Every year thousands of patients decide to travel abroad and embark upon their IVF journey, but why is treatment abroad now so popular? Take a look below to find out.
It’s an IVF lottery
If you live in the UK, then the chances are that you have found yourself in the “postcode lottery.”. This essentially means that the number of hoops that you must jump through in order to qualify for NHS fertility treatment is dependent on where you live. If you are LGBTQ+, then you may be required to self fund up to 12 cycles (generally IUI) before the NHS will help. However, if you are under 40 and have been trying to conceive for 2 years, then maybe, just maybe, you will be entitled to 3 full cycles. Once you hit the 40 -42 years bracket, you are down to 1 cycle. All of this is decided by individual NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICB).
Why are we waiting?
With the NHS, the waiting list can be endless. Should you decide to go abroad to somewhere like Spain, where there are over 180 fertility clinics, then your waiting game is over. You’ll simply need to start preparing (pre-tests) two or three months before you have treatment and then you can be on your way.
You get what you pay for!
Generally, in life, the phrase “you get what you pay for” can be applied to a number of things , but in the case of fertility treatment, that isn’t always true. Treatment abroad is often cheaper and the technology is just as advanced, if not more. In the UK, the average IVF cycle starts at as much as £2750, and an egg donation cycle starts at £5000. Once you consider your essential add-ons like medication and testing, the cost soon starts to mount up. If you are also looking to have ICSI, then you can expect to be paying at least £1,200 more on top of your original treatment cost. Whereas if you travel to somewhere like Prague, then one cycle of IVF with ICSI is as little as €3,000, and this includes assisted hatching.
Medication and scans
When it comes to monitoring your progress, any scans or consultations that you have with your chosen IVF clinic are normally free of charge. With AFC scans in the UK starting at around £80, there is a big saving to be had. If you choose to do all of the treatment at the clinic, you’ll also avoid trying to squeeze in your appointment on the appropriate day.
Fertility medication in the UK is particularly expensive, so if you are returning for a transfer at a later date, here is another opportunity to save money. You can collect your transfer medication and your post-transfer medication during your egg collection visit. Don’t feel nervous about travelling with your medication, as your clinic will supply you with a letter to present to the airline.
In need of a donor?
If you have been advised that egg donation is your best chance, then going abroad can be beneficial. Donor conception is much quicker. Finding a suitable match can take as little as 2 week. In most countries, although the donor is anonymous, you’ll still be able to learn details such as their education level and hobbies.
According to “Egg Donation Friends,” Spain and the Czech Republic are the two most popular places for treatment. Spain comes in at 85% popularity with a 63% success rate. The Czech Republic is 78% with a 57% success rate.
Your chosen clinic will be able to match you to the right donor. They will need to know your physical characteristics and requirements. Any good clinic will also require your photo. You may be interested to know that Spanish law states that there should be the greatest possible similarity between the donor and the recipient.
Older ladies
If you are in the UK and 42 years of age, then the NHS fertility door is well and truly closed. You’ll definitely need to go private, if you’re over 45, then going abroad will be your only option. However, we would recommend that you check as to whether any additional testing is required, in most cases, it is.
Here at Procreate, we are blessed, as most of our partner clinics will consider ladies up to the age of 50. Please feel free to contact us to find out more.
Relax and take a break
The great thing about fertility treatment abroad is that it can also double up as a holiday. You can either start at home and then travel out for the remaining days (generally between 3 and 7) or you can arrive before the start of your menstrual cycle and do everything with the clinic. The upside to this is that you aren’t going to have to fit it into your daily routine. This means no rushing from work to have scans or trying to take your medication on the quiet. All you need to do is visit the clinic regularly for monitoring and continue with your holiday.
Keeping it a secret
I’ve spoken with many patients who have kept their treatment a secret from their friends and family. However, I’ve also met those who have turned up with their entire family , so it really is up to you. If you want to keep it under your hat, then what better way than to take a holiday? After all, you are unlikely to bump into anyone you know thousands of miles away from home.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.
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