How to plan IVF treatment from abroad
One of the main questions we receive when a patient is planning on undergoing in vitro fertilisation treatment in another country is how long they’ll need to be away from home. The other question, obviously, is what country and what assisted reproduction clinic to go to.
It’s not an easy decision, as you not only need to take into account opinions about the fertility clinic, but you also need to keep in mind other important factors. Does the clinic have an international department focused specifically on international patients? What are the laws like surrounding assisted reproduction in that country? How much medical and scientific experience do the professionals at the clinic bring to the table? These are just some of the things you should consider.
Why choose Spain for your ivf treatment?
When it comes time to make this important decision you will be faced with subjective factors, as is logical, but you’ll also have to consider other objective and irrefutable factors. In this regard, it’s true that Spain is one of the countries with the most fertility clinics. This is due to Spanish legislation on assisted reproduction which is one of the most liberal and least restrictive in all of Europe. However, above all else, the significant number of fertility clinics can be attributed to the high‑ranking clinical specialisation of Spanish professionals.
If you’ve chosen Spain for treatment, the next question will be what city to go to. From our point of view, Malaga is the answer, and we’re going to explain to you why that is.
Over recent years Malaga has become one of Spain’s main destinations for tourism and medical tourism. The climate is spectacular and this city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year. Malaga is located in beautiful southern Spain, in Andalusia, and is perfectly connected to other destinations thanks to its international airport and high-speed train. Malaga is known for being the capital of the Costa del Sol and offers its visitors extraordinary culture and cuisine. Additionally, Malaga’s location makes it easy to travel to other incredible cities in Andalusia such as Granada, Cordoba and Seville.
At the Centro Gutenberg Assisted Reproduction Unit our adventure in Malaga began just two years after the first baby in Spain was born thanks to IVF. Just two years after our clinic was founded we achieved our first pregnancy: this accomplishment was in 1989 and it represented the first baby born thanks to IVF in the province of Malaga, the second in Andalusia and the sixth in Spain.
Since then, and up until today, URE Centro Gutenberg is the fertility clinic with the highest number of treatments per year in the province of Malaga. We are proud of our journey as a fertility clinic and everything we’ve achieved encourages us to continue improving, as we feel that there is still so much more we have to offer.
What will your ivf treatment at URE Centro Gutenberg be like?
Are you convinced? If so, now we’d like to explain what your fertility treatment will be like with us in four simple steps.
- Your first consultation is free – remotely or in person, however you prefer -, with a medical specialist. This first consultation will last for approximately one hour: the doctor will review your medical history, family history, reproductive history, past and current illnesses, etc. If you’ve undergone fertility treatment in the past or have already done some preliminary fertility tests, we’ll ask you to send us or bring us all of this information. This will help the doctor to obtain a comprehensive view of your medical history and, as a result, make a proper diagnosis.
- Your arrival to Spain and appointment at our clinic. During this consultation the doctor will perform a complete gynaecological exam and, if necessary, an andrology exam on the male patient as well. To complete the diagnosis we will also assess sperm quality by carrying out a sperm analysis. This test can be done on the same day as the first consultation or at a later date. Male patients can even do the sperm analysis in specialised laboratories in their country of residence if they prefer.
- Beginning assisted reproduction treatment. Once all of the testing has been completed and the medical team has made a final diagnosis, it will be time to plan your treatment. During this step we will provide you with all the necessary information and we will carefully explain the medication to be used, the number of times you’ll need to come to the clinic, how the procedure is performed, etc. You’ll be accompanied by our specialists at all times so that no question is left unanswered.
- The return home and Beta-hCG pregnancy test. Once treatment has successfully been completed you’ll need to wait for a few days until a pregnancy can be confirmed and so that we can see how the Beta-hCG value is developing. You won’t need to be in Malaga for this step of the process as this test can be done in your country of residence.
How long will you need to be away from home?
The answer to this question can vary greatly as it depends on several factors. The main one is the type of fertility treatment you will undergo, and the second one is the type of tests you will need to do prior to starting treatment. One example is a diagnostic hysteroscopy if we suspect that there may be an issue in the uterus that will need to be corrected before starting treatment.
If your first consultation is in person, however, there will be some advantages such as being able to undergo any analyses or diagnostic testing at our Unit without needing to go to a specific external laboratory. You can also obtain the medication you’ll need for treatment and take it back to your home country with you.
Although none of the following is written in stone due to the fact that each case is different and we must personalise each patient’s treatment, speaking in general we can say that:
- For in vitro fertilisation treatment using own eggs you should plan on about 16-18 days minimum in Malaga. In special cases, although it’s not advisable, we can reduce the amount of time you need to be in Spain to about 11-12 days if you begin the ovarian stimulation in your country.
- For in vitro fertilisation with donor eggs, or egg donation, the average amount of time patients need to stay in Malaga is about 6 to 7 days.
- For treatments such as egg freezing or embryo freezing, the length of the patient’s stay would be similar, normally about 5 to 6 days.
- Finally, in the event that a patient will only be undergoing a frozen embryo transfer, the minimum stay is just 2 to 3 days.
Do you need help planning your trip?
We’re aware that many questions can arise when planning a trip abroad, and even more so when the person is travelling to another country for something so important. That’s why URE Centro Gutenberg is committed to helping you from the moment you contact our assisted reproduction clinic.
From our International Patient Services Department we’ll be happy to help assist you with anything you need to plan your trip to Malaga from the very first visit until the end of your treatment. This means, in the event that you need it, any help we can give you to arrange your trip: accommodations, transport services, car rental, etc.
Additionally, remember that at URE Centro Gutenberg we’re here for you 365 days a year during extensive working hours, so you’ll never have any trouble getting in touch with us.
Have we convinced you? Great! The last step is to take the first step and request an appointment with us. We’re waiting for you!