Prices for in vitro fertilisation in Spain

Price of In Vitro Fertilisation in Spain

The average cost of in vitro fertilisation in Spain in Barcelona is €4,500. Depending on your needs, the price can vary from 4300 euros to 9300 euros.

MAP	Cost in Spain
IVF ICSI	4400 euros
IVF ICSI PGD	6400 euros
IVF ICSI Egg donation	5900 euros
IVF ICSI PGD Egg donation	9300 euros
IVF ICSI PGD Sperm donation	5700 euros
Sperm donation	390 euros
Oocyte vitrification	2900 euros
Artificial insemination	1000 euros
ROPA technique	5000 euros

What is in vitro fertilisation?

In vitro fertilisation (IVF ) is a complex series of procedures used to aid fertility or prevent genetic problems and help conceive a child.

During IVF, mature eggs are collected (retrieved) from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg (embryo) or eggs (embryos) are then transferred to the uterus. A complete IVF cycle takes around three weeks. Sometimes these stages are divided into different parts and the process may take longer.

Fertility centres in Spain

The fertility centres in Spain in Barcelona have a world-renowned in vitro fertilisation (IVF) programme known for its high pregnancy success rate. IVF is the most effective way for couples to achieve pregnancy when they are having difficulty conceiving.

For a pregnancy to occur naturally, sperm must travel through the uterus to one of the fallopian tubes, where they fertilise an egg. The resulting embryo must be of good quality for implantation to take place.

Although the process seems straightforward, many factors can prevent these steps from occurring, such as a low sperm count, a damaged or blocked fallopian tube, a damaged or diseased uterus, or sub-optimal egg production or quality. When sperm and egg cannot meet on their own, or egg or sperm quality is less than desired, IVF may be an option.

During IVF, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries – or donor eggs may be used – and fertilised with sperm acquired either from a partner or a donor. The resulting embryo is inserted into the uterus, where it ideally implants and creates a pregnancy.

People undergoing IVF must attend an on-site orientation session led by our nursing staff before starting treatment. Partners are also encouraged to attend this session. In addition to attending an in-person session, you can also consult our orientation programme.

Treatment	Prices
In Vitro Fertilisation (own eggs)	4400 euros
Egg donation (exclusive donor)	5900 euros
Embryoscope	360 euros
First consultation (deductible)	130 euros
Sperm freezing	200 euros

Here are the steps involved in IVF in Spain:

1. Triggering ovulation

In a typical menstrual cycle, the ovaries release an egg each month. In preparation for IVF, fertility drugs called gonadotropins are self-administered daily to stimulate the ovaries to mature many eggs during the month of the treatment cycle. If more eggs mature, more can be harvested and used. More often than not, this improves the chances of fertilisation and, ultimately, pregnancy.

2. egg retrieval (oocyte retrieval)

When the eggs, also known as oocytes, are ready to be removed from the body, a procedure is carried out at the Fertility Centre under light sedation. Using ultrasound visualisation, the doctor guides a needle through the wall of the vagina and into the ovaries. An anaesthetist is present for all procedures

Once the eggs have been retrieved, they are fertilised with sperm in the embryology laboratory. Success rates vary depending on the patient’s age, reaction to the medication and the quality of the eggs and embryos produced.

As with all surgical procedures in Spain, egg retrieval involves risks that should be discussed with your doctor.

3. Fertilisation in the laboratory

When the eggs arrive in the embryology laboratory, the laboratory technicians analyse them to determine their maturity and then place them in an incubator with an environment similar to that of the body. In most cases, the spermatozoa are combined with the eggs and fertilisation occurs naturally.

In situations where low sperm count or low sperm motility (movement) is a factor, a single sperm is injected directly into each mature egg in a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Once the egg and sperm have combined, it takes around 18 hours to determine whether fertilisation has taken place and a further 2 to 4 days to establish whether the embryo is developing optimally. Embryos usually remain in the laboratory for a total of five days.

In 80% of cases, pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) of the embryos created is carried out at this stage to assess the chromosomal integrity of the embryos created.

4. Embryo transfer

To prepare for the embryo transfer, the doctor discusses the number of embryos produced and the quality of each one. Classification is a tool used by doctors and embryologists to determine which embryos to transfer and when. One of the objectives of the Fertility Centre is to limit the number of embryos transferred in order to limit the number of multiple births. In over 60% of embryo transfers, a single embryo is placed in the uterus.

Embryo transfer in Barcelona is a simple technique, and anaesthesia or sedation is rarely required. A long, thin catheter containing the agreed number of embryos, together with a small amount of fluid, is passed through the cervix into the uterus, where the embryo or embryos are released. An abdominal ultrasound is performed simultaneously to ensure optimal placement in the uterus.

After the embryo transfer, it is advisable to limit strenuous physical activity for several days.

After an embryo transfer

Once the blastocyst embryo transfer is complete, it takes around nine days before a pregnancy can be detected. In the days following the transfer, the embryo undergoes the following events

• Day 1: The blastocyst begins to emerge from its shell.
• Day 2: The blastocyst continues to emerge from its shell and begins to attach to the uterus.
• Day 3: The blastocyst attaches itself deeper into the uterine wall, beginning implantation.
• Day 4: Implantation continues.
• Day 5: Implantation is complete. The cells that will eventually become the placenta and the foetus have begun to develop.
• Day 6: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone that signals a pregnancy in progress, begins to enter the bloodstream.
• Days 7 and 8: The foetus continues to develop and hCG continues to be secreted.
• Day 9: Levels of hCG are now sufficiently high in the mother’s blood to enable pregnancy to be detected using a blood test.

Freezing or cryopreservation of embryos

Embryos are cryopreserved, or frozen, for a variety of reasons. The traditional IVF process often results in more embryos than can be transferred to the uterus in a single cycle. If the untransferred embryos are of acceptable quality, they can be frozen and stored for later use. Embryos are also frozen after undergoing pre-implantation genetic screening. In addition, embryo freezing is a way for people to delay having children until a more appropriate time in their lives.

Embryo cryopreservation reduces the need for repeated ovarian stimulation. Instead of IVF, future cycles can be embryo transfers, which are less difficult, both physically and financially.

Complex types of IVF in Barcelona

Fertility centres in Barcelona consider IVF to be “complex” if previous attempts have failed, if the sperm count or motility is very low, or if the quality of the resulting embryos is poor. This last reason can be due to many factors; most often, it is linked to the advanced age of the mother, but it can also be due to endocrine disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. When very severe male infertility requires the surgical extraction of sperm, this is also considered to be a complex type of IVF.