Affordable IVF abroad in the Czech Republic

According to a recent survey, around 1 in 3 fertility patients in the UK consider having treatment abroad. The primary reason was the lower cost. In another research study, 76% of respondents also said the cost of private IVF treatment in the UK was too high. Other factors driving people abroad were barriers to free treatment on the NHS, shorter waiting times abroad, and better access to egg donors.

Precise statistics are hard to find for cross border reproductive care, often called fertility tourism. However, it’s estimated that, globally, 20,000 to 25,000 patients travel abroad for fertility treatment. Across Europe, around 5% of all fertility treatments involve cross-border patients. From the UK, 1 in 3 fertility patients consider fertility abroad. In another UK study, 44% of respondents said they had been abroad for treatment and 93% said they would consider it.        

Prices vary, depending on clinic and location. Research in 2024 from Queen Mary University in London found that the average cost of IVF treatment in the UK was £11,950 per cycle. Self-funded IVF treatment on the NHS cost an average of £6,990. Treatment at purely private clinics cost an average of £12,977. Patients reported a lack of transparency by some UK clinics about treatment options and pricing.        

The price of IVF treatment abroad varies by country and clinic. According  to Fertility Road, a basic IVF cycle in the EU costs between 2,500 and 5,500 euros. For donor eggs, the range is 5,000 to 8,000 euros. Prices at the lower end are typically found at clinics in the Czech Republic, Poland and Greece. Prices at the top end tend to be found at clinics in Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. 

The lower cost of living in the Czech Republic is the main reason for its affordable fertility clinics. There are around 50 of them, and they compete nationally and internationally for patients. The plentiful supply of egg and sperm donors is also a factor in the country’s competitively priced fertility market. National schemes allow good access to Czech clinics by its citizens; this contributes to the low-cost environment.

The cost of a standard own-egg IVF cycle at Reprofit, including general anaesthesia, STD testing and cryopreservation of up to four embryos for one year, is 3,805 euros. This is almost £9,000 cheaper than the average cost of a funded IVF cycle in the UK (£11,950). Even after estimated medication, travel and accommodation costs, and our agency fee, you’re likely to save at least £5,000. 

A donor-egg cycle at Reprofit, including cryopreservation of up to four embryos, is 5,925 euros. At one London clinic, a donor-egg cycle is £14,480 – over £9,000 more expensive. A clinic in a national UK chain charges over £15,000 – over £10,000 above  the price of our Czech clinic. A third clinic charges over £10,000. Factoring in estimated travel, accommodation and medication costs, and our agency fee, you’re likely to save between £3,000 and £8,000.            

Treatment with frozen donated embryos costs 1,680 euros per embryo – or 2,975 euros per embryo with genetic testing. Information on pricing and availability for donor-embryo treatment in hard to find on many UK clinic websites. However, one UK  chain charges over £5,500 per donor embryo – £4,000 more than Reprofit. Taking into account your estimated travel, accommodation and medication costs, and our agency fee, you’ll save at least £3,000 by going abroad for your treatment.

A frozen embryo cycle (FET) is 800 euros at Reprofit. We compared this to two UK fertility providers. A clinic in London charges £2,550 – almost £2,000 more. A clinic chain charges around £3,000. Even with the cost of travel, accommodation and medication, and our agency fee, you’ll pay at least £1,000 less on an FET cycle compared to UK clinics.        

Success rates are often calculated and presented differently, depending on the country and clinic. An important survey of over 1,000 European fertility clinics offered some insights. For IVF/ICSI cycles, live birth rates for patients under 39 were generally between 20% and 30%. For fresh donor-egg cycles, live births averaged 30.7%. These figures are broadly in line with UK fertility clinic figures from the same year. However, some clinics reported better success rates than the UK. 

IVF success rates at Czech fertility clinics are consistently good. The EIM/ESHRE study shows an average pregnancy rate per embryo transfer of 32.1% for IVF treatment. For donor-egg cycles, the pregnancy rate is 42.2%. Breaking this down by age group, the pregnancy rate for IVF cycles was 29.7% for patients under 34 and 21.6% for patients aged 35 to 39. For donor-egg cycles, the pregnancy rate was 42% to 44%, depending on patient age.    

IVF success rates at Reprofit show a clinical pregnancy rate of 43.9% for patients under 35, and 34.4% for patients aged 35 to 39. For frozen cycles after IVF, the pregnancy rate is 51.1% for patients under 35 and 47.5% for patients aged 35 to 39. The clinical pregnancy rate for donor-egg cycles is 57.2%. All figures are higher than the average pregnancy rates of all Czech clinics.

There are no waiting times for treatment. Once all pre-treatment tests are completed, we can usually arrange your trip for 6 to 8 weeks later. Our agency can also jump the clinic queue for egg donors, allowing our UK donor-egg patients to have their treatment even quicker. In some cases, based on patients’ bleed patterns, you can be at the clinic within three weeks of medical approval.

The legal aspects of your care are covered by your contract(s) with the clinic, national and EU laws. Single women and same-sex couples cannot currently be treated at Czech clinics. The maximum female age for treatment is 48 years + 364 days. Donors are anonymous. Gender selection is rarely allowed. Whatever treatment you have, Czech law (and most other national laws) recognise patients as the legal parent(s) of the child.      

Czech fertility clinics are advanced and well regulated. Stringent national and EU laws apply to clinics. Czech clinics are licensed and monitored by an organisation called  SUKL. It ensures clinics are regularly assessed for their management, staffing, equipment, treatment of donors and quality of service. Many Czech clinics, including Reprofit, are  ISO-certified, which underpins the high quality of care they offer.                                   

Yes, our Czech clinic has an excellent supply of donors. There’s no wait for egg and sperm donors, unlike many clinics in the UK. The availability and range of donors ensures a close donor match for most patients. The clinic also has a good range of frozen donated embryos. Donor gametes are never imported: the clinic recruits young, healthy donors from the Brno area. All are compensated for donating and rigorously screened.                     

Donor matching begins with the completion of our donor-matching forms. We also use photos of donor recipients to help in the matching process, which is done by the clinic. Donors are Czech citizens, and often Brno students. You’ll always be offered the closest possible match. An alternative donor, or donors, can be offered if you are unhappy with your first donor offer – but most patients are.           

There are direct flights from the UK to Brno and nearby airports. While travelling to the Czech Republic for your fertility treatment may seem daunting, you’ll be informed well in advance when and how to book your flights and accommodation. Patients start their medication before their trips and continue it afterwards. An IVF trip is typically 10 days. For donor eggs, it’s one week. For donor embryos, it’s just a two-day visit.                 

Yes, travelling abroad for fertility treatment can be called a fertility holiday or vacation. Other terms used are fertility tourism, reproductive tourism and cross border reproductive care. Patients often report that, while their treatment is never far from their minds, travelling to another country  can be an enjoyable experience. A study from De Montfort University found that most patients had a positive experience when visiting an overseas clinic.             

Your IVF Journey has been the exclusive UK agency for the Reprofit clinic in Brno for over 12 years. Our clients regularly provide positive feedback about our service. We offer a deeper level of personalised care and support and are ex-patients of the clinic ourselves. We combine friendly and efficient treatment coordination with pragmatic advice at every stage.