Call it “fertility tourism” or “reproductive tourism” if you like… but don’t take it lightly.  That moniker might make traveling to a foreign country for fertility treatments sound chic, but the results can be anything but.

Recently, clinics around the world (especially those in Europe, the Middle East and North America) have been raising flags of concern over the increase in individuals and couples who are willing to travel great distances to get fertility treatments. 

Some go because they think they’ll save money; some go because they are deemed too old to get fertility treatments in their country of origin; some travel because they are denied access to get fertility treatments in their homelands; and some simply want to work with physicians who won’t ask the tough questions that need to be asked.  Whatever their reasons, it’s becoming a bigger and bigger concern.

The problem isn’t that people are exercising their freedom to go wherever they choose; that’s perfectly acceptable.  The conundrum is that they are doing it for the wrong reasons.  And they’re putting their health — and the health of any child(ren) conceived through fertility treatments they get abroad — at potential risk.

It’s important to always weigh your options when it comes to choosing a fertility treatment provider and not take any aspect of the journey lightly.  If you’re tempted to go overseas, you may simply need to get a second, third or even fourth opinion at home.