Looking for a sperm donor? Denmark is the place to go!

The world is open to us all when exploring options for overcoming fertility issues. Borders no longer apply... and persistence pays off. I found the article below inspiring, if something is not possible in ART in your own country, then all you need to do is look to another one for help. Seek and you shall find. And that's what Globalivf.com is all about!


Brits opting for IVF 'Viking' babies

By Ellen Otzen
BBC World Service in Copenhagen

The shortage of donor sperm in the UK has prompted British women to travel to Denmark in the hope of conceiving a child.

Ten-month old Oscar burps and babbles - like any healthy baby. But Oscar's origins are unusual.

His father is an anonymous Danish sperm donor and if it had not been for a recent law change in Denmark, Oscar would not be here at all.

For years his mother Abby, a London lawyer who does not want to use her real name, wanted to have a child of her own.


“ It does seem ludicrous that one has to travel so far to have a child ”
Abby IVF mother
But when she found herself still single at 41, she decided to try for insemination with donor sperm.

After three unsuccessful attempts at her local London hospital, she was told there was no more available sperm left.

Abby eventually contacted a fertility clinic in Denmark.

Following IVF treatment there, she had a positive pregnancy test. She describes Oscar as her "miracle baby".

Anonymity

A new act from the UK's fertility watchdog - the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) - came into force this month.


“ I don't want anything to do with the children that grow up and want to find their father ”
Jonas Sperm donor
It allows people who were conceived with donor sperm to identify any half-siblings they might have.

But it does not address what has been described as the most pressing issue - the shortage of donor sperm in the UK.

Abby is not the only woman who has conceived with donor sperm from outside the UK.

With more and more women deciding to have children on their own, hundreds of British women are now travelling abroad for insemination.

Denmark, as home to the world's biggest sperm bank, is a popular destination.

The Danish spermbank Cryos exports sperm to 60 countries around the world. Its slogan is "Congratulations, it's a Viking".

Unlike the UK, it allows donors to be anonymous as well as paying them for their donations.

Since 2005 men in Britain have not been allowed to donate sperm anonymously, and demand in the UK now outstrips supply.

While the UK has ended the right to anonymity of donors, the Danes have been liberalising.

In 2007 it it became legal for Danish doctors to perform IVF on single women using sperm from anonymous donors.

No waiting lists

Insemination has become good business for Danish fertility clinics.


“ Women who have decided to have a child don't feel that they can wait two years, if there is a two-year waiting list ”
Sophie Bugge Vita Nova
DanFert clinic in Copenhagen is now treating around 50 British women each year - in 2007 it saw only 20.

And Copenhagen's Vita Nova clinic has seen a 40% increase in the number of British women coming there each year since the clinic opened in 2005.

"In many of Denmark's neighbouring countries they have changed the laws so that donors can no longer be anonymous," said Sophie Bugge, head midwife at Vita Nova.

"This change in the law makes the waiting list for donor semen a lot longer.

"Women who have decided to have a child don't feel that they can wait two years, if there is a two-year waiting list.

"That is the most common reason to choose treatment in another country."

As well as the UK, the clinic also treats women from Germany, Sweden, Norway and Italy - a couple of women have travelled all the way from Uganda and Australia for treatment.

Casual donor

For Abby in London, travelling out of her own country for the insemination was a difficult experience.

"It does seem ludicrous that one has to travel so far to have a child when the law is framed in a way that should allow it to happen here," she said.

It is clear that the changing of the law has diminished the number of men who are prepared to volunteer to be donors her.

The casual donor - the student who did it for his beer money in the 1970s and 80s, doesn't exist any more," she said.

But that casual donor does still exist in Denmark.

Jonas, a 24-year-old science student, has been a sperm donor for 18 months.

He does it for the money and to get a health check a couple of times a year.

Would he carry on donating sperm if he could no longer be anonymous?

"Probably not, because I don't want anything to do with the children that grow up and want to find their father," he said.

He receives between 300 and 1000 Danish kroner ($60-$200) for each donation, depending on the quality of the sperm.

Meanwhile, the Cryos sperm bank is thriving.

In 2007 it opened a franchise in the US.

Last year, another franchise followed in India.

"Because of the recession, we are actually seeing a rise in the number of sperm donors coming to us right now," said Cryos CEO Ole Schou.

In Britain, HFEA has recently said that a longstanding ban on paying sperm donors should be reconsidered to address the donor shortage.

