decision on the number of embryos to be transferred is a joint decision. The doctor will always recommend suits best for each case. The patient can intervene in the decision as long as it does not compromise her health or that of her future pregnancy.
If you have any doubts about embryo transfer, do not hesitate to contact us!
