Dental Treatment
Hair Transplant
Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery
Weight-Loss (Bariatric) Surgery
Eye Surgery (LASIK & Cataract)
IVF & Fertility
IVF & Fertility

IVF & Fertility Abroad: 16-Point Checklist

IVF abroad can be highly cost-effective and clinically excellent. The legal and ethical dimensions — donor anonymity, surrogacy law, embryo storage — vary dramatically by country.

Red flags — walk away if you see these
  • Headline "pregnancy rates" with no per-age live-birth data.
  • Donor matching by photo only.
  • No genetic screening on donor.
  • Pressure to transfer multiple embryos to "boost success".
  • No counselling offered or required for donor IVF.

Clinic and legal

  • Confirm the country's rules on donor anonymity, donor compensation and embryo storage.
    Different from UK HFEA framework. Get written summary.
  • Verify embryology lab accreditation (ESHRE, CAP, ISO 15189).
    Lab quality drives outcomes more than any other factor.
  • Ask for live-birth rates per age band, not just pregnancy rates.
    Pregnancy ≠ baby. Live birth is the metric that matters.
  • Confirm what happens to surplus embryos.
    Storage, donation, disposal — all need explicit consent.

Donor IVF specifically

  • Understand donor anonymity rules in the destination country.
    In Czechia and Spain donors remain anonymous; in the UK and Portugal children can identify donors at 18.
  • Donor health screening: ESHRE-compliant infectious disease + genetic panel.
    Ask for the protocol.
  • Future siblings: can you reserve the same donor?
    Important if you may want a second child.

Logistics

  • Plan for two trips (or one extended stay): stimulation + transfer.
    Some clinics offer "short protocol" — confirm clinical suitability.
  • UK GP-supervised injections during stimulation.
    Most UK GPs will support this if your clinic provides protocols.
  • Frozen embryo transfer (FET) is gentler and often more successful.
    Ask whether fresh or frozen transfer is recommended for you.
  • Counselling for donor IVF — not optional.
    A good clinic will insist on it.
Ready to compare clinics?

Use this checklist alongside our directory of clinics. Listing is not endorsement — always verify accreditation yourself.

See IVF & Fertility clinics
Other checklists

Updated 2026-05

cliniccheck does not provide medical advice. This checklist is general guidance only.

Heading abroad for treatment? Start with a checklist.

Independent, free, and written for UK patients. Use them before you pay a deposit.

Browse checklistsFind a clinic