Fertility treatment is the medication and procedures undertaken by couples to help them become pregnant and investing in tests to establish fertility and in assisted reproductive technology can become very expensive indeed. Not surprisingly, many couples are considering fertility treatment abroad.
Turkey has particular expertise in the complex area of fertility, offering a solution for female patients in their late thirties who face a long waiting list or are unable to afford private IVF treatment in their home country. Fertility treatment in Turkey is undertaken by experienced European (or American) Board Certified Doctors. The Jinemed Hospital, for example, was the first IVF centre in Istanbul and is considered to be a leader in women's health with a 50-60% success rate on its IVF cycles for women under the age of 38. In Turkey patients can transfer three embryos.
IVF treatments are at least fifty per cent cheaper in Turkey - an IVF package (one ICSI cycle) costs £1,500 - or US$3,000. In the UK the cost of IVF treatment varies greatly but it can range from £1000 to £4000 per treatment cycle (and upwards) without including the cost of drugs or certain procedures like assisted hatching. In the US, an IVF cycle with ICSI is around US$10,000.
When considering treatment in Turkey - as with any treatment abroad - it is vital to get a breakdown of the expenses for the procedures from initial consultation to insemination, and to get this in writing. Also ask what the fees include, and ask about the assistant's fees, the cost of anaesthesia, charges for theatre and hospitalisation and any follow-up visits. It is also vital to check the hospital or clinic's accreditation, looking for international recognition such as ISO 9001:2000(the voluntary standardisation run by a non governmental body where hospitals must pass rigorous tests to be certified).
