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8 Embryo Transfer Success Stories

Few things inspire hope like hearing the embryo transfer success stories of others who have walked the same path as you. Each story is unique, but they all share that incredible moment when perseverance finally paid off.

Reading about successful embryo transfer stories can bring comfort and encouragement when things seem uncertain.

Whether you’re just starting your fertility journey or you’ve experienced your share of difficulties, these stories can fill you with strength or inspire you with visions of your own family’s future.

If you’re creating embryos and want to explore options like surrogacy, feel free to reach out for more information. There are many paths to parenthood — we’re here to help you discover what might work best for you.

Frozen Embryo Transfer Success Stories

Lauren and James

James and Lauren got married in 2016 and began trying for a baby a year later. They were ready for parenthood, but their hopes dwindled with every negative pregnancy test. Three failed intrauterine inseminations (IUIs) only deepened their confusion and exhaustion.

Eventually, they turned to IVF, pinning their hopes on four genetically normal frozen embryos. But their joy from a positive first transfer was short-lived when a six-week ultrasound revealed a devastating blighted-ovum miscarriage. It took them a few months to heal mentally and physically.

In February 2020, they gathered their strength and transferred a second frozen embryo — and this time, their miracle stuck. Lauren and James welcomed their healthy son, Miles, into the world after a long and difficult journey.

Katy and Tom

After being referred for IVF in 2018, Katy and Tom were thrilled to retrieve 17 eggs, resulting in several embryos. Their first fresh transfer in January 2019 ended in heartbreak, but they found hope in having five frozen embryos for future attempts. Despite two more failed transfers, Katy’s determination remained strong, inspired by her mother’s encouragement to “keep smiling and try again.”

The third frozen embryo resulted in a successful pregnancy. Unfortunately, Katy’s mom passed away after battling cancer when Katy was 28 weeks pregnant. However, her mom was there for all the scans and even felt the baby kick. And in May 2021, after five long years, Katy and her husband welcomed their baby, Parker.

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Donor Embryo Success Stories

Deb

At 40, Deb decided that she was tired of waiting for a partner; she wanted to become a parent. She thought the journey would be straightforward, but over the next four years, she navigated the challenges of unexplained infertility and discouraging advice from doctors.

After exhausting her savings on IVF and traditional adoption attempts, she discovered the possibility of private embryo donation. Deb reached out on social media for help finding an embryo, and her message was answered by a woman in Chicago. Receiving the donated embryo marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Today, she’s the proud mother of two children: Sam and Brie.

Stephanie and Patrick

When Stephanie and Patrick met, they quickly formed a loving family with his two children. While Stephanie cherished her role as a stepmother, her desire for more children grew as she entered her mid-30s. Since Patrick had a vasectomy before they met, they turned to fertility treatments. After several cycles, their IVF journey culminated in the joyful birth of twin girls, Sophie and Audrey.

Years later, Stephanie and Patrick were eager to try for a third child. After talking with their doctor, they decided to explore embryo donation. When they discovered a donor profile that resonated deeply, they decided to move forward. Their first donor embryo transfer led to the birth of their daughter, Glory. Today, Stephanie and Patrick are grateful for the journey that brought them three beautiful daughters.

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Abnormal Embryo Success Story

Monica

Facing unexpected fertility challenges in her 40s, Monica began banking embryos through IVF. She collected 18 over several months, only to face a devastating revelation: Genetic screening showed that all her embryos were abnormal. Monica was crushed, but her doctor encouraged her to consider transferring some “good-looking” abnormal embryos that might still be viable.

Monica took a chance and transferred four embryos, hoping for a miracle. To her shock, she became pregnant, but her joy was mixed with fear. Monica’s doctor had warned her of the risks, including possibly terminating the pregnancy if chromosomal abnormalities persisted. After an anxious wait, tests revealed her baby girl was chromosomally normal. Despite a difficult pregnancy, Monica gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

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Poor Quality Embryo Success Stories

Caroline

Caroline and her husband tried IVF after three failed IUI attempts. Six of their embryos tested genetically normal, and three were considered high quality. However, the journey wasn’t easy — Caroline faced a series of disappointments as each transfer failed. None of the high-quality embryos implanted successfully, and two of the lower-quality embryos also failed. Caroline was devastated and uncertain if they would ever succeed.

With only one embryo left, Caroline prepared for a final transfer. The embryo was slow to develop and downgraded in quality after thawing. The embryologist cautioned her to keep her expectations low, but Caroline and her husband clung to a sliver of hope. To their surprise, the last embryo took, and they were thrilled to finally hear, “Congratulations!”

Allie

After five years of battling infertility, Allie and her husband finally achieved a pregnancy with a donor egg, but it wasn’t without struggle. The frozen embryo they transferred was low quality and downgraded even more after thawing. Knowing this lowered their chances of a successful pregnancy, Allie’s nerves were on edge, especially after experiencing spotting and strong cramps.

At their first eight-week ultrasound with a midwife, Allie was in tears before the exam even began, expecting the worst. But as soon as the scan started, the midwife told them she could see the growing embryo. Allie’s relief was overwhelming as the midwife confirmed everything looked on track. They even saw the flicker of a tiny heartbeat. Despite the embryo’s low grade, Allie’s pregnancy was progressing as it should.

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Only One Embryo to Transfer Success Story

Sara and Chad

Sara and Chad always dreamed of having children, but their path to parenthood was filled with heartbreak and setbacks. After several rounds of fertility medication and multiple miscarriages, they turned to IVF, hoping it would bring them closer to their goal. Two rounds of egg retrieval produced seven viable embryos, but six of these failed to result in a pregnancy. Sara and Chad’s hope began to wane.

Their doctor suggested a new approach with their last viable embryo: skipping the typical injections and instead letting Sara’s body set the timing with a natural cycle and medication. Feeling both anxious and hopeful, Sara took the call from their fertility clinic with the results. They were pregnant! Overwhelmed, Sara rushed to tell Chad in person, and they celebrated a positive pregnancy test at last.

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Even when things aren’t going as planned, these embryo transfer success stories can remind you that there’s always a way forward. There are many options available to help you reach your dream, including gestational surrogacy. If you’d like to learn more, fill out our online form.

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