It is interesting to compare the results in IVF and egg donation in Spain and Europe, being Spain an important country in the reception of foreign patients, especially for these 2 types of treatment, and with results above the European average.

Recording ART activity in Europe

Since 1997, a group consisting of representatives of the national registers of assisted reproduction techniques (ART), called the (EIM) (European IVF-Monitoring), analyzes and publishes the results of ART in Europe. In these 17 years of records, in Europe there have been 8.010.527 cycles and a total of 1.478.452 children born thanks to ART. The first year that these data (1997) were released 35.314 babies were born and in 2014 (published last year), this number has increased to 170.163, a 13.8% increase over the previous year. This activity has meant that, in 2014, one of every 50 children born in Europe was thanks to an assisted reproduction technique.

Results of IVF and egg donation in Europe and Spain in 2014

In July of 2018 the EIM published data concerning 2014. In this record of clinical activity 39 countries and 1279 centers participated, on a voluntary basis, adding information about 776.556 treatment cycles. Of these treatments, 146.148 were in-vitro fertilization (IVF), 362.285 IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), 192.027 were transfer with frozen embryos, 15.894 were cycles of IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis, 56.516 were egg donation and 3.404 were cycles of IVF using frozen eggs. European countries that more treatments carried out were with 109.275 Spain, Russia with 94.985, France with 90.434 and Germany with 81.177.

In Europe, the average of all countries in pregnancy rate per embryo transfer in IVF/ICSI was 35%, in frozen embryo transfer of 27%, in egg donation 50% and in IVF with devitrified oocytes of 48%. All these pregnancy rates were higher than those obtained in 2013. However, the pregnancy rate per embryo transfer varies considerably from one country to another. For example, in IVF and ICSI ranged between 17% and 53%; and for egg donation, between 15% and 66%. In Spain, all these percentages were higher than the European average, achieving a pregnancy rate per embryo transfer of 36% in IVF/ICSI, a 32% in frozen embryo transfer and 55% for egg donation. In our clinic, URH Garcia Real, data were even better, reaching 47% in IVF/ICSI, 39% in frozen embryo transfer and 64% for egg donation.

In this table you can see the compared results:

Reproductive tourism in Spain

Spain is one of the European countries where more assisted reproduction treatments are carried out. The reasons are varied. Occasionally, our legal framework allows treatments in women or couples with circumstances that are not supported in the country of origin (such as unpartnered women or lesbians). There are also economic reasons which make patients travel toward Spain, as prices in their countries of origin are much higher (as in the USA). Other treatments, such as egg donation, are performed more frequently in Spain, because they are done with  anonymous donors, which makes finding donors easier than in countries with open donation. But, in addition, it is important to stress that Spain, has results in pregnancy rates above the European average, which makes it a favorite destination for assisted reproduction treatments.

In URH Garcia of the Real, we carry out treatments to patients from several countries. After a first visit in person or via Skype, and some diagnostic tests carried out mainly in their country of origin, we analyze each case in order to offer the best possible treatment, in an agile manner, with minimum possible displacements and excellent results.   If you have any questions, you can contact us 91 740 16 90 or make an appointment for a first free consultation (also available by Skype).

Dr. Isabel Pons Mallol – Head of the IVF and Andrology Laboratory