Planning For IVF Costs Abroad
Are you considering going abroad for IVF treatment? One of the reasons couples may consider going abroad for IVF is that it is perceived to be cheaper. But unless you actually sit down and total all the expenses you will incur, you will not be able to make an informed decision about whether you are indeed saving money.
Like everything, planning and having a budget makes sense, not only because you will be in control of your spending, but also because you may feel less stressed.
First of all, the actual treatment itself.
Let’s consider egg donation treatment costs
These may include:
· First Consultation
· Donor medication and monitoring
· Donor Egg Retrieval
· IVF (usually ICSI is performed)
· Culture to blastocyst stage
· Embryo Transfer
· Embryo freezing and storage of surplus embryos
· Recipient medication and scan
This list is not extensive and could also include other IVF procedures such as assisted hatching, time-lapse embryo monitoring, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), IMSI to name a few. Many IVF clinics have an advertised price for egg donation but the packages are all so different so you cannot compare like-with-like based on the advertised price. A little bit of work and research is required to drill down to what you actually need to spend. For example it is not always essential to have embryo monitoring or PGS or assisted hatching. Finding out a bit more about them may help you make an informed decision about whether you should use them if they are discussed with you during your treatment.
Next there is the cost of travel and accommodation. Budget airlines can usually be relied upon to get to most places in Spain, the Czech Republic and Greece. For egg donation treatment, usually only two trips will be required. The first will be to have a First Consultation where you will have certain tests carried out and sperm will be frozen. The doctor will also discuss the donation program and begin the process of matching you with a donor. This trip can usually be done in one day. The second trip is for the embryo transfer itself and usually a 2-night stay is all that is required. However, if your budget airline does not fly every day to your destination then you may have to hang around for longer. So you will need to budget for the number of nights you need to stay bearing in mind the airline schedule. Some clinics will help arrange hotels and may even have discounts at some so it is worth asking. They may also be able to arrange airport pickups too. Having known costs for accommodation and travel make it easier to budget.
Finally there is the day-to-day spending when you are away from home. If you are being treated in Prague, Madrid or Athens, you may want to do a little sightseeing whilst there. You may also want to consider insurance for your trip abroad.
Arriving at an approximate total cost for the treatment including accommodation and travel will mean that you will be able to decide whether going abroad really will save you money. Focussing only on the advertised price of the treatment will not tell you the whole story. There is too much variation in price and in what is included. Take a look at our IVF cost calculator which might help you.
We have detailed information on fertility clinics in Europe which may help with planning your IVF treatment costs abroad.
What egg donation treatment costs may be included?
Costs may include the first consultation, donor medication and monitoring, donor egg retrieval, IVF with ICSI usually performed, culture to the blastocyst stage, embryo transfer, freezing and storage of surplus embryos, and recipient medication and scanning. The list is not extensive, and other IVF procedures may also be charged.
Can egg donation package prices be compared directly?
Not necessarily. Clinics may advertise egg donation prices, but their packages can be very different. You cannot make a like-for-like comparison based only on the advertised price.
Research is required to determine what you may actually need to spend.
Are additional IVF procedures always essential?
No. Embryo monitoring, PGS and assisted hatching are not always essential. Learning more about them may help you make an informed decision about whether you should use them if they are discussed during your treatment.
How many trips are usually required for egg donation treatment?
Usually, only two trips will be required. The first is for the initial consultation, tests, sperm freezing and discussion of the donation programme. The donor-matching process will also begin during this stage. This visit can usually be completed in one day.
The second trip is for the embryo transfer, and usually a two-night stay is all that is required. However, you may need to stay longer if your airline does not fly to the destination every day.
Why is the advertised treatment price not enough?
The advertised price does not show the whole cost because clinics vary considerably in what they include and what they charge separately.
Calculating the approximate total cost of treatment, accommodation and travel will provide a better basis for deciding whether going abroad may save you money.
