For many decades the Costa del Sol has been a popular holiday destination with foreign tourists who are searching for warm sunshine, a glittering blue sea and that lovely feeling of sand between their toes. These foreign visitors have also enjoyed the heritage, the culture, the fiestas, the endless relaxation and many aspects that make the Costa del Sol a popular destination. Yet these days Malaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol, has become popular for another, perhaps less obvious reason: it is a prestigious destination for those who seek fertility treatments.
European Fertility Society Statistics
Statistics supplied by the European Fertility Society state that around 25,000 women travel to avail of assisted reproduction treatment in other countries each year. Out of these about 33% of them come to Spain, with the majority of these going to Barcelona, the Costa del Sol, Levante and Madrid. In some clinics in the province of Malaga, this demand for fertility treatments from foreigners far outweighs that of local residents. Some clinics stated that 70% of their patients came from other countries and other clinics were even higher with 80%.
Prestigious Fertility Clinics Spain
Then it is no wonder that this influx of this “new type of tourist” has been labelled as fertility tourism, which is a term that is not well-liked by the specialists; understandably. Many clinics in Malaga have built up excellent reputations over the years and it is their prestige, and of course results, that encourages foreign couples to choose Malaga for their fertility treatments.
The Spanish legislation also lends itself to the situation, as it is quite lenient. In Spain the only assisted reproduction techniques which are not allowed are gender selection and commercial surrogacy. Egg donation is legal.
One clinic stated that of the 500 patients who visit his clinic on average each year, and receiver eggs, 80% are foreigners. The average cost for this fertility treatment comes in around 5,000 euros, however this is a ball park figure and can differ depending on the clinic, medications and other aspects of the treatment.
There is no doubt that this is a lot of money to most people however when you are looking at success rates of between 60 and 70%, it has a high chance of being money which is well invested.
A biologist from another clinic said that from every 30 eggs which are donated, only 2 go to Spanish women. Those who donate their eggs are often doing so for altruistic reasons. The Spanish women are aware that there is a high demand, and many of the donors are already mothers, some donors are not but do feel that solidarity with other women who have had fertility challenges. The donors or volunteers are given a 900 euros compensation for the inconvenience.
Who Goes For Fertility Treatments In Spain?
Those who avail of these fertility treatments including egg donation are generally over 40 and have an average age of 43. The majority of foreigners who come to Malaga for fertility treatment are heterosexual but there are also homosexuals and single women. The majority of patients come from the United Kingdom, but they also come from France, Belgium, Norway, Germany, and even as far afield as USA and Australia. After the United Kingdom the majority come from Italy, as Berlusconi’s government banned both the donation of semen and eggs in 2004.
As well as the successful track record, excellent reputation for caring professional clinics, the destination of the province of Malaga often offers that extra comfort of lovely weather. As undergoing fertility treatments can be stressful for lots of reasons, being able to relax in a nice, warm environment can also be helpful.