Medical tourism in Spain—in Barcelona in particular—is a well-developed and popular industry. According to the World Health Organization’s annual ranking of the best medical care systems,Spain consistently surpasses such countries as Great Britain, Israel, Japan, and the U.S.A. Currently, Spain ranks 7th on the list of the world’s best healthcare providers. These facts speak for themselves; it is worth coming to Barcelona to take advantage of the top-quality medical services offered here. Accordingly, Barcelona is also known as one of the best health rehabilitation destinations in the country. People from all over the world come to this city with specific medical goals. Some choose Barcelona for plastic surgery or for their cardiology treatment courses, while others consult the medical specialists here for assistance in successful conception and subsequent pregnancy. Over the last 10 years, fertility clinics in Barcelona, Spain,have acquired excellent international reputation and have doubled their annual flow of patients. Why, specifically, do Spanish reproductive medicine clinics enjoy such a high level of confidence and trust? Among the reasons are the following:
- Based on data collected by the Spanish Society of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery (SEF), in 2014, 12240 cycles of infertility treatment were conducted for non-residentsalone - thismeans that Spain ranked first in Europe for the quality of reproductive medicine and third in the world (after Japan and the U.S.A.). Among all European countries, Spain boasts legislation (in the field of reproductive medicine) that best accommodates the realities of modern society with its constantly changing family model,new roles of women on the labor market, and an increasingly later age for motherhood.
- In the case of in vitro fertilization (IVF), Spanish clinics in Barcelona have a huge point in their favor: parents-to-be do not have to wait longduring the search for asuitable sperm or egg cell donor. There is no need to wait because of the efficiency of the donation process at the donation institutes and the sizable rewards offered to the donors (e.g., an egg cell donor receives 900 euros). Moreover, donation is anonymous. Taking into account various positive feedback and clients’ desires, fertility clinics in Barcelona offer enormous banks of donor material.
- All of the best clinics in Barcelona have succeeded in adjusting to the increased demand by foreigner in a timely manner. Accordingly, all the services are available in several languages. The costs of medical services are relatively low here. By way of comparison, operations with one donoregg cell (for the full treatment course) in Barcelona costs about 7-8 thousand euros. In London, the same treatment course will cost 13 thousand euros. The use of one’s own material (sperm or egg cell) in auxiliary reproductive technologies will cost even less – around 5-6 thousand euros for the full course of treatment.
- • According to the Spanish law of 2006, any woman (who is in a heterosexual or homosexual relationship or is a single) in the age range from 18 to 50 years has a right to use auxiliary reproductive technologies. Meanwhile, in France and Great Britain, only traditionally married women or those having a conventional partner are entitled to this right. Additionally, the maximum age threshold is commonly established at 40-45 years.
Infertility treatment in Barcelona: process features and cost
Similar to diagnosing and combating any other limitation, infertility treatment in Barcelona presupposes several important stages. Once the preferred clinic and medical specialist are chosen, the client enters a phase of diagnostic tests to determine the reasons for the infertility. This stage includes fertility consulting in Barcelonafor both partners (if the client is a couple) and the assessment of blood samples and other tests. Depending on the overall impression, the doctor defines the reason for the infertility and develops a treatment plan. The methods depend on the severity level of each case. Fertility clinics in Barcelona, Spainoffer three variants for combating a reproductive dysfunction:
- Medication therapy. This treatment is used if the inability to have children is related to inflammatory processes or infections in one of the partners. Medications prescribed simultaneously boost the immune system and improve blood circulation in the reproductive organs. In conjunction, these medicationsoftenincrease the chances of pregnancy.
- Surgical intervention. This procedure is used when a woman cannot become pregnant because of a tumor or a benign growth in the reproductive system. This treatment method does notexclude the first, and vice versa.
- Use of auxiliary reproductive technologies. This method is used if the first and second variants do not demonstrate positive results. Auxiliary reproductive technologies include:
- Intrauterine insemination with a partner or donor’s sperm (IUI)
- In vitro fertilization (IVF)
- Intracytoplasmic injection of sperm (ICSI)
- Surgical sperm extraction (PESA, TESA, MESA)
- Egg cell donation
- Blastocyst transfer
- Frozen embryo transfer
- Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
As a rule, the process of infertility treatment requires time. The ideal option would be to come to Barcelona for several months in order to fully dedicate this time to your health.Granted, not all patients can afford this option and instead visit Barcelona and their chosen clinic several times throughout the duration of treatment (depending onthe complexity and stage of the treatment). The standard duration of treatment is from 3 to 6 months.
The best fertility clinics in Barcelona
Below, you can find brief descriptions of the three most prestigious and top-quality clinics in Barcelona that boast world-wide reputations. This list has been compiled based on reviews by patients of the fertility clinics in Barcelona:
Salud de la Mujer Dexeus
- Address: Gran Via de Carles III, 71-75, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
This is one of the best fertility clinics in Barcelona, Spain. As of now, Dexeus is a subdivision of the multi-field medical center Quiron and has the status of a university hospital, which means the clinic is able to apply innovative technologies in the field of reproductive medicine. The center of women’s health and reproductive medicine Dexeus offers its patients the largest in vitro fertilization laboratory in Europe. For this reason,every year, patients come to this hospital from 50 countries around the world. Dr. Pedro Barri is the most famous doctor at this clinic.
IVI Barcelona
- Address: Ronda del General Mitre, 14, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
The network of private medical centers,IVI,is vast, with 23 branches acrossSpain. The clinic branch in Barcelona,like the other branches, also has the status of research center. Its specialists often receive substantial governmental subsidies for their research and development. The doctors of IVI clinic use different methods forinfertility treatment. The following methods are among the most popular:
- Intravaginal insemination;
- Transplantation of an egg cell from a donor;
- In vitro fertilization;
- Sperm insertion into the cytoplasm of egg cells.
Clínica Eugin Barcelona
- Address: Travessera de les Corts, 322, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
Eugin is one of the best fertility clinics in Barcelonaand is famous for its regular collaboration with the best universities in the world with the purpose of increasing the quality of the services provided. In addition, psychological assistance services are available for the clinic’s patients. Clients canalso take advantage of egg cell freezing and artificial and in vitro fertilization. One of the advantages of this medical center is its use of innovative technologies and exclusive equipment at the stage of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.
Should you have any questions about the choice of a fertility clinic in Barcelona, Spain, you are always welcome to contact the professionals of INEEDSpain service center, who are prepared to consult with you on any important issue and give you valuable information.