Planning and having fertility treatment anywhere, including your home country can feel really daunting, after all it is A LOT to deal with. However, when you are considering going abroad for fertility treatment, for a lot of people (including myself back) it feels all consuming, totally overwhelming and frankly terrifying. As is often the case with big life things that we haven’t done before and that have potential risks and benefits attached to the decision made on where to have your treatment. No pressure! Hmmm.
Because going abroad for fertility treatment like IVF or donor IVF in Europe can feel so overwhelming and not easy to understand how things work I have written a step by step list of what you need to do at each stage and in order. It will give you something to work through if you are at this point and if not you will have an overview to help you understand more and see that this is totally do-able and could be an option for you to consider as well.
Get a dedicated notebook, or a Your IVF abroad planner and journal to document your research and fertility treatment abroad journey, it will also give you hints and tips about having treatment abroad to help you as you go. You can journal your thoughts and feelings along the way and it will give you a place to reflect back following your fertility treatment. Check it out here https://www.yourivfabroad.co.uk/shop
Do your research and due diligence to find a destination and clinic that is safe and meets your needs. I have written other posts in more detail about this which you can find at yourivfrabroad.co.uk/blog if you want some more information on how to do this.
After finding your best fit safe fertility clinic abroad, agree what your treatment plan is, what type of treatment you are having for example ICSI, IVF own egg, IVF donor egg, IUI, Egg freezing, what your protocol looks like, costs for treatment and when you plan to get started.
Get your fertility medication organised. This is something many people including myself have found difficult and stressful when trying to make arrangements using an overseas prescription. IVF medication can also be really expensive and since Brexit there have been lots of medication shortages too. It can also take a lot of time and back and forth when things are out of stock, or when medications have a different name in your country, causing stress and paying more than your should for your medication. To combat this I have launched a free online pharmacy service to help you to get your medication safely, quickly, without hassle and at a competitive price too. If you want to know more please copy and paste the link into your browser. It’s a quick and easy process that will give you a no obligation quote and should you go ahead and order your IVF medication and/or supplements they will be shipped securely, safely and quickly to you in temperature controlled conditions.
https://www.yourivfabroad.co.uk/online-fertility-pharmacy-service
Check your passport has enough validity to cover the treatment period and your return home, and if a visa is required.
Work out how you are going to pay for your treatment and when payment is needed so you can make arrangements. Check out credit cards with preferential exchange rates in your country to make your money stretch further.
Book in any final tests needed for treatment either at home, or at the clinic and book your monitoring scans when instructed if you are not having these all done at the clinic.
Start packing - saves time later.
When you get the go ahead from the clinic after your final monitoring scan at home then book your flights, accommodation and transfers to and from the airport - consider a taxi, uber or public transport. Do you need a fridge in your accommodation for any refrigerated medication? If so you will also need a medical grade cool bag to transport it in safely.
Ask your IVF clinic for a letter to cover you travelling with your medication and take that and a copy of your prescription/s with you through airport security with your medication in your hand luggage. I suggest you keep your medication with you at all times in your hand luggage to help prevent you from losing it or risk anything delicate breaking.
When you get to your accommodation abroad make a dummy run to your fertility clinic abroad so that when you need to go for your first appointment you know where you are going. Consider using google maps to help if you are walking, or booking a taxi or uber. Public transport may also be a good option too.
If you would like more help with planning treatment abroad please check out my services via the link below yourivfabroad.co.uk/services or drop me an email to hello@yourivfabroad.co.uk with the word ‘Blog’ and we can chat about your needs.
Emma Haslam
Co-founder, Your IVF abroad