JGior1031:Hi! I'm new to all of this too and am about to start my first IVF cycle.
I'm sorry if this is a silly question but why would you have a freeze all cycle and not a transfer right away?
Best of luck to you!
Hi JGior! Glad there are other newbies. Good question! Here is how I understand it. We are doing PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis because I carry a disorder that we want to avoid passing on to our children). The PGD process requires a biopsy from the 5-day embryos' trophectoderm (the outside edge of the embryo which eventually turns into the placenta if the embryo becomes a pregnancy). This process requires additional time, from what I understand. Also (and our bigger reason for not doing a fresh transfer), my RE supports the idea of doing an FET in order to avoid OHSS and also to provide the best possible recovery from the egg retrieval. The lab/clinic we are using is very skilled in the freezing/thawing process, which is why this doesn't present any additional risk for us or our *hopeful* future embryo's (according to my RE, anyway). My RE described the process of doing a Freeze-All as her preference for our situation because she thinks it will allow my body to recover from the egg retrieval and get back to a healthier state for supporting a pregnancy.
I know someone who went through the PGD process as well, and in her experience, the first transfer (fresh) was a BFN. She attributes it to her OHSS and also that her body was not in a very balanced "welcoming-to-embies" state. Her second transfer, an FET a couple months later, was a BFP. :)
So essentially, our RE said we could choose to do a fresh transfer, but that she wouldn't recommend it.