IVF Abroad

[SLiath]

Hi everyone, I have just decided to take the leap and start IVF abroad, most likely Spain. The cost is extremely important to me so I am a little disappointed at the lack of transparency around pricing. Can anyone let me know if they had IVF in Spain using their own eggs. Also, is the medication extra usually? if so what is the average price of meds in Spain. I understand its circa £1500 in the UK if you go for one of the cheaper suppliers like Asda. Does that sound about right? Thank you all in advance for any light you can shed :)

I am with IVF-Life in Alicante and using a donor embryo, but I would imagine the pricing arrangements are similar, you will need to pay for your own medication on top. You will also need to pay for your own scans, such as a mammogram and uterine lining scans, and they charged me for blood tests, but these are cheaper at my clinic than in the UK.

I found out (the hard way) to ONLY buy the minimum of medication while you are in Spain before returning home. So after your first FET just buy enough for 10-14 days, ie, enough to take you to your test day. For my first round I bought everything there for 3mo of medication after my transfer, and it was around £600 (this does not include medication for egg retrieval so it will be more for you). But I found out later that it's cheaper in the UK, so second time around I asked my local GP to write me a private prescription to save money.

Your official contract should spell it out very clearly what's included and what is not. I would recommend to take a trip over for a few days and have initial consultations with all the clinics you like, they are often free or fairly inexpensive. They'll then send you the paperwork and you decide whether to go ahead.

@SLiath hiya not sure if you have already gone to Spain but if not yet I would recommend you look at Greece. They are pioneers in IVF so it's not just a case going there because it's cheaper. It is cheaper than the UK and so is the medication and the clinics are beautiful with a personalised treatment with your doctor rather than the UK where you get seen only by whoever is on duty on the day. My first 2 rounds in the UK failed and I had a horrible experienced. My 3rd try was in Greece and was successfully intact out of the 3 of us the doctor saw that day for embryo transfer myself and another lady where positive. I don't mnow what happend with the 3rs as she could have just gone a different time for her check up but 2 out of 3 is amazing. Unfortunately I miscarried at6weeks so have started my 4th round in Greece again and feel so positive that am not just a number to my doctor.

Thank you @Vallef I will be travelling to
Spain next week to start my treatment. Best wishes for your 4th round.

@SLiath good luck as well hun it's exciting at the start of a cycle keep in touch :) am going for transfer on Thursday my bloods and scan showed a gd endometrium thickness!

Hello @Vallef can I ask what clinic in Greece you're with? I have been looking into U.K. clinics but exploring all options. Thanks x

Hi @smashedbanana so the doctor is called Dr Mastrominas and he is very well known in Athens. I have attached his links below. He was recommended by 3 different people who were struggling and had various cycles at other clinics some of which were UK residents and some who were Greece residents. We thought we would try him given how much we heard. He is a director for 2 major clinics so he is worth it. I did my 3rd cycle with him and was successfully for the 1st time but unfortunately I miscarried at 6 weeks shortly after returning to the UK. I am now back to try again. If you need more details like pricing and such PM me but based on my 3 experiences in the UK I just woulndt do it again it was expensive impersonal and stressful. Being here I have seen so many people visit his clinic from UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland and it just can't be a coincidence!

https://www.facebook.com/Dr.MinasMastrominas

www.linkedin.com/in/dr-minas-mastrominas-md-a79bab58

Thanks @Vallef super useful. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss and which you all the luck for your next cycle x

@smashedbanana thank you :) am doing the transfer on Thursday so feeling so nervous! The 2 week wait is more horrible than all the medication and internal scans. But it will be worth it all it takes is the one to stick. Have you had any cycles yet? Where bouts r u in the UK x

@Vallef stay positive! I'm sure it'll go well for you. No, trying to conceive for over 2 years and only just coming to terms with ivf, been put off in the past but local clinics who just seem like sales people so exploring different options...
good luck for Thursday ❤️ two week wait is always sooo challenging, never seem to get easier even after all this time of trying xx

@smashedbanana thank you!! I just feel so nervous for tomorrow I absolutely hate the 2 week wait

@Greenlee you mentioned your GP prescribed your meds for IVF abroad. How easy was that?

Hi @SLiath just came across your post and wondered if you went on with the treatment in Spain? I'm starting my IVF with Tambre end of this month. 🤞

Hi! Yes I did. I went to Instituto Bernebeu. I have just returned back home after having a hysteroscopy to remove a polyp. We haven’t done implantation yet. I’m very happy with the treatment I have received so far

@SLiath hope you can start soon. We visited Instituto as well and they were very professional, it was a difficult decision to choose between the clinics.x