Spain is a popular country for assisted reproduction due to several factors, one of which is price, but how much does an IVF cycle actually cost here?
Spain is one of the leaders in assisted reproductive technology in Europe and also has one of the most advanced legislations, making it a popular choice for both couples and single women.
According to the Spanish Fertility Society, Spain receives around 40 percent of European fertility tourism and 15 percent of all IVF treatments in Europe are carried out here, far exceeding that of France or Germany.
IVF cycles and babies born by reproductive techniques now account for 12 percent of all national births in Spain too, according to reproductive clinic Instituto Bernabeau.
Other than technology and progressive legislation, one attractive factor of IVF in Spain is cost.
The latest estimates suggest that between 20,000 and 25,000 patients travel from the U.S. each year in search of assisted reproductive treatments, and many do so because of the lower costs. More British patients also travel to Spain for fertility treatment than to any other country in Europe.
According to CNY Fertility, the average cost of one complete IVF cycle in the U.S. is around $20,000–$25,000 USD, but can exceed $30,000 USD depending on the clinic, while in the UK the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) says one cycle of IVF in the UK costs £5,000 GBP on average.
Prices vary a lot depending on your clinic and your individual situation, but according Reproduccion Asistida ORG, the average cost of one IVF cycle in Spain ranges from €3,500 to €5,500.
READ ALSO: What are the rules on IVF in Spain?
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It’s worth keeping in mind that there are different types of IVF cycles and each one of those has a different cost, so it will depend on what you need. Here is a breakdown of some of the various costs according to Reproducción Asistida ORG.
The €3,500–€5,500 estimate is typically when couples use their own eggs and sperm. Remember you will also have to add on an extra €1,000 approximately for fertility medication, which is not covered by the clinics. These can be purchased at local pharmacies in Spain with a prescription from your clinic, but may need to be ordered a few days in advance.
IVF with sperm donor – The use of donated sperm only increases the cost of IVF treatment slightly. It varies between €3,900 and €5,900.
IVF with egg donor – Prices for egg donation greatly and depends on many different factors, but hover between €4,500 and €9,000.
IVF with double donor – If both the man and the women needs gametes donated because they can’t use their own, the average price will be around €5,000-€9,500.
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It’s important to be aware that there are many other costs involved with IVF, on top of a straight IVF cycle, which are not included in these averages. This could include medical tests, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) on the embryos, freezing embryos, or transferring embryos you already have frozen.
While not all of these are necessary, some will be such as sperm analyses and blood tests at a minimum.
Some clinics have cheaper prices for residents than for non-residents, while LGBTQ+ patients and those who have undergone cancer treatments can also sometimes benefit from discounts, depending on the clinic. It’s worth asking about your specific situation before you commit to anything.
If you’re coming from abroad to do an IVF cycle in Spain, you’ll of course have to add on extra costs including accommodation and transport, so you’ll need to work out with all of that if it’s still more affordable than costs back in your home country or not.
It’s worth noting that most of the major reproductive clinics in Spain have English speaking staff, so it’s not necessary to learn Spanish before you arrive, although some basic phrases will of course help.
