Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
If you have frozen embryos from a previous cycle, they can be thawed and placed in your uterus, avoiding the need to go through another IVF cycle.
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We understand that fertility treatment can be a complex and emotional journey. Our team is dedicated to providing you with all the information and support you need throughout the process.
How does it work?
Frozen embryo transfer (FET)
We strongly recommend that good quality embryos surplus to the requirements of a fresh IVF cycle are frozen and stored for your future use. This laboratory technique is highly successful both in post-thaw survival and pregnancy outcome. As embryos are stored at minus 197°C they can – in theory – be preserved forever. However, in the UK storage is limited by regulation to 55 years.
Thawed embryos can be replaced in a natural menstrual cycle or in a hormone replacement cycle (HRT).
The HRT treatment involves damping down your own hormones and substituting them for the necessary hormones to create the best environment in your uterus for the embryo(s). We’ll monitor your progress to assess the right time for the transfer, maximising your chances of achieving a pregnancy.
Is FET right for me?
Frozen embryo transfer (FET) is appropriate if you already have frozen embryos and wish to return for further treatment without going through a full cycle of IVF.
FET is considerably less invasive and less expensive than a fresh IVF cycle and may be the best choice if you’re considering treatment sometime after the embryos were created. For example, you may have chosen to freeze your embryos before receiving cancer treatment, because of other health factors that could potentially affect fertility, or because you wanted to postpone pregnancy for other reasons.
Of course, it could be that you have been successful in an earlier cycle(s) and simply wish to add to your family.
What next?
We’ll agree a personalised treatment plan with you and then you’ll attend a number of monitoring appointments – for example, ultrasound scans – to decide the optimal timing for your embryo transfer.
Following the thawing of your frozen embryos, one or two can be transferred to your uterus through a narrow catheter passed through your cervix – the same method used in a fresh IVF cycle.
You’ll be able to take a pregnancy test 18 days after embryo transfer. If your test result is positive, you will be invited for a scan about 20 days later at one of our clinics – in Cambridge, Norwich or Wickford.
If your embryos are frozen and stored by us, we’ll contact you each year and ask you to confirm your wishes for the next 12 months. If you decide to continue storage with us, there will be an annual fee.
Flexible Pricing Options
To help make your treatment affordable and achievable, we offer fixed price treatment package options and a variety of finance solutions for patients looking to spread all or part of the cost of their treatment.
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Discover our prices and finance options, making treatments more accessible for you.
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We’re incredibly proud of our success rates
At Bourn Hall, you can be assured of the best chances of having a baby within the shortest possible time. If you are under 35, you have a 73%* chance of falling pregnant within one year.
*Data from 2021
Younger than 35
If you are under 35, you have a 73% chance of falling pregnant within one year.
35 to 39 years old
If you are 35-37 years old and you continue treatment with Bourn Hall, you have a 63% (50% for 38-39 year olds) chance of getting pregnant (pregnancy seen on scan) within one year.
40+ years old
If you are a female aged over 40 and you continue treatment with Bourn Hall, you have about a 25% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
We provide world-class support throughout the fertility journey.
As one of the UK’s top fertility treatment centres, our values ensure we put our patients first.
Passion
Adaptability
Commitment
Teamwork and Collaboration
Our excellence in fertility treatment
1978
The world's first IVF baby
1980
Year founded by IVF pioneers
25000
Babies born through Bourn Hall
Patient reviews you can trust
Genuine experiences from real patients. See why so many trust us with their fertility care.
“We went to an open evening at Bourn Hall Wickford and came away feeling really positive about the place. The staff were really friendly and the presentation was clear about the statistics regarding success rates and live birth rates; their data was very transparent. We came away feeling like we would really be looked after.”
Katy and Leigh are parents to Charlie after IVF
Patient 2023
“We chose to make an appointment at Bourn Hall Wickford because of the favourable reviews. When we got there and met the staff they were just so lovely, making us feel welcome and explaining to us what tests would need to be done and what our options were; we just thought ‘yes, let’s get the ball rolling!”
Jess and Fran are mums to Nathan after IVF with donor sperm
Patient 2023
Your Stories
Real journeys, real hope. Hear from our patients as they share their paths to parenthood.
An open culture at HSBC allowed Chantelle to build her career and navigate her fertility journey
Alongside her 17-year career at HSBC, Chantelle has navigated the roller-coaster journey of infertility – and says...
“I needed help to face a future without children”
“I didn’t know how I was going to carry on living the rest of my life feeling…
Family at last for Hannah after tests revealed why she couldn’t get pregnant
“When are you going to have a baby?” is something which Hannah from Cambridgeshire is always careful...
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Join our experts at a range of events including support groups, webinars and open evenings. Learn more about the options available to you, including fertility tests and treatments, and get the answers to any questions you might have.
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If you qualify for NHS-funded fertility treatment under the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, our fertility diagnostic pathway is the same as the services offered by your local NHS hospital but with much shorter waiting times and in an environment dedicated to fertility services.
Our male couples fertility testing package includes semen analysis tests for you both, a free 30-minute consultation with our fertility nutritionist and a private consultation.
We offer fertility health and wellbeing packages at our clinics in Cambridge, Norwich, Wickford, or at home. Our male package includes a semen analysis, a free 30-minute consultation with our fertility nutritionist, and personalised doctor-written report explaining your results.
Our female couples fertility testing package includes options to provide you both with results on your fertility. These include AMH blood tests for ovarian reserve; TSH to assess your thyroid stimulating hormone; an ultrasound scan; and personalised doctor-written report explaining your results.
Our female package includes the option of AMH blood tests for ovarian reserve; TSH to assess your thyroid stimulating hormone, an ultrasound scan; and personalised doctor-written report explaining your results. Additionally, we include a free 30-minute consultation with our fertility nutritionist to provide you with nutrition and lifestyle advice.
For heterosexual couples, our female and male fertility testing package includes the option of semen analysis; AMH blood tests for ovarian reserve; TSH to assess your thyroid stimulating hormone; ultrasound scan; and personalised doctor-written report explaining your results.
Once you’ve made the decision to extend your family, even thinking that you might have a fertility issue can be stressful. And for a man, the thought that your sperm might not be in tip-top condition is definitely a cause for concern.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions answered. Find clarity on every step of your fertility journey.