Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) in Delhi
A previously frozen embryo is thawed and transferred in a later, carefully prepared cycle.
What frozen embryo transfer involves
Freezing all embryos and transferring in a subsequent cycle is now standard in many situations. It separates the stimulation from the transfer, so the uterus is not exposed to the very high hormone levels that stimulation produces.
Vitrification — ultra-rapid freezing — gives survival rates above 95%, and pregnancy rates from frozen transfers now match or exceed fresh transfers in most groups. It also means one egg retrieval can produce several chances at pregnancy.
Who this is for
- High risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- Elevated progesterone at the end of stimulation
- Embryos undergoing PGT-A genetic screening
- Second and subsequent attempts using embryos already stored
Not everything on this list means you need this treatment. The workup comes first, and the recommendation follows from what it shows — not from what was booked before you arrived.
Step by step
Endometrial preparation
Either a natural cycle tracked by scan, or a hormone replacement cycle with oestrogen tablets or patches.
Lining assessment
We transfer when the endometrium reaches a trilaminar pattern at adequate thickness.
Progesterone start
Progesterone support is begun to set the window of implantation precisely.
Thaw and transfer
The embryo is warmed on the morning of transfer, survival is confirmed, and it is placed in the uterus.
Your results, in writing
Whatever the outcome of frozen embryo transfer, you leave each stage with the findings written down — what was done, what was found, what it means, and what the options are from here. Reports are issued the same day wherever the laboratory allows it.
Case study: A cancelled fresh transfer that improved the odds
27, Katwaria Sarai · PCOS · first IVF cycle
What she came in with
PCOS with a high antral follicle count. Stimulation produced twenty-four eggs, and by the day of trigger her oestradiol was very high with early symptoms of ovarian hyperstimulation — bloating, discomfort and a rising haematocrit.
What the workup showed
Proceeding to a fresh transfer would have risked severe OHSS, which pregnancy itself makes considerably worse. Her progesterone on trigger day was also elevated, which shifts the window of implantation and reduces fresh transfer success independently.
What we did
A freeze-all strategy: agonist trigger, all eighteen mature eggs fertilised, seven blastocysts vitrified, and no fresh transfer. Symptoms settled within ten days. Transfer was deferred to a hormone-replacement cycle two months later.
Outcome
The OHSS resolved without hospital admission. The first frozen transfer produced an ongoing pregnancy, with six blastocysts still in storage.
The point of this case
Cancelling a fresh transfer feels like a setback. In a high responder it is the decision that both avoids a dangerous complication and raises the chance of success.
Illustrative case. This is a composite of presentations commonly seen in this practice, written for explanation — it is not the record of an identifiable patient, and no individual's details are used. Outcomes vary, and nothing here is a prediction of what will happen in your case.
What is different about having this done here
Vitrification with over 95% embryo survival on thaw
Natural-cycle FET offered where suitable, to reduce drug load
ERA testing available after repeated implantation failure
Storage costs quoted annually and in writing
Treated by the consultant, not by a rotating team
Dr. Tiwari performs the scans, the procedure and the follow-up herself, and looks after any pregnancy that results. Over a long treatment course that continuity is the difference between being known and being processed.
- MBBS, MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), FNB (Reproductive Medicine)
- Over ten years in reproductive medicine and gynaecological surgery
- Consultations and scans at Mother's Hope, Katwaria Sarai; theatre work at SHE Delhi Hospital, Greater Kailash II
- Itemised costs given in writing before anything begins
Areas we see patients from
Both locations are in South Delhi. Patients travelling from further out have appointments grouped to cut down the number of trips.
Questions about frozen embryo transfer
Are frozen transfers as successful as fresh?
Yes, and in several groups slightly better, because the uterine environment is more physiological.
How long can embryos stay frozen?
There is no evidence of deterioration over many years. Indian regulations set the permitted storage period and consent conditions, and we take you through them before freezing.
Do I need injections for a frozen transfer?
Usually not for the lining — tablets or patches are enough. Progesterone may be given as injections, pessaries or gel.
Talk it through before you commit
Consultations run for a full hour. Bring any previous reports — they are reviewed properly, not repeated.