Taking the decision to self-fund fertility treatment is a big step but making the decision to travel abroad takes careful planning and preparation. It has been a frustrating past year for those wishing to travel abroad to Europe and further afield for IVF treatments. The attraction of travelling abroad for treatment is that the costs are lower and the availability of treatments, such as egg donation, can be easier to access.
The Coronavirus pandemic has severely restricted foreign travel and many people have been paralysed by the changeable travel and quarantine rules. Traditionally the popular European destinations for fertility treatment are Spain, Greece, the Czech Republic and Cyprus. As travel restrictions look set to continue through the summer and into the Autumn, many seeking treatment abroad may have their plans curtailed.
The current restrictions have been a real barrier to patients travelling as the UK government currently advises against all but essential travel. IVF treatment is not classed as essential travel so those looking at overseas fertility clinics must isolate and quarantine, making it very difficult to achieve. As time ticks on the biological clock does too, and many people find themselves frustrated by the impact this additional time might be having on their chances of IVF success.
Just this week in the BBC News a couple from Rhondda in Wales, who won a free cycle of IVF at a fertility clinic in the USA have been describing the “heart-break” of continuously having their travel plans disrupted and fearing their chances may be slipping away. It is such an emotional and difficult journey and the feeling of hopelessness that many describe is just being exacerbated by the current travel restrictions.
Despite all of this though Total Fertility has seen a significant appetite for travelling abroad for fertility treatments. During the pandemic the number of visitors exploring their fertility clinic options in Europe on Total Fertility pages has increased dramatically. People have found that booking travel is now much cheaper than it ever was and there appears to be a surge of people keen to get started with treatments. As restrictions ease it is very likely that we will see a strong return to fertility travel.
The key to embarking on fertility treatment abroad is careful planning. Take some time to look at some of the IVF clinics in Europe where treatment is accessible.
Total Fertility Team