Going overseas

I've been to the Central London support group for Infertility Network UK tonight, talking about fertility treatment overseas. It's a subject that always generates so much interest, whether you're keen to travel for treatment yourself or are convinced that it is all some kind of dubious exploitative racket.

We did a survey for Infertility Network UK a while back on this very subject, and found that 3/4 of those who responded were interested in travelling overseas for fertility treatment. Of those who'd been abroad already, the vast majority had been really happy with the clinic and the treatment. However, there are always stories about dubious clinics and unethical practices which it can be impossible to prove, or to categorically deny.

The thing that emerged most clearly from the survey was the importance of thorough research - talk to people, check out as much as you can online, try to find others who have been to the same place. It does seem that if you choose the right place, treatment overseas can be a wholly positive experience, but if you jump in too quickly, you may find all kinds of problems you hadn't anticipated.

Unregulated clinics

I've been reading about some fascinating Canadian research which calls for fertility clinics in Latin America to be regulated. Apparently, more and more fertility clinics are opening up in developing countries, where it is possible to offer treatment at relatively cheap rates. In order to make things easier for overseas patients, the clinics offer package deals which include travel, accommodation and treatment, allowing patients to have a "holiday" along with their IVF. The problem with the plethora of new clinics is that no one can be entirely sure of the standards they adhere to.

This can be a particular problem for patients travelling for treatment from the UK. Here. all fertility clinics offering IVF are tightly regulated and monitored, and it is easy to assume that clinics overseas must have the same rules and ethics. This is why it is so important to do your homework when you're looking for a fertility clinic abroad.

If you're interested in the Canadian research, you can find details on the University of Montreal website. You may also be interested in coming along to The Fertility Show where I will be giving a presentation on treatment overseas.