Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
What is single embryo transfer (SET)?
SET is an elective procedure where one embryo is chosen from the available embryos and is placed directly in the uterus or fallopian tube. This single embryo may be chosen from a previous frozen cycle, or fresh cycle with multiple embryos. The remaining embryos can be safely frozen and used in future cycles.
A multiple pregnancy comes with greater risks than a singleton pregnancy. These complications include premature birth, pre-eclampsia, birth defects, and gestational diabetes.
Do your research! There are some IVF programs who will transfer multiple embryos in order to boost the center’s pregnancy rates. The program as listed on SART may look “better”, but at what risk to both the mom and baby?
Single Embryo Transfer (SET): Is it right option for you?
Each and every patient is different and the following several factors must be considered:
- What is the age of the patient?
- How many IVF cycles had previously failed?
- What is the quality of the embryos?
- Have you tried a frozen cycle previously?
When the chance of a multiple pregnancy is high, SET can be used when:
- Women use donor eggs
- Woman is under 35 years of age
- Couples who do not want a multiple gestation pregnancy
- Women who were successful with their first IVF cycle
We can potentially improve implantation rates with PGS (Preimplantation Genetic Screening) and may reduce spontaneous pregnancy loss.