Choosing a medical tourism agency to plan your fertility treatment abroad

With over 3,000 fertility clinics in operation around the world, including over 500 in India alone and over 200 in Spain, the choice of where to go for fertility treatment can be daunting. Add to this the many other aspects of your trip that need arranging, such as flights, visas, hotels and local transport, and it’s easy to see why so many people end up choosing a medical tourism agency to organise their fertility treatment abroad.

Couples have a huge number of things to consider when choosing a fertility clinic abroad. Factors such as legal issues, treatment availability, success rates, experience and expertise and many more should all form part of your decision. Things may be easier if you opt to use a medical tourism agency, but you need to choose wisely to get the agency that will provide you with the greatest benefits.

How to find a medical tourism agency

The first place to look when choosing a medical tourism agency is the internet. It is worth noting that most agencies will not list separately as IVF tourism agencies or fertility tourism agencies, but the vast majority of medical tourism agencies will cover fertility treatment amongst their services.

When choosing a medical tourism agency, it can make sense to choose one in your home country who will understand your needs as a visitor abroad. Alternatively, choosing a medical tourism agency in your destination country will give you the advantage of local knowledge. Many of the larger medical tourism agencies have branches in many countries, so they are able to provide you with the best of both worlds.

What services can a medical tourism agency provide?

Like choosing a package tour from a travel agent for your annual vacation, choosing a medical tourism agency will mean that everything is taken care of for you, including:

• Flights and airport transfers.
• Visas.
• Accommodation.
• Local trips and tours.
• Local representatives and possibly interpreters.

In addition to handling all your travel arrangements, a medical tourism agency will ensure that your fertility treatment is booked for you in advance and coordinated on your behalf by your local representative.

Many leading agencies employ case managers, who will work closely with you to help you decide on the right fertility treatment and the right fertility clinic for your individual needs. Your case manager will know the clinics that his or her company deals with very well, and will be able to give you informed advice to help you make your choice.

Advantages of using a medical tourism agency

The biggest advantage of having a medical tourism agency to make your arrangements is the access you get to their knowledge and experience. Instead of trawling through endless clinics to find the best, they will be able to recommend the best clinic for you, based on whatever criteria are most important to you. Their relationships with these clinics may mean that you will get a reduced rate or enhanced availability for your fertility treatment.

Choosing a medical tourism agency also gives you the peace of mind that you will have someone to call on to sort out any problems while you are overseas having your treatment, just like the tour rep on your summer holidays. From the initial ‘meet and greet’ at the airport, to ongoing support and advice throughout your trip, knowing there is someone who is on your side and speaks your language can give you huge peace of mind.

Another major advantage is the chance to book everything you need for your fertility treatment abroad as a single, door-to-door package. This is not only much more convenient than booking each individual element yourself, but is also easier to budget for, as you will know exactly what your trip will cost. Otherwise, it can be difficult to budget for items such as a taxi from the airport or the cost of local trips.

Donation and surrogate agencies for fertility treatment abroad

If you are planning to use donor sperm or eggs or use a surrogate mother for your fertility treatment abroad, then you may want to employ the services of a local donation agency. Not only will these services coordinate donors for you, but they will also have contacts at local clinics and be able to arrange a complete package of treatment, including the required gametes, from one single source.

Links for choosing a medical tourism agency

There are numerous medical tourism agencies available, many of whom offer fertility treatments overseas as part of their services. Here is a list of some of the leading agencies to help get you started as you begin choosing a medical tourism agency:

• USA – Med Vacation
• Greece – IVF Treatment Abroad
• ​Hungary – Smart Choice Medical Travel
• Europe – Medicare Europe
• Australia – Global Health Travel
• International – Med Journeys
• International – International Medical Evaluation and Referral