Healthbolt Travel: Food, Culture, and IVF too.
Most people don’t travel overseas to get pregnant. In fact, many young people live in fear of getting pregnant while having fun on their overseas adventures.
But for a growing number of people, the only reason they are even going overseas is to get pregnant.
They are on ‘IVF Vacations’, heading for fertility clinics in places like the Czech Republic, Korea, Barbados, Israel, and Thailand.
Turns out that even when you add in the cost of travel and accommodation, the price of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in many foreign countries is much cheaper than in the USA. Plus many of the women turned down for IVF therapy in the United States because of their advancing age are finding overseas clinics much more willing to treat them.
There are, however, some downsides as this interesting Wall Street Journal article points out…
“Treatments can take four to five weeks — too long for many couples to take a break from their regular lives. It might not be possible to find medical practitioners who speak fluent English, though some of the travel firms also provide translation services. And while medical standards are high in many countries, regulations can vary, including rules for screening egg donors, leaving it to patients to do due diligence. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration regulates egg-donor screening, though some states set stricter standards.”
But regardless of these problems, heading overseas for IVF therapy is becoming an increasingly popular option - so much so that specialized travel services are popping up to help people arrange these ‘IVF Vacations.’
Anyone considering this option really needs to do their research carefully. It’s important that the standards, practices, and success rates of any clinic they are considering are fully checked out (an important consideration wherever the clinic is - stateside or overseas). Make sure the hospital/clinic is accredited with the Joint Commission International or MEDEX. And it’s probably a good idea to get in contact with others who have gone through the process and get a personal account of the experience.
Hopefully, those who choose an ‘IVF Vacation’ will end up on a trip that lasts a lifetime.
Further reading:
U.S. Women Crossing Globe for Fertility Help
‘Baby Vacation’ Offers Alternative for Childless Couples.
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POSTED IN: A Mother's Wisdom, Health, How To, Medicine, Misc., Morning News, Travel, Treatment
1 opinion for Healthbolt Travel: Food, Culture, and IVF too.
Health Value Travel
Apr 18, 2008 at 3:44 am
I heard about the ‘Medical Tourism’ since, now it is a very popular terminology. After reading your Article, I came to the conclusion that ‘IVF Vacations’ is also as popular term as ‘Medical Tourism’ infact ‘IVF Vacations’ is part of the ‘Medical Tourism’. Health Value Travel is a growing global phenomenon that is helping to reshape the larger health care industry.
Thanks for the Article.
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