IVF abroad - experiences

[SunsetVibe]

After 4 miscarriages and not being NHs eligible I'm looking at private IVF with PGTA. Considering doing it in Portugal as partner has family there, but wondering how much do you actually save doing it abroad.

I had a quick look at a clinic in Porto Vs a clinic in Surrey and 1) it's hard to compare as they don't always include the same expenses in a "package", and 2) at very high level I reckon it would be a matter of 1-3k difference as there are flights involved, etc.

So anyone that has done IVF abroad: where did you do it, how much do you think you actually saved in comparison to if you'd done it in the UK, and do you think it was worth the hassle of travelling and perhaps having to go back,etc.

Hi my lovely, I hear you.. it’s such a hard place to be in after multiple miscarriages, and then not even being NHS eligible on top of it. That makes every decision feel like an even bigger mountain to climb.
From what I’ve seen (and from my own cycles abroad), the headline numbers can look really attractive, but once you plus in flights, accommodation, time off work, the savings may shrink. a place to start would be having a chat with fertility mapper, they make them for free so you can speak someone about options. it is such a minefield out there in the fertility world. another thing to consider is where you wellbeing will be best , for me being away from home was such a blessing and relaxing. sending you a big hug x

@YourTwinklyBear thanks for replying. Where did you do it and how was your experience if you don't mind sharing?

I'm now looking at Prague, but there are so many options, it's really overwhelming. And yes, my fear is that with all the travelling expenses it's not really worth it going abroad after all.

Thanks for the tip, I'll look into fertility mapper for sure!

I live abroad and can give you a rough idea on costs in this area. In Spain, the treatment was about 4500€ plus medication which depends on how your body reacts more or less between €800-€1200. This price includes testing, bloods, ultrasounds, egg retrieval, sperm analysis, embryo storage for a year, all clinic appointments etc and one transfer. There were a few extra tests you could pay for like ZyMot, the camera in the incubator, and something else but we didn’t see the need in our case. Then every transfer after that is €1300 if I remember correctly. All in we spent about €8000 having 2 transfers. Another thing to look at is the technology, maybe another country is more advanced and would improve chances?
Good luck 🍀

Hi @Kaybee1989, thank you for your reply, I hope your second round was successful.

I'm now actually considering Spain because I have low ovarian reserve so looking at IB in Alicante or Tambre in Madrid as they sound experienced for my condition and I didn't have the same feeling from the clinics in Prague. They seem a little bit more expensive than Prague but if they have the expertise and technology like you say, then I prefer to pay for that.

I realised in each of my replies I say I'm considering a different country 🤣 it's all so overwhelming, since I learned I'm not eligible in the NHS 3 days ago I've been frantically googling everything and changing my course of action along the way 😆 but I think we're pretty set in Spain now 🤞🏻

If you live in Spain, what is the general feeling in the local IVF community about these 2 clinics?

I live about an hour away from Alicante. We went with one that was more local to us because for us it was male factor infertility. It was a smaller center, not a big company with lots of different centers. But I had a back up incase the ‘problem’ (I hate that word but you know what I mean) was female factor infertility, and it was a Dr. Juana Crespo in Valencia, she had so many reviews and high success rates for female factor or older ladies etc. Shes on Instagram, winning awards left right and center. I guess I’d be looking at if you can get flights into Valencia/Alicante airport direct and reasonable from your area. Sometimes the flights get less regular over winter if it’s not a major airport. Take your time, do your research, it’s okay to ping pong ideas until you find the right fit 🥰
And yes, second transfer was successful! Baby girl born 15/05/25 🩷

Hi, here’s a helpful comparison tool that lets you calculate how much you could save. https://www.fertilityclinicsabroad.com/compare-ivf-costs-and-packages/ Hope this helps