31 Jul Embryo transfer: the final step of In Vitro Fertilization

By Reproclinic Editorial Committee

Do you want to know what embryo transfer is? In short, it’s about depositing the embryo inside the uterus so that implantation can occur and, ultimately, pregnancy.

Embryo transfer, what is it?

The embryo transfer is the final step of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment and, therefore, is one of the most important and beautiful steps of Assisted Reproduction. It involves depositing the embryo inside the uterus so that implantation can occur and, ultimately, pregnancy. This process is simple, painless, fast and does not even require anesthesia.

How does the process of embryo transfer work?

After cleaning the vagina, the specialist introduces through the cervix a cannula into the uterus and, through it, a thinner one with which the embryo deposits in the uterine cavity, on the endometrium (the tissue that covers the uterus). inside the uterus and where the embryo should be implanted) The entire process is performed under ultrasound guidance by an abdominal probe. The process takes place in an operating room or in a specially designed transfer room, to guarantee the maximum hygiene and safety conditions.

From the laboratory’s fertilization to the transfer, it should take two to five days, in the case of a fresh cycle. Previously, the patient will have been treated with progesterone, a hormone whose function is to increase the receptivity of the endometrium. It is a delicate process, very precise and, therefore, carried out by specialized professionals. The extensive experience of the doctors of the Reproclinic team guarantees that the embryo transfer is carried out in the best conditions, since the final success of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) will depend on this key process.

What symptoms appear after the implantation of the embryo?

The symptoms differe in each woman or in different pregnancies of the same woman, and may even not appear at all, without this implying that the embryo has not been implanted correctly. The most common symptoms that we will mention next can be caused by the medication or by the implantation of the embryo itself:

• Most abundant vaginal discharge in the first days
• Small bleeding that usually disappears after two or three days
• Increase in volume of the breasts
• Nausea
• Polaquiuria (increase in the number of urinations)
• Discomfort in the abdominal or lumbar area

After two weeks of having made the transfer, the expected time to cross your fingers and take a pregnancy test will finally arrive. Good luck!

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