But until the law changes, British women will have to keep travelling to places like Denmark for help in conceiving a baby.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/8298465.stm

Published: 2009/12/23 12:35:28 GMT

© BBC MMIX

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IVF TOURISM: 10 HOT TIPS By Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos~ Part Two~

For those whose passport is part of their fertility treatment package here are the next 5 tips to keep in mind:


6. Determine the timeline for your procedure but be prepared to extend your stay. If you are able to get time off from work you can turn it into a little vacation, but unlike a vacation medical complications can arise (i.e., hyperstimulation with an egg retrieval, slow response times to meds, etc.). No matter what, rely on your doctor’s recommendation regarding how long you need to stay in the destination country before traveling again. Try to get as much information as possible before you start your journey, but it is also beneficial to find out beforehand if there is any necessary follow-up you will be doing abroad and once you get home.

7. In many ways IVF travel is no different than a typical trip abroad. Like all international travel you should make sure your reservations are in order, see if you need any vaccinations before leaving, check that your passport is valid, and determine if any travel visas are required and apply for them well in advance. It also helps to find out if there are any significant cultural differences, what the exchange rate is, what will the weather be like while you are there and how will you get from your hotel to the clinic.

8. It’s helpful to get some currency for the country you are traveling to before you leave for your destination. Check with your bank well in advance since it may take a couple of weeks for them to acquire the correct currency for you. You can also exchange some money when you arrive at the destination airport. You will probably need to do this to pay for the taxi to your hotel. You can also get travelers checks at your local bank and use your ATM card all over the world. For US travelers - be aware that some countries limit you to a 4-digit ATM password, so you may need to change it before you leave the US. MasterCard, Visa and American Express can be used in many locations worldwide. Let your credit card companies know before you leave that you will be traveling so when they see foreign charges they don’t block the use of your card.

9. Make copies of all pertinent documents including 2 copies of your passport - one should be kept at home in a safe place, the other with you and not kept with your passport; copies of your credit card info and traveler check numbers. Good places to keep this information are either in your luggage or with your travel companion.

10. Take a list of all your important contacts so if necessary you and/or your medical provider in your destination country can contact your doctors at home. These numbers should include insurance providers (even if your insurance doesn’t cover your procedure complications can arise that might be covered), friends, family members, your local pharmacy, employers and any other important numbers for your destination country or at home.

Well, there you have it. As you can see, you need to do a bit of homework to make it all happen, but this list should get you well on your way to asking the right questions, being adequately prepared, and hopefully having a baby (or two!) in your arms in the not too distant future.


Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos experienced 4 years of infertility before having her children through gestational surrogacy and egg donation. She is co-owner, along with Lauri de Brito, of Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. and Agency for Fertility Solutions where her services have expanded to include assisting people with fertility travel in the US and abroad. You can contact Kathryn at: agency4solutions@aol.com.

IVF TOURISM: 10 HOT TIPS By Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos~Part One

For many people, having a family doesn’t involve a trip farther than the bedroom...but for others greater distances may be traversed, some that involve a passport. So before you set foot outside of your house, let alone your home country, you first need to do a little homework. With so many options and countries now offering fertility-related services (IVF, PGD, egg donation, surrogacy) at lower costs and some having fewer restrictions, you’ll want to make sure to avoid as many bumps in the road as you can before the plane leaves the gate. So, for those whose passport is part of their fertility treatment package here are 10 tips to keep in mind:

1. Determine if you are going to use a medical travel company, your international fertility clinic or if you are personally going to oversee the administration and travel arrangements for your journey. Using an intermediary company can often be beneficial since they know the area and can direct you to accommodations that fit your travel and medical needs, the staff can bridge a language barrier if there is one and they can trouble shoot problems if they arise. If you’re lucky you may even fit in some sightseeing along with your procedure(s) and these companies can often assist with that too. The downside is that they often are affiliated with certain doctors and clinics and may not be directing you to the place or person that best suits your needs.

2. Check out the background of the doctor, clinic and or hospital you will be using. If available, check out the published success rates for your particular treatment (IVF, egg donation, etc.) and age group. If possible look further than those reported on the clinic’s website. In the US the Center for Disease Control (CDC) publishes these reports annually. It’s important to fully check out the standards, practices, and success rates of any clinic you are considering (an useful practice wherever the clinic is located). Make sure the hospital/clinic outside of the US is accredited with the Joint Commission International or MEDEX and that your doctor has the appropriate credentials for their specialty. While medical standards are high in many countries, regulations can vary, including the rules for screening egg donors, leaving it to patients to do due diligence.

