How to Decide on Fertility Tourism

 

  1. There is likely no way to verify the accuracy of the pregnancy rate statistics or multiple birth statistics of the infertility clinic in the countries most commonly used for fertility tourism.
  2. English proficiency is very helpful with not only the reproductive endocrinologist, but also the head nurse and embryologist.  Consider talking with these people (perhaps via Skype) before choosing a foreign clinic to determine their level of English proficiency.
  3. Consider using a concierge Infertility tourism service to do the leg work of checking out foreign clinics for you. See Creating a Family’s Tips for Selecting a Fertility Tourism Concierge Service/ Reproductive Tourism Company.
  4. Foreign infertility clinics often have different expectations of how much “hand-holding” and communication is required between the clinic and the patient.  American patients often expect a more service-oriented approach.  Specifically ask the references about this.
  5. If you are considering going abroad for IVF without egg donation or surrogacy, check carefully the prices of clinics in the US that specialize in lower cost IVF.  Several infertility clinics in the US have worked hard to reduce the cost of the basic IVF cycle. You might need to travel to these clinics, but at least the travel will be within the US.