What is the price of a pregnancy guarantee in Spain?
The price of a pregnancy guarantee in Spain ranges from £13,000 to £27,500. These packages do not exist in the UK[7]. The fee covers several IVF cycles, anaesthesia and accommodation. Egg collection takes 20 minutes under sedation as a day case, with no overnight stay.
📊 Price table 2026
| Type of treatment | Price in Spain | Price in the UK* |
|---|---|---|
| IVF guarantee (own eggs) | £13,000 - £16,500 | £9,000 - £15,000 |
| Donor egg guarantee | £19,000 - £24,000 | £12,000 - £20,000 |
| Double donation guarantee | £21,500 - £27,500 | £15,000 - £25,000 |
| Embryo adoption guarantee | £7,000 - £10,500 | £6,000 - £12,000 |
When almost everything can be bought, going through fertility treatment without knowing whether you will reach your goal can be deeply discouraging. It is like buying a box without knowing whether there is anything inside.
That is why in Spain, at some fertility clinics in Madrid and Barcelona, the “Pregnancy Guarantee” programme exists and offers a partial or full refund if treatment fails, but only under certain conditions …
This programme charges a flat fee for three to six IVF cycles in Spain. The fixed costs are usually (but not always) lower than what you would have paid had you paid for each cycle individually.
Pros and cons of IVF risk-sharing programmes in Spain
There are many factors to weigh before deciding whether an IVF refund programme suits you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Refund if treatment fails | Not every applicant is accepted |
| More affordable overall | Expensive if you conceive quickly |
| Peace of mind | Miscarriage often excluded from refunds |
| Less likely to give up | Age limits set by the programme |
Eligibility for a pregnancy guarantee programme in Spain
Not everyone can join an IVF refund programme in Spain. Each programme has its own criteria, and it is unlikely that they will accept your application if your chances of success are low.
For example, many programmes do not allow women over 40 to take part. Others set a lower threshold, from 38. Similarly, if you have already had a number of failed IVF cycles, you may not be eligible for a refund programme.
Some fertility clinics offer donor egg refund programmes, which may be an option for women aged 40 and over. Even for these programmes, you must meet certain conditions to take part.
What is the catch?
Pregnancy guarantee programmes in Spain sound so impressive. If you do not succeed, you get your money back. So … where is the catch? Why would fertility clinics in Madrid or Barcelona offer such a deal?
The fact is that, because the offer is often made only to couples with good chances of success, perhaps most of them will conceive before they have used up the three or six cycles they have already paid for. In the UK, the average live birth rate is around 30% per egg collection followed by embryo transfers[8].
The costs not covered by the pregnancy guarantee programme are:
- Screening procedures, including blood tests, semen analysis and uterine assessment.
- Monitoring costs, including clinic visits and ultrasound scans.
- The cost of fertility medication
- Anaesthesia for egg collection
- Fees for more basic IVF procedures, such as assisted hatching, ICSI, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), blastocyst culture and cryopreservation.
- If you use an egg donor or a surrogate, agency fees and legal fees.
- Embryo storage fees
Some pregnancy guarantee programmes cover some of the costs listed above, but make sure you ask for a detailed breakdown of what is and is not covered before you sign up.
Important note: Make sure the IVF refund programme in Spain defines success as the birth of a baby. Some programmes define success as a positive pregnancy test or a pregnancy reaching a certain number of weeks. That means that if you have a miscarriage, you will not be refunded.
Why sign up?
Despite these drawbacks, there are still good reasons to sign up for a pregnancy guarantee programme in Spain. First, if you do not succeed, you will get at least part of your money back. That can help you continue your search for a child, or at least pay off some of the debts you took on while trying to conceive.
Another reason couples sign up is peace of mind. They realise they may pay more per cycle than if they had paid cycle by cycle, but they feel better knowing that if they do not succeed, they will not be completely ruined.
In addition, because risk-sharing programmes usually require you to complete a set number of cycles to qualify for a refund, you are less likely to drop out or give up on the programme.
For example, even if you feel like giving up after the second cycle fails, you may carry on to the third, because you do not want to lose your chance of a refund. And that third cycle may be the one that works for you.