3. Identify your main contact at the clinic is (it could be a nurse, third party coordinator, assistant, etc.) and keep their email and phone number with you at all times when traveling. Ask who your contact person will be after hours – in case you have problems or issues before and during your travels when the clinic is closed. Some doctors will even give you their cell phone number. Don’t abuse it or they may stop answering your calls, but if you have an emergency and can’t reach anyone that would be the time to use it.

4. You should get one or two personal referrals from the doctor or clinic. Remember, the referrals from the clinic should give glowing recommendations (presumably the clinic will give you someone with a success story), but also find out if there is anything they might have changed – whether it’s how long they stayed, the anticipated cost vs. the actual cost, what travel services they used and what their accommodations were like. You may also want to find out how fluent the RE and the staff is in your native or secondary language. Also, try and find any other information about the doctor that you can on the Internet. Remember, you may need to take some of the comments with a grain of salt when researching this way. Not everyone is successful or a satisfied customer no matter what clinic or RE they are with.

5. Check all of your prescriptions for necessary refills. Many travelers don’t start medications until they arrive at their destination, but some procedures will require you to start before you leave. Bring along a list of your medications and their generic names since the names may vary in other countries. It is a good idea to discuss your travel plans with your local at-home fertility doctor -- if s/he is receptive to you traveling abroad you may receive valuable suggestions and assistance. If traveling with fertility-related medications and needles ask your local doctor to write a note in case you are questioned about them.
 
Next week 5 more great tips will be revealed! Have you subscribed to the Global IVF blog yet? Once you do you will be notified when a new post has been published!

Global IVF Pod Cast: Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos Talks About Global IVF and International Couples

Please listen to this pod cast with Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos as she talks about Global IVF and International Couples which is posted on the Gifted Journeys web site at http://www.giftedjourneys.com/podcast_video.html. If you scroll down to the bottom you will find our pod cast there!

Your comments are always welcomed!

Infertility Treatments - Spending Wisely At Home and Abroad By Lauri Berger de Brito ~ PART TWO

This is an continuation of Part one, Infertility Treatments - Spending Wisely At Home and Abroad. If you have any advice that you would like to share with our readers on this topic OR you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment or contact us at Global IVF at Info@GlobalIVF.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Part Two~

4. Don't overlook using your health insurance to help offset some costs. First off, get a copy of your policy from your carrier or employer. Unless a procedure is specifically excluded, you might be able to get some reimbursement for your expenses in your home country. If you are leaving the country for treatment, see if they might cover those expenses. It doesn't hurt to ask, you may be surprised at what they will cover. Also, you may be able to get some medications fully or partially paid for - even if there is fertility exclusion since some drugs are used for multiple purposes. Your policy could include blood work and ultrasounds. Make sure your RE's office uses the correct codes for billing so you don't have to spend hours on the phone trying to get coverage. Also, even though a procedure or related expense has been rejected, if you have the time and dedication, you can often call your insurance company and fight for them to cover some of the expenses. Your determination often determines what the insurance company pays for in the end. Take a look at the RESOLVE website (www.resolve.org) for assistance and ideas on approaching your company regarding fertility coverage.

5.Shop around for your medications. The price of medications can vary between pharmacies and countries. When shopping abroad remember that the name of the medication on the package may be different than the one you are familiar with, but the content is the same. Your RE or the pharmacy will be able to tell you if the drug goes by a different name in other countries. There are also pharmacies that specialize in fertility medications and even though they are smaller independent companies, they may be cheaper than the large chains. You can always ask your clinic's nurse if she has any recommendations. Also, sometimes your clinic may have meds that other people have not used and donated back to the clinic. So, (and I can't say this enough) if money is an issue for you (and who doesn't have money issues when it comes to IVF) then don't be afraid to open up your mouth and ask about ways you can save money.

6. Get expert advice. Once again, don't be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes spending a little more money in the beginning can save you money in the end. There are international fertility consultants whose job it is to help clients make good fertility choices - from sifting through the countries and their laws to finding clinics with good statistics and happy patients. These fertility consulting companies can also help in reviewing your insurance options and helping you ask the right questions.

7. Take your time. Infertility and treatment is a highly emotional time for most people. It's common to want to take control and try to fix things fast. But this is a big decision - and probably one of the more important decisions in your lifetime...so take time to research, and talk with your partner (if you have one) about your options and preferences. Don't race in because you are desperate to have a baby. If you take an extra month or two to make a decision - even though it feels like an eternity - it could very well save you more than time in the long run and bring a baby home to you faster, perhaps less expensively and certainly with less frustratio

Infertility Treatments - Spending Wisely At Home and Abroad By Lauri Berger de Brito ~ PART ONE

No matter where you are going for your fertility treatments there's no avoiding the simple fact that it will cost you money. Often times, travelling abroad will save you money, but for many, it will mean spending even more. Either way there are some things you should consider before taking out your checkbook. Remember, an informed patient is often a happy patient (and hopefully a pregnant one too.)

