Fertility Tourism / Going Abroad for Infertility Treatment

Where to Start for Information on Fertility Tourism:

• Check out the following Creating a Family radio show:

  • March 28, 2012: Legal and Immigration Issues with Egg/Sperm Donation or Surrogacy Abroad (Listen Now)

  • July 20, 2011: Surrogacy Abroad: Lower Cost but Potential Problems

  • June 15, 2011: Fertility Tourism: Cross-Border Reproductive Care (Listen Now)

  • May 20, 2009: Fertility Tourism

• Other Creating a Family Resources:

  • Creating a Family video on Fertility Tourism- Going Abroad for Fertility Treatment

  • Top Ten Tips for Finding a Reputable Infertility Clinic Abroad

  • Things to Think about Before Going Abroad for Infertility Treatment

  • Ten Questions to ask Before Deciding to Go Abroad for Infertility Treatment

  • Tips for Selecting a Fertility Tourism Concierge Service/ Reproductive Tourism Company

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Why do infertility patients go abroad for treatment?:

The primary reason is financial, although from talking with the Creating a Family community, it seems that most people don't go abroad for basic IVF. It is possible to find US infertility clinics that are more reasonably priced and the cost saving abroad, with travel factored in, is not so great. Most of the people we hear from who are considering infertility tourism are doing so for egg donation and/or surrogacy. Other reasons, people might choose to go abroad for fertility treatment are:

• Availability of treatment with little restriction on age, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, etc.

• Seeking a specific treatment/technique that might not be available in home country (ICSI, PGD, embryo cryopreservation, gender selection, etc.)

• Privacy

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Information and Resources on Fertility Tourism:

• Budgeting for Infertility by Evelina Sterling and Angie Best-Boss have a chapter on Infertility Tourism. This is a great starting place for accurate information.

• Patients Beyond Borders by Josef Woodman. Although this book contains no specific information on going abroad for infertility treatment, it is a very good primer on seeking medical treatment of all types abroad.

• The American Fertility Association offers an audio presentation with attorney Steven H. Snyder titled Fertility Tourism: Local, National and International Issues in Assisted Reproductive Law

• Important Information for U.S. Citizens Considering the Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Abroad from Travel.State.Gov includes a basic overview of citizenship requirements. Important information to consider.

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Research on Cross Border Reproductive Care:

• "The impact of cross-border reproductive care or fertility tourism on NHS maternity services" published in An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, investigates cross-border fertility treatment in high order multiple pregnancies pregnancies in a UK fetal medicine unit, recording mode of conception, country of fertility treatment and reason for non-UK treatment and fetal reduction.

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