What counts as success?
Does the refund programme treat a positive pregnancy test as success? Is it based on reaching a particular stage of pregnancy, such as seeing a heartbeat or reaching 16 weeks?
Ideally, you want a refund programme that treats the birth of a live baby as success. That is the most demanding definition, and the least often used.
What a typical programme includes
- Three full IVF cycles with donor eggs or your own eggs, embryo cryopreservation, medication and embryo transfer cycles;
- Eligibility subject to age and prognosis criteria set by the clinic, disclosed before signing;
- A refund conditional on the definition of success written into the contract, with live birth being the most protective and the least common;
- No programme guarantees a pregnancy or a birth[5].
Does the NHS refund IVF carried out in Spain?
In some circumstances, and never for a commercial package. Planned treatment abroad requires prior authorisation, and funding is limited to the treatment that would be provided at home[7].
The NHS funds a set number of IVF cycles according to local commissioning criteria[7]. A package priced at £13,000 to £27,500 does not fall within that provision: the extra cost of its insurance element remains yours to pay.
Conclusion
What the package includes, the eligibility criteria and the definition of success vary from clinic to clinic and can only be read in the contract. Our coordinator is British.
Comparing several pregnancy guarantee programmes in Spain on these three points before signing is the only way to know what the refund clause really covers.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
What is the age limit for IVF in Spain?
Spanish law sets no maximum age limit: any woman who is an adult and legally capable may be a recipient[6]. The limits of 38 or 43 shown by individual programmes are commercial criteria, not rules of law.
What are the real chances after several cycles?
After four blastocyst transfers, the cumulative live birth rate reaches 68.9% under 35, 42.9% between 38 and 40 and 16.3% between 41 and 42[2]. The added chance from each extra cycle falls sharply[3].
What happens if there is a miscarriage?
Most programmes do not refund: success is often defined by a positive test, not by a birth. Yet the miscarriage rate after IVF reaches 40.2% from the age of 40[1]. The contract should be read on this point.
Does egg donation carry risks for the recipient?
Yes. Egg donation multiplies the risk of pre-eclampsia by 2.6 and that of severe pre-eclampsia by 3.2, compared with IVF using your own eggs[4]. Closer obstetric monitoring is recommended.
Has a professional body commented on these programmes?
Yes. The ASRM ethics committee considers them acceptable under certain conditions, including this one: the patient must understand that the programme can guarantee neither a pregnancy nor a birth, and that she may pay more if she conceives quickly[5].
How much does standard IVF cost in Spain, outside a package?
An IVF cycle in Spain costs £4,000 to £5,500 per cycle, and £5,500 to £8,000 with egg donation. Comparing these figures with the package shows what the refund clause costs, and helps you decide whether it is worth the price.
Does double donation carry the same risks?
Double donation does not significantly worsen the risk of pre-eclampsia compared with egg donation alone[4]. The recommended level of monitoring remains that of egg donation, with closer obstetric follow-up throughout the pregnancy.
Sources & References
- Registro Nacional de Actividad, Registro SEF. Informe estadístico de técnicas de reproducción asistida 2022. View the source
- Dhaenens L, Colman R, De Croo I, et al. Cumulative live birth rates of 31 478 untested embryos from 11 463 women. Hum Reprod. 2025. View the source
- Tarín JJ, Pascual E, Pérez-Hoyos S, et al. Cumulative probabilities of live birth across multiple complete IVF/ICSI cycles: a call for attention. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2020. View the source
- Moreno-Sepúlveda J, Checa MA. Risk of adverse perinatal outcomes after oocyte donation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019. View the source
- Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Financial risk-sharing or refund programs in assisted reproduction. Fertil Steril. 2016. View the source
- Ley 14/2006, de 26 de mayo, sobre técnicas de reproducción humana asistida, artículos 5 y 6. Espagne. View the source
- Assurance Maladie. AMP réalisée à l’étranger : démarches et prise en charge. 2026. View the source
- Agence de la biomédecine. Quel est le taux de réussite / d’échec de l’AMP ? 2025. View the source
