IVF in Spain: World-Class Fertility Care Without Borders

In the UK, beginning your IVF journey can feel like a daunting task, with long waiting lists if opting for the NHS route or the huge costs that come with choosing to go private. However, in 2025, the best start to your fertility journey may not be located in your country, but by taking a flight!   

Did you know Spain is one of the most trusted countries in the world for IVF treatment using your eggs? With over 300 fertility clinics located around the country, Spain accounts for 15% of all IVF treatments in Europe. 

But why are people having IVF in Spain? And how are clinics keeping up with this demand? Female Health & Fertility will answer these questions, breaking down the reasons why, and hear from one of the leading fertility clinics in Alicante, UR Vistahermosa, on how they help patients achieve their dreams of starting a family. 

Reasons Patients Go Abroad for IVF with Their Own Eggs

Although in the UK you can access IVF on both the NHS and through private fertility clinics, long waiting lists and rising costs to access IVF have turned many away from these usual routes, and many have started looking at an international option.

Some of further reasons that we have found patients are going abroad include: 

• Better success rates than in their home country: Continental Europe has become a popular option for many starting their IVF treatment due to offering less waiting time and higher success rates. UR Vistahermosa, a popular fertility clinic in Spain used by UK patients, has been ensuring this by using preimplantational genetic testing. This allows them to identify which embryos have the highest potential before transfer, avoiding multiple embryo transfers that would have never resulted in a pregnancy. This improves  success rates and reduces emotional and physical stress for the patient.
• Faster access: As mentioned above, one of the biggest problems in the UK for those seeking IVF (especially via the NHS) is the long waiting times. This means women seeking the procedure may miss their opportune period (with pregnancy getting harder after 35). It has led many to look at alternative options abroad, with some Spanish clinics having shorter wait times.
• More personalized care and continuity of contact: Many international clinics offer extensive care plans from the first initial contact, help with travel, and support finding a place to stay, while offering counseling and support after treatment, to ensure the process and potential pregnancy is as easy as possible. For example, UR Vistahermosa offers multidisciplinary teams made up of gynaecologists, embryologists, geneticists, andrologists, anaesthesiologists, psychologists, nursing staff, and clinical assistants to ensure that each stage of the treatment and care is personalized for each patient. 
• More transparent and flexible costs: Although access to IVF is offered on the NHS, many in the UK opt for a private route to bypass the long waiting times. Unfortunately, this financial aspect of going private can then lead to many having to wait or being unable to afford a UK fertility clinic. This has led many to look towards different countries due to their lower costs and easy access. For instance, in Spain, the cost for an IVF with your own eggs program ranges from €3,600 to €6,700. This price bracket is competitive when compared to other European countries and the United States, making Spain an attractive option for many. 
• A peaceful and positive environment to undergo treatment: Patients who choose to use UR Vistahermosa have a support team specialized in caring for international patients, ensuring that every stage of the process is simple and clear, and there’s the added bonus of enjoying a warmer, holiday-like climate!

What To Consider Before Going Abroad For Fertility Care

It is important to note when you start your IVF journey and choose the right fertility clinic for you, that there are some potential cons to going abroad that you should consider. 

• Legal and Ethical Considerations: Depending on the country you have chosen, you may find they have legislation that prohibits surrogacy, which can limit the amount of eggs you can transfer. Or they may have legislation that limits same-sex or single parents, or women over a certain age, being able to use fertility clinics due to religious or cultural reasons. 
• Regulation and Access to Quality Donors: When choosing a clinic, you want to make sure they are recognized and in line with international and European standards, not just for the type of donors they use, but also that their treatment and practices are meeting highly regulated standards. 
• Legal Status of the Child: If you have used an international sperm or egg donor, then you may find there are also additional considerations regarding the legal status of the child. Parents may face challenges with citizenship, particularly if the laws of the home country do not easily recognize children born through international reproductive assistance. You may also find that the donor has parental rights that you hadn’t factored into before starting your journey to international IVF. 
• Potential Stress: IVF treatment can be a stressful journey, no matter if you choose to do it in your country or elsewhere. However, if you need to travel, book flights, visas, and find a place to stay before, during, and after your treatments for IVF, this can cause additional stress.

