Fertility treatment in Russia
Country profile

Fertility treatment in Russia

Russia has around 80 infertility clinics offering treatment to residents and non-residents. All assisted reproductive technologies, including laboratory manipulation of embryos, are regulated by statutes put in place by central government.

Russia is one of the few countries where surrogacy motherhood is entirely legal. It is regulated by a series of state laws; for example, the legal aspects of the surrogacy motherhood are defined by the Family Code of the Russian Federation (Paragraph 4, Article 51 and Paragraph 3, Article 52) as well as by the fundamental principles of the Law of the Russian Federation on Healthcare (Article 35) and the federal law entitled the Acts of Civil Status №143-FL (paragraph 5, Article 16).

Medical tourists wishing to take part in reproductive programs involving egg, sperm donor or embryo donation, or surrogacy, enjoy exactly the same rights as Russian citizens. A woman who is having a baby by a surrogate mother may, in accordance with the current Family Code of the Russian Federation, act as single patient, choosing to decide on the issue of paternity later at her discretion. Surrogate mothers can be women ranging from 20 to 35 years of age but they must already have a child of their own, which was born healthy. A surrogate mother must consent voluntarily to participate in the program.

ISCI

Allowed

Pre-implantation diagnosis

Allowed under licence or supervision

Micromanipulation

Allowed

Assisted hatching

Allowed

IVF surrogacy

Allowed

Cost of Fertility treatment in Russia

Average prices for IVF in Russia

Costs for treatments vary with individual clinics; the following is a rough guide based on prices quoted in January 2012.

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The Russian healthcare system

Under the old Soviet government, spending on healthcare infrastructure increased after World War II, which had hit Russia hard. More Russian men died than men from another other country during the conflict and this has had a lasting effect on the gender balance of the Russian population. There are still only 8 men to every 10 women and the slow recovery has been due in a large part to rampant alcoholism and the acceptance of smoking. Although both sexes are affected, men of working age are more likely to die of alcoholic poisoning, alcohol-related illness or cardiovascular or respiratory disease.

In the 1980s, spending on healthcare declined and the infrastructure suffered but investment since 2000 has improved facilities considerably over the whole country. Hospitals and clinics in Moscow, St Petersburg and other major cities are on a par with the best in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Russia has become a popular destination for medical tourists since about 2007, for addiction treatment and orthopaedic surgery (hip and knee replacements, for example), as well as for the full range of infertility treatments, including surrogacy.

About Russia

In terms of its land area, Russia is the largest country in the world, occupying approximately 10% of the world’s land mass. It has had a turbulent past, most recently in the 1980s and 1990s, when the former USSR broke up into several independent states, including what is now known as Russia. The country now consists of 86 different districts, provinces, republics and territories that are ruled from a central government in the capital, Moscow.

Much of Russia is a wild wilderness and the climate ranges from hot desert regions to the freezing coastline that borders the Arctic Ocean. Medical tourists are unlikely to see any of this as much of it is inaccessible due to the vast distances involved. Couples travelling to Russia for infertility treatment can take advantage of its relaxed regulations, particularly for surrogacy. Most infertility clinics are situated in Moscow, which is a fascinating city to spend time in, or St Petersburg, which is rich in culture and history.

Although in many people’s minds in the west, Moscow is the city of the cold war, it has changed rapidly and is now a vibrant and modern bustling business centre and the sixth largest city in the world. In 2011, the city boasted 79 billionaires, which was more than New York in the USA. The city is the site of Russia’s central government with the Federation Council and also the State Duma, the two chambers of the parliament. The Kremlin, the famous ancient fortress, is now a world heritage site and is home to the Russian President.

If you are travelling here for infertility treatment, it is wise to check out the weather and climate; the summers are very hot and humid, so may be more uncomfortable than this winters, which are freezing. You can expect snow between the end of November and early March. May, June and September are probably the best times to visit Moscow as the average temperatures range from 15oC to 22oC.

Places to visit in Moscow are too numerous to list. The many churches are ornate and splendid and there are also grand mosques and synagogues. The city also has a zoo, a modern business centre with high-rise blocks, government buildings, several important monuments, Red Square. You can also visit over a dozen large museums, parks and gardens, including the famous Gorky Park, and the Botanical Garden Academy of Sciences.

Transport links are good both to get to Moscow (it has five airports) and to get around Moscow with numerous rail terminals and metro stations. Shopping is good, with Russians fairly obsessed with large brands, but shops tend to blend in with their historical surroundings. The largest department store, GUM, extends down one entire side of Red Square but is anonymous, with no signs or advertising lights or banners. It is, however, one of the biggest department stores anywhere in the world, with its own cinema and skating rink.