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What To Pack For Having Fertility Treatment Abroad

emmahaslam05

Updated: Jan 21

An image of a floral suitcase packed with clothes and sunglasses
What to pack for your ivf and/or fertility treatment abroad

If you're trying to conceive and on the path to parenthood and considering, planning or about to have IVF treatment abroad, you're in the right place. 


I'm Emma Haslam, and since the birth of my son in 2018, I have made it my mission to make fertility treatment more transparent, accessible, supported and affordable. I now help people around the world just like you to find a safe, best fit clinic, have fertility treatment in Europe and achieve their dreams of starting or expanding their families. Since 2019 I have helped 100s of people around the world to navigate fertility treatment in Europe like IVF and egg donation and I am here now to help you too.


Packing for any trip can feel overwhelming, but add in the emotions and logistics of leaving home to have fertility treatment abroad, and it's a whole new ball game. It's not just about sunscreen and swimsuits anymore. Shame, I know. Packing for having your fertility treatment abroad requires extra thought and preparation, but don't worry - this is your supportive guide on what to do. 


Planning & Managing Anxieties For Your IVF Treatment Abroad

Okay, so let’s address the questions, anticipation and fears you may have, such as. What do I need to take with me?And how am I going to get there? You may never have been to this country before. It might be your first time ever travelling abroad. Perhaps you're travelling on your own. It's likely to be the first time that you've been to your chosen fertility clinic abroad in person. You'll be wondering what your accommodation is going to be like?  Will my IVF be successful? How do I travel with my fertility medication abroad?


All of these things are going to be flying around your head. So it's not just the packing, it's the travel and logistics of planning and preparing to have your fertility treatment abroad. Sometimes there's little notice of exactly when you're going to be travelling. And this can add to the anxiety and overwhelm, but there is actually quite a lot that you can get sorted in advance. You are welcome to print this off, or use this as your packing reference - alternatively, my fertility abroad treatment planner journal is available for you to purchase here which includes a list of what to pack, as well as giving you a place to store everything you need in one place, from your researching where to have IVF abroad through to choosing the best IVF clinic for you and the logistics of planning and having your treatment, plus there is a 3 month dateless calendar and a journal to document your feelings along the way.


Your Essential Packing Checklist & Travel Tips

First things first, let's talk about essentials. Think about the basics - clothes,toiletries, documentation and financial stuff. You'll also want to make sure you've got your fertility medication organised and any necessary medical supplies packed. Oh, and don't forget those comfort items that'll make you feel at home in a foreign land.


  1. Clothing: Consider the climate at your destination and pack accordingly. Oh, and if you're staying somewhere with laundry facilities, you can totally lighten your load! 

  2. Toiletries: You can decide whether to pack your go-to products, or pick them up locally when you arrive.

  3. Documentation: Make sure you have all your important paperwork, like medical records, prescriptions, and travel documents. Double-check everything! 

    1. Think about if you need any paperwork for the clinic and get that ready in advance

    2. Passport and visas - Check what is needed and have everything prepared in advance

  4. Money Matters: Bring along multiple payment methods so you have a back up and give your bank a heads-up about your travel plans.

  5. Managing Fertility Medication, Supplements & Supplies: If you're bringing along needles or refrigerated meds, plan for proper storage and have the appropriate documentation for travel. 

  6. Do an inventory of the medication that you've got before you travel. Then when you go to the IVF clinic, you can tell them how much medication you have left and with you they can work out if there is anything else you need. 

  7. Getting your fertility medication - You can get this out there in the country you are having your treatment in, or you can use something like a free online fertility pharmacy service like this introductory service here, where you can directly contact a pharmacist with your prescriptions to get a no obligation quote for all your fertility medication and supplement needs. Then if you choose to go ahead through the Pharmacist directly then you can have the medication shipped back to you at home to most places in the world, so you don't need to think about transporting it home with you. You can also save money too and the pharmacy are very competitive on items like Lubion/Prolutex, Meriofert and if you are reading this in places like America then even with shipping the costs savings you can make are huge.

  8. If you're travelling with needles, you'll need a sharps bin. If you have any refrigerated medication that needs to be kept cool, then you'll need to order a medical grade cool bag to easily transport your medication from home while travelling abroad. And again, you can do this in advance as well. Ask your clinic for a letter to travel so that it will cover the medication that you're carrying with you and any needles and take this with you through airport security.

  9. Travel Prep: Comfort Items: Don't forget to pack things that make you feel cozy and at home, like your favorite book, hot water bottle, dressing gown, fluffy socks, playlists and your netflix login.

  10. Take some time to research local attractions and plan some fun activities for when you're not at the fertility treatment clinic.


Want to learn more about how to make the logistics of travelling abroad for IVF run smoothly? Then check out my next blog post that gives you tips on how to make the logistics of travelling abroad for IVF run more smoothly.


Free Resources & Step-By-Step Guides

Want to find out more about having fertility treatment in mainland Europe?


  • Take my free quiz here and no matter where you are in the process - new to the idea, curious about, actively researching, or making plans to have fertility testing/treatment abroad it will help you! From your answers you will receive tailored feedback and suggestions based on where you are at now to help you take your next steps.

  • To help you get started, sign up to my mailing list here.


Make sure to check your spam, junk, or promo folders if you don’t receive it within a few minutes.


For more support check out my free resources below:



Your IVF abroad podcast & pick my brain call with me

  • Just search Your IVF abroad on all your usual platforms like Apple and Spotify, or you can listen here.

  • And if you need more personalised support to understand how having IVF abroad might work, so you can ask your questions to help you to  decide whether it’s right for you then consider booking a 30 minute video PICK MY BRAIN call with me.






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