To put your mind at rest, Spain has become a popular destination for fertility treatment due to its favourable legislation and legal protection for parents (including allowing IVF treatment that can happen up to the age of 50 compared to the UK), as well as its accessibility for same-sex couples, single parents, access to sperm or egg donors, and affordability.

As stated by UR Vistahermosa: “We understand how personal this journey is. Our goal is to make you feel confident, informed, and supported every step of the way.”

Why Go To Spain For IVF? 

As mentioned above, with over 300 clinics around the country, IVF treatment has become a popular treatment in Spain, with the location leading the way as the IVF leader in Europe, outperforming the likes of France, Italy, and Germany (who, alongside the UK, make up the Top 5 countries in Europe for IVF treatment). 

But what are some of the reasons that have made Spain so popular? 

• Short Waiting Lists: Compared to other countries, Spain has a quicker waiting time for IVF treatment. 
• High Success Rate: As previously mentioned, Spain boasts some of the highest rates of success for IVF, in part due to using genetic treatment before embryo transfer to reduce the risk of negative results, as well as having access to high-quality egg and sperm donors to help those seeking IVF alone.  
• Cost-Effective Treatment: Fertility clinics in Spain have become popular because of their lower costs compared to UK and US alternatives. IVF treatment with the patient’s eggs starts from around €4,500 and often includes other services that in other countries may be charged for in addition, like some consultations, ultrasounds, bloodwork, and additional laboratory techniques.  This shows that lower costs do not equal a compromise on quality of treatment 
• Efficiency: With quick onboarding journeys from initial consultation and a Zoom call to the patient travelling for treatment, fertility clinics in Spain offer efficient care and quick treatment times. UR Vistahermosa is located in Alicante, which means the clinic is just a stone’s throw away from the airport, making travelling for IVF treatment easy and accessible. The clinic also allocates you a coordinator who will work with you to plan your trip, including flights, car transfer, accommodation, as well as coordinate with your doctors and gynaecologist during stimulation and for prescriptions. 
• Quality of Care: With extensive international teams to support onboarding and multidisciplinary support across the treatment, fertility clinics like UR Vistahermosa ensure their international patients are treated to personalized care. UR Vistahermosa also offers support during pregnancy and a 24/7 contact point so that each patient gets the best care possible. 

Choosing a Clinic For IVF in Spain

Finding the best clinic for you to go to for IVF in Spain may feel like a daunting task. You don’t just need to think about the clinic itself, but location and travel (after all, you don’t want to be battling delayed flights or traffic to get to an appointment). UR Vistahermosa has become popular not just because of their high success rates and international patient support, but because of how easy they are to reach from the UK and other destinations.

But why else have they become so popular, and what do previous patients have to say about them? Let’s dive deeper.

What makes UR Vistahermosa Different?

UR Vistahermosa is a popular choice for fertility clinics in Alicante due to having over 40 years of experience for a range of fertility treatments, and a 90% success rate for IVF treatment leading to pregnancy.

Located within Hospital Clínica Vistahermosa, a full-service hospital, the clinic has an advanced laboratory with the most up-to-date technology and equipment, on-site operating rooms, and emergency services, ensuring quality 24/7 medical care during your stay. 

They also ensure you have the maximum comfort for your egg retrieval and embryo transfer, offering patients a private suite for them and their partner so they can get the maximum comfort out of their stay. Plus, as mentioned above, a coordinator helps with the logistics of your whole trip. 

Unlike some others, UR Vistahermosa’s integrative and personalized care plan offers a comprehensive and personalized plan for your welfare. Combining conventional reproductive medicine for your IVF treatment as well as complementary therapies such as massage, yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, etc, you should feel tranquility, confidence, and security when using them as your fertility clinic for IVF in Spain.  

