More U.S., French Couples Traveling Abroad For Cheaper Fertility Treatment

Main Category: Fertility
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 01 Feb 2007 - 15:00 PDT

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Many U.S. women are traveling abroad for cheaper fertility treatments, while many French couples are seeking more accessible egg donors abroad, the AP/North County Times reports. In France, fertility treatment is available at no cost; however, the government has taken a "firm ethical stance" by banning payment for eggs, which has contributed to a "severe shortage" of egg donors and an average five-year backlog at fertility clinics in the country, the AP/Times reports. In 2004, only 144 women donated eggs in France, according to the government's Biomedicine Academy. The large demand for egg donors led to the creation of organizations in France that help couples contact and connect with foreign fertility clinics for a small fee, according to the AP/Times. Many women residing in the U.S. also are using these organizations to connect with clinics in Spain and Greece, where the costs for treatment can be just 10% of the treatment costs in the U.S. According to the AP/Times, fertility clinics in Belgium, Spain and Greece advertise on the Internet boasting large donor pools and competitive rates to "court" women from France and the U.S. According to an Associated Press survey of about 20 fertility clinics in Greece and Spain, more than 2,000 women traveled to the two countries in 2005 for treatment, paying between $3,300 and $8,000. In addition, some couples who are looking for black donors are traveling to clinics in Burkina Faso and Cameroon, the AP/Times reports. Some experts say that potential egg buyers should be careful about the sources of eggs. "Women need to do a little checking into the background of the donor" because some people "misrepresent themselves to brokers" and some brokers "don't do a thorough job checking their donors," Arthur Caplan, professor of bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, said, adding, "We see a wide variability in success rates, which aren't always explained to customers" (Withrow, AP/North County Times, 1/27).

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