According to the Spanish Fertility Society, in 2015, 12,070 treatments were performed on foreign patients in Spain, of which more than half corresponded to cycles with egg donation.
Malaga province is becoming one of the most important destinations in the so-called “reproductive tourism” because what attracts our latitudes increasingly to more couples with infertility problems are not museums or the sun and beaches, but the quality of care of medical professionals in the assisted reproduction sector, as well as an advanced and modern legal framework. In Ovoclinic there is an exclusive department for them, the International Department, which serves patients from both ‘neighbouring’ countries such as Italy or the United Kingdom to others from as far away as Australia or South Africa.
The age at which women have their first child is getting later. This sociological trend, in which Spain is second in Europe behind Italy, is a constant worldwide. This is the main reason for the rise of assisted reproduction techniques, which year after year see their numbers increase. According to the 2015 Activity Register of the Spanish Fertility Society (the last published to date), in that year more than 12,000 in vitro fertilization treatments were performed on foreign patients in our country. 53% of these cycles were with donor eggs, which is by far the most demanded technique by these patients.
The treatment care and professionalism, what foreign patients value most
The most quoted reasons by international patients to come to our country have to do with the Spanish legality related to assisted reproduction, more advanced and flexible than those of their countries of origin. For example, in places like France or the United Kingdom, gamete donors are not anonymous, while in others, as in the case of Arab countries, egg donation treatments are directly illegal. Another factor they value very positively is the quality of care, which leads them to attempt treatments that haven’t obtained results in their home country, in Spain. These two reasons, together with the much more affordable prices of these techniques and the great variety of choice of clinics, explain the rise of foreign patients in these types of treatments.
The stay of these patients on the Costa del Sol is around 5 days, depending on the technique to be applied and the leisure plans they have. Once the treatment is finalized, the patients follow the pregnancy in their home country, since it will develop as a natural one would.
The valuable work of the International Department
The International Department of Ovoclinic is, on many occasions, who organize the trip for patients coming to the Costa del Sol in search of their dream of parenthood. Formed by British, Italian and Moroccan staff, patients can always count on them to translate explanations into their own language and accompany them throughout the process: gynaecological visits, consultations with the medical team by Skype prior to the trip, tests and examinations … Until the moment of the embryo transfer in the operating room. Their contact begins even before their visit to the clinic: hotel reservations, leisure and restaurant recommendations, sightseeing … Everything to make their stay during treatment as pleasant as possible.
Ovoclinic has received patients from as far away as Australia, Canada, United States, Gabon or South Africa as well as others from closer countries, such as Italy, France, United Kingdom, Morocco, Switzerland or Germany. Many of them return home with the best possible souvenir: a long-desired pregnancy.
