I was just in for my first embryo transfer. Everything was going according to plan, but as the doctor had the ultrasound machine on my abdomen, he noticed "liquid" in my uterus. He said he had no idea what it could be. We decided to transfer only two embryos instead of three so as to have more frozen embryos just in case this one didn't work because of the liquid. What can this liquid be, and what are the chances it would cause the transfer to fail? I am a healthy 24-year-old woman with three-year-old daughter (conceived naturally) and a tubal ligation, and my husband is very healthy also.

Isabel

Fluid in the uterus at the time of embryo transfer is concerning. Implantation and ongoing pregnancy rates are quite low when fluid is seen on ultrasound.

The cause of the fluid is not always clear. It is often seen in women who have a blocked fallopian tube that is filled with fluid, a condition called hydrosalpinx. If a hydrosalpinx is suspected, your physician may suggest removing the fallopian tube before trying again.