What services does UR Vistahermosa offer for IVF with your own eggs?

For many, Spain has become a beacon of hope for those looking for IVF treatment with their own eggs, offering safe, efficient, and high-quality care that surpasses some other countries.

At UR Vistahermosa, this high level of quality can be found from initial consultation through to the transferring of the fertilized embryos back to your womb. Recognizing that every patient is different, they offer tailored stimulation protocols for each patient depending on their medical history and needs. They work with personalized doses of hormonal medications (FSH/LH) that are then closely monitored by regular ultrasounds. 

UR Vistahermosa also offers expert advice for women of advanced maternal age to ensure a higher success rate. 

With their own genetic department located within the clinic, they can also assist in complex cases and offer parents a complete medical overview of their potential child. Patients have access to a full range of genetic testing options to ensure the health of their baby, without worrying about some of the restrictions found in other countries. Some of the most popular include PGT-A (for aneuploidy screening), PGT-M (for monogenic diseases), and PGT-SR (for structural rearrangements)

As well as a range of medical treatments and support, their care for their patients extends to the administration side, offering support with finances, from guaranteeing refunds if the treatment doesn’t work and saving packages to help with costs for their patients.  

How does UR Vistahermosa Onboard International Patients?

You will begin with an initial consultation with a doctor to see if  UR Vistahermosa’s clinic is right for you. You will then be booked in for your first in-person visit, where you will undertake tests and a gynaecology exam to understand your current ovarian reserve and create a tailored IVF treatment plan. Once everything has been confirmed, within 30-60 days (so that you can start your treatment for ovarian stimulation at home), you will then return for your second visit to have your eggs retrieved and fertilized before being returned to the womb as an embryo transfer. 

Reviews from Previous UR Vistahermosa Patients

With all of the above in mind, let’s take a look at what some previous patients of UR Vistahermosa have said about their experience. 

“From the first appointment, their service to me has been perfect. I had some trust issues, and I was worried about language misunderstandings (I am from Iceland), but their international service team was awesome. Day and night, always on a call – no matter what the issue was.” Hrefnamaria

“From the first consultation till today, we have had the utmost care and support from all the team at UR VistaHermosa. We can’t recommend these amazing people enough. Coming from the UK, we didn’t once have any fears of using this clinic in Alicante. The team gave us every support necessary and were on the end of the phone at all times (even out of hours!) They were informative, understanding, caring, kind, knowledgeable, and brilliant at what they do.” Lulu Hall

Conclusion

Although success rate is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing the right fertility clinic, understanding the costs, safety, support on offer, and the entire patient process is crucial for gaining a better understanding of which fertility clinic is right for you. 

UR Vistahermosa is a fertility clinic in Spain that has taken patient care to the next level, offering excellent care for all of their patients regardless of age, nationality, sexuality and family status. 

References: 

Alon, I., & Pinilla, J. (2021). Assisted reproduction in Spain, outcome and socioeconomic determinants of access. International journal for equity in health, 20(1), 156. doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01438-x 

Fertility Network UK. (2017). Gaps in UK Fertility Treatment Push Patients Abroad. Fertility Network UK. fertilitynetworkuk.org/gaps-in-uk-fertility-treatment-push-patients-abroad/ 

IVF Abroad. IVF Abroad, Pros and Cons Explained. Fertility Clinics Abroad. fertilityclinicsabroad.com/ivf-clinics-abroad/ivf-abroad-pros-and-cons-explained/ 

Jaspal, R., Prior, T. Denton, J. Salim, R. Banerjee, J. Lees, C. (2019). The impact of cross-border IVF on maternal and neonatal outcomes in multiple pregnancies: Experience from a UK fetal medicine service. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 238, 63-67. 

Tippett, A. (2023). Reproductive rights where conditions apply: an analysis of discriminatory practice in funding criteria against would-be parents seeking funded fertility treatment in England. Human Fertility, 26(3), 483–493. doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2022.2164746

*This is a partnered blog post sponsored by UR Vistahermosa.