Fertility clinics in Europe: April 2024 average price

Fertility clinics or reproductive medicine clinics, are specialized medical facilities that provide comprehensive services and treatments for individuals and couples experiencing difficulties conceiving a child. These clinics are staffed by fertility specialists, reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and reproductive disorders. Fertility clinics offer a wide range of services and procedures to help patients achieve their reproductive goals, including:

Fertility clinics offer comprehensive diagnostic testing to assess both male and female reproductive health. This may include blood tests to evaluate hormone levels, imaging studies such as pelvic ultrasound to assess ovarian function and uterine anatomy, and semen analysis to evaluate sperm quality and quantity. In practice you can send your data to a fertility Doctor that will assess your situation and you will schedule an online consultation ie through Whatsapp video. If you plan to travel to a fertility clinic abroad then you just need to do oocytes and or sperm tests in any nearby laboratory around you.

In vitro fertilization: IVF is a complex assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure that involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body in a laboratory setting. The fertilized embryo(s) are then transferred into the uterus to establish a pregnancy. IVF may be recommended for couples with infertility due to various factors, such as blocked fallopian tubes, ovulatory disorders, male factor infertility, or unexplained infertility.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI): IUI, also known as artificial insemination, involves placing washed and concentrated sperm directly into the woman's uterus around the time of ovulation to increase the likelihood of fertilization. IUI may be recommended for couples with mild male factor infertility, cervical factors, or unexplained infertility. Most people are confused between artificial insemination and ivf protocol: in 95% of case couples need to have an in vitro fertilization and not an artificial insemination!

Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation): Egg freezing is a fertility preservation technique that involves retrieving and freezing a woman's eggs for future use. This procedure may be recommended for women who wish to delay childbearing for personal or medical reasons, such as career goals, medical treatments that may affect fertility, or age-related decline in ovarian reserve.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT): PGT is a procedure performed during IVF to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities before implantation. PGT can identify chromosomal abnormalities, single gene disorders, or structural rearrangements in embryos, allowing for the selection of genetically normal embryos for transfer, which can improve the chances of a successful pregnancy and reduce the risk of miscarriage or genetic disorders. Note that gender selection or sex selection can be part of this protocol but is forbidden in most countries.

Donor egg or sperm services: Fertility clinics may offer donor egg or sperm services for individuals or couples who are unable to conceive with their own gametes due to infertility or genetic concerns. Donor eggs or sperm from anonymous or known donors are used in conjunction with IVF or IUI procedures to achieve pregnancy. Almost all fertility clinics provide egg donors programs and sperm donors program associated with your ivf protocol when it is allowed.

Fertility clinics may facilitate gestational surrogacy arrangements for individuals or couples who are unable to carry a pregnancy themselves due to medical reasons, such as uterine factor infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or medical conditions that pose a risk to pregnancy. In gestational surrogacy, an embryo created through IVF using the intended parents' gametes or donor gametes is transferred into the uterus of a surrogate mother who carries the pregnancy to term on behalf of the intended parents. Only 2% of clinics in the world are allowed to provide surrogacy services and when the legal framework allows it waiting list are huge so this is a service more and more difficult to get.

It's essential for patients to work closely with their healthcare providers to undergo thorough evaluation, receive personalized treatment recommendations, and access appropriate support and resources throughout their fertility journey.