Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
A frozen embryo transfer can be a meaningful next step if you’re hoping to grow your family.
At Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic, we’re proud to support you through every stage of the FET process with personalised care, expert guidance and outstanding clinical outcomes. Whether you’re preparing for your first embryo transfer or returning after a previous cycle, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.
Page Guide
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 it works
Frozen embryo transfer: how does it work?
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.
Your treatment starts with either a natural or medicated cycle to help prepare the lining of your womb.
In a medicated cycle, hormone medicine is used to regulate your cycle and help your womb lining develop. This creates the right environment for the embryo to implant and grow.
In a natural cycle, no medication is used. Instead, we monitor your cycle to find the ideal time for transfer.
We use ultrasound scans and blood tests to track your cycle and pinpoint the best time for the transfer.
When the timing is right, one or more embryos are thawed in our lab. Our embryologists carefully manage this to ensure the best chance of survival and implantation.
We transfer the embryo into your womb using a fine, flexible tube called a catheter. The procedure is usually quick and not painful. You might feel mild cramping afterwards, which is normal. You can go home the same day once you’re feeling well and comfortable.
Is FET right for me?
Frozen embryo transfer is often recommended when you have embryos stored from a previous IVF or ICSI cycle.
FET gives you time to pause and prepare emotionally or physically. It can mean another chance at pregnancy without repeating the whole IVF process.
At Bourn Hall, we’ll help you explore whether FET is right for you, considering your preferences, health and future plans. Whatever your journey looks like, we’re here to offer expert care and compassion.
What happens next
Why choose us for your FET?
At Bourn Hall, we combine expert fertility care with a personalised approach to help you feel confident at every stage of your frozen embryo transfer.
When you choose us, you’ll gain access to:
- Specialist care from leading consultants and embryologists
- Tailored treatment plans
- Excellent FET success rates
- Choice of clinics close to home
- Consistent support throughout your journey
Choosing Bourn Hall for your FET means trusting a team with decades of experience in fertility treatments and helping families grow.
Book your FET today
Ready to take the next step in your fertility journey? Whether you’re planning your first frozen embryo transfer or returning for further treatment, our team is here to support you with expert care and personalised guidance.
Contact us to book your consultation and begin your FET journey.
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.
Explore our prices
Discover our prices and finance options, making treatments more accessible for you.
Book a 15 minute Discovery call
Schedule a Discovery call to find out which tests and treatments are right for you.
Fertility funding partners we work with:
Our IVF 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 72% chance of falling pregnant within one year.
*Data from 2025
If you are under 35, you have a 72% chance of falling pregnant within one year.
If you are 35-37 years old and you continue treatment with Bourn Hall, you have a 64% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
If you are a female aged over 40 and you continue treatment with Bourn Hall, you have about a 50% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
Success rates by age
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 72% chance of falling pregnant within one year.
*Data from 2025
Younger than 35
If you are under 35, you have a 72% 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 64% (58% for 38-39 year olds) chance of getting pregnant (pregnancy seen on scan) within one year.
40+ years old
If you are a female over 40 and you continue treatment with Bourn Hall, you have about a 50% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
Support at every stage
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 fertility milestones
1978
The world's first IVF baby
1980
Year founded by IVF pioneers
25000
Babies born through Bourn Hall
Patient reviews
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
Patient stories
Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and we are always inspired by the success stories they have to share. Hear directly from our previous patients as they share their unique journeys to parenthood.
April & Giacomo’s Fertility Journey: Overcoming Male Factor Infertility Challenges
April and Giacomo’s journey to parenthood was filled with uncertainty, waiting, and emotional challenges, but throughout it…
From Challenges to Joy
Every fertility journey is different, and for Kim and her husband, the path to parenthood brought both…
Sophie’s Journey to Motherhood: Becoming a Solo Mum with Donor Treatment
At Bourn Hall, we’re privileged to support people on every path to parenthood. Today, we’re sharing Sophie’s…
Upcoming fertility events
Join our experts at a range of events including support groups, webinars and open evenings.
Learn more about the options available to you, from fertility tests to treatments, and find answers to any questions you might have.
Related information
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.
If your embryos are stored with us, we’ll be in touch each year to confirm your wishes for continued storage. If you decide to keep them stored for future treatment, an annual storage fee will apply.
This depends on when your embryos were frozen and how many you’d like to have transferred. If they were frozen on day two, three, five or six, we’ll thaw just enough to reach that number, as they’ve already developed to a stage where we can assess their quality before transfer.
If your embryos were frozen at an earlier stage, such as day one, they still need time to develop after thawing. In this case, we usually thaw twice the number you’re hoping to transfer, to give the best chance of having suitable embryos ready on the day.
Our embryologists use advanced techniques to protect your embryos throughout the process, and currently around 80% survive thawing at Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic.
Some people are prescribed Buserelin as part of a medicated FET cycle, usually before starting oestrogen and sometimes for a short time after. Whether it’s right for you will depend on your personalised treatment plan, which your nurse coordinator will explain in detail. If you’re unsure or have any concerns about medication, our friendly nursing team is always here to talk things through with you.