{"id":39617,"date":"2025-06-23T12:56:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T12:56:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:56:35","slug":"moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Moments in assisted reproduction: the embryo transfer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment includes several very important moments and one of the most important is the embryo transfer. Everything starts with the\u00a0<strong>first visit to the fertility specialist<\/strong>\u00a0so that the female and\/or her partner can undergo a complete assessment.<\/p>\n<p>Once the doctor has made a diagnosis, your IVF treatment starts with a controlled ovarian stimulation\u00a0(monitored with ultrasounds and blood tests). Next will be the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-egg-retrieval-process-step-by-step\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>egg retrieval<\/strong><\/a>, fertilisation of the eggs (generally using ICSI), embryo culture and, finally, the intrauterine embryo transfer. This last step involves placing a maximum of three embryos, selected by the embryologists, inside the uterine cavity (the endometrium). If possible we will freeze any additional, viable embryos. After transfer we can say that IVF treatment has come to an end.<\/p>\n<p>Today we\u2019re going to focus on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/embryo-transfer-common-questions-about-this-assisted-reproduction-treatment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>embryo transfer<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0given that it\u2019s a critical stage in the IVF cycle. Following the period of embryo culture, during which the embryos stay in conventional incubators or in the\u00a0Embryoscope incubator for 3 to 5 days, the doctor or embryologist will tell you what day you need to return for your embryo transfer.<\/p>\n<p>The embryo transfer is a very important moment. If we want this procedure to go smoothly there are\u00a0<strong>several variables we must be aware of<\/strong>\u00a0which we will explain here.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Tabla de contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/#What_should_be_kept_in_mind_on_the_day_of_the_embryo_transfer\" >What should be kept in mind on the day of the embryo transfer?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/#How_is_the_embryo_transfer_performed\" >How is the embryo transfer performed?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/#In_what_scenarios_is_it_not_possible_to_carry_out_the_embryo_transfer\" >In what scenarios is it not possible to carry out the embryo transfer?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/moments-in-assisted-reproduction-the-embryo-transfer\/#What_happens_after_the_embryo_transfer\" >What happens after the embryo transfer?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_should_be_kept_in_mind_on_the_day_of_the_embryo_transfer\"><\/span>What should be kept in mind on the day of the embryo transfer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First and foremost, and even though it may seem very obvious, this procedure must be performed by a trained and experienced professional. At our fertility clinic in Spain the embryo transfer is carried out in the operating theatre, under abdominal ultrasound guidance, but unlike the egg collection it does not require anaesthesia.\u00a0<strong>A doctor, embryologist and nurse will accompany you\u00a0<\/strong>throughout this procedure.<\/p>\n<p>For the embryo transfer\u00a0<strong>it is important that your bladder is full<\/strong>\u00a0when you arrive to the operating theatre. This is for two different reasons, the first being that having a full bladder will help the uterus to be better positioned and thus facilitate the embryo transfer. Secondly, having a full bladder will make it easier to visualise the uterus using the abdominal ultrasound.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you need to keep in mind that<strong>\u00a0you shouldn\u2019t wear any perfume or makeup<\/strong>\u00a0on the day of the transfer as the embryos are very sensitive to environmental factors such as changes in temperature, aromas, light, etc.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_is_the_embryo_transfer_performed\"><\/span>How is the embryo transfer performed?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once inside the operating theatre the female will get as comfortable as possible for the vaginal ultrasound. The doctor will insert a vaginal speculum to visualise the cervix before proceeding to very carefully\u00a0clean it with sterile gauze and embryo culture medium to\u00a0<strong>remove any remains of medication<\/strong>, cervical mucous, etc.<\/p>\n<p>The doctor will\u00a0<strong>perform canalization of the cervical canal<\/strong>\u00a0once the cervix has been cleaned. This involves placing a guiding catheter into position and which must be, based on our experience at URE Centro Gutenberg, as \u201cflexible\u201d as possible to avoid causing discomfort to the patient.<\/p>\n<p>The embryologist will load the selected embryo(s) into a thinner catheter that is even more flexible than the guiding catheter; the doctor will then insert this second catheter through the guiding catheter that was used to canalise the cervical canal. The tip of the inner catheter will be placed about 10-15 mm from the back of the uterus which is where<strong>\u00a0the selected embryo(s) will be deposited<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Although it\u2019s a delicate procedure,\u00a0the embryo transfer<strong>\u00a0doesn\u2019t usually take more than ten minutes<\/strong>. Following transfer the patient will stay in the operating theatre for another ten minutes, after which she can go home.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_what_scenarios_is_it_not_possible_to_carry_out_the_embryo_transfer\"><\/span>In what scenarios is it not possible to carry out the embryo transfer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately there are some situations in which, for different reasons, it is not possible to perform the embryo transfer. These are the\u00a0<strong>main reasons<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Poor embryo quality.<\/li>\n<li>Inadequate endometrial preparation.<\/li>\n<li>Risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Except in cases of poor embryo quality in which we would need to start a new cycle of IVF, all other scenarios simply require us to postpone the embryo transfer by a few weeks and perform it in a deferred cycle. To do so, we will\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/embryo-freezing-frequently-asked-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>freeze the embryos<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>and prepare the female\u2019s endometrium to be ready to receive them after they\u2019ve been thawed.<\/p>\n<p>This situation obviously means that the treatment process is drawn out, but it\u00a0<strong>improves pregnancy success rates\u00a0<\/strong>when compared to if we had done a fresh embryo transfer.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_after_the_embryo_transfer\"><\/span>What happens after the embryo transfer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once the embryo transfer has been performed the patient is generally advised to\u00a0<strong>take it easy and avoid intercourse<\/strong>, although the truth is that these recommendations haven\u2019t been shown to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant.<\/p>\n<p>And after? The last thing to do is to wait for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/pregnancy-test-after-ivf-when-is-it-most-reliable\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>results of your pregnancy test<\/strong><\/a>. And for the result to be positive!<\/p>\n<p>Do you have additional questions about this or other assisted reproduction procedures?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Don\u2019t hesitate to contact us<\/strong><strong>!<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Our fertility specialists will be happy to help you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment includes several very important moments and one of the most important is the embryo transfer. Everything starts with the\u00a0first visit to the fertility specialist\u00a0so that the female and\/or her partner can undergo a complete assessment. Once the doctor has made a diagnosis, your IVF treatment starts with a controlled ovarian [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[499],"tags":[504,534,507,508,502,520,513,505],"class_list":["post-39617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-assisted-reproduction-treatments-and-techniques","tag-assisted-reproduction-techniques","tag-embryo-transfer","tag-fertility-clinic-in-algeciras","tag-fertility-clinic-in-malaga","tag-fertility-treatments","tag-fertility-treatments-in-algeciras","tag-fertility-treatments-in-malaga","tag-ure-centro-gutenberg-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39617"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39618,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39617\/revisions\/39618"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}