1.Shop around. Not all Reproductive Endocrinologists (RE) or fertility clinics are created equal. Some doctors and their support staff have better bedside manners, ones who will keep your spirits up even if your beta numbers are dropping; some clinics have staff who speak more than one language and doctors who are accessible via email or cell phone; some clinics cost less; and others have better statistics. So, before locking into one clinic or RE you should prioritize what is most important to you - cost, experience, bedside manner, location, etc. Also, don't fall into the trap of going where your friend or an acquaintance got pregnant since this may not be the best choice for you. Your fertility issues may not be the same. Your best path is to set up consults with more than one doctor/clinic and asking lots of questions. Doing your homework upfront and being patient (even though you want to be pregnant yesterday) can save you time, money and heartache in the end.

2. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Go beyond the clinic or doctor's website and Google his or her name on the web. See if others like their experience or if there are chronic problems. You should also determine how many cycles they perform a year. The more they do often increases their expertise and success rate. Check to make sure the laboratory is headed by a full-time, experienced andrologist or embryologist. Again, in many cases the more procedures a clinic perform, the greater the skill level. Find out the cost of the treatment(s) you want. Costs can vary greatly in the same country even between clinics in the same city. And remember, a high price tag does not always guarantee the best treatment. Make sure the physicians, nurses and or coordinators answer all of your questions adequately, don't; rush you and return you phone calls and emails in a timely manner. Better yet, if you find an RE who is willing to directly communicate with you via email (and not just through their staff), this can be a big plus in helping to alleviate stress during the IVF/DE/GS process.

3. Ask for discounts. Sometimes clinics are conducting a study or studies that are underwritten by pharmaceutical or research companies and are not heavily promoted. You might qualify for one of them and this can lead to small or even big savings. Some clinics will discount if you pay for procedures and medications in advance. Some clinics offer things like shared cycles on egg donors, or discounts for purchasing multiple cycles in advance. The later (which can be called a 'shared risk' cycle) is very much like purchasing an insurance policy - if you need more than one or even two cycles you end up getting a deal or in some cases, a significant monetary refund. If it just takes one try to get pregnant, then you usually have paid more than you needed to -- that's what makes it a 'shared risk.' The bottom line is that with the way the economy is right now many clinics are offering discounts, if you just ask. So don't be shy, speak up! -- because if you don't, most clinics aren't going to volunteer the information.
 

Please come back to read PART TWO with 4 more great money saving tips!

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Visit the Golobal IVF Interactive Map

Visit the Golobal IVF Interactive Map Click on an area of the world to view available clinics, travel services, surrogacy and egg donor programs, costs, legal guidelines & general information about the fertility-related services provided. Global IVF strives to be the most inclusive global listing of all IVF clinics around the world who will treat patients who do not reside in their particular state or country.*

With Global IVF.com, if you decide to cross the border for fertility treatments, you’ll do so armed with all of the information you’ll need to make intelligent and confident choices.

* Clinics who do not or cannot - for legal or government reasons - treat non-resident patients will not be included on this list.

NOTE: First time visitors and members are encouraged to inform us if there are any clinics / doctors / services missing from the list. If you have personal stories, questions about any particular clinic, we invite you to visit our online community and share your thoughts.

The Truth About Sex Selection: By Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos, MA

This first post serves as a foundation for understanding sex selection. Many people don't understand the options that are available to them, in their own countries and around the world. There are several different options, and each option has a very different process. You may have seen the much-hyped ads by some American reproductive clinics promoting themselves as the one and only place to go for sex selection. So, if you're new to this or maybe researching your IVF abroad options from distant countries you need to know that these self-proclamations may sound like fact - but the truth is that many clinics all over the world offer these same services (although some countries and clinics have restrictions.) Sometimes these services are "hidden" under a different name or aren't listed on the clinic's website, but often all you have to do is call or email and ask if the clinic will do gender selection and you'll get your answer.

What is sex selection and why do it?

Sex selection is just what it sounds like - you get to pick the gender of your unborn child. So, why would you want to do this? Well, first off, you may have a genetic issue that is only passed down through one gender and not the other. Obviously, you might want to screen this issue out by not transferring any embryos of that gender. Secondly, and probably the most common reason for sex selection, is the desire to balance your family gender-wise. You may already have one or two or more boys (or girls) and want one child of the other sex. Another reason is that in your family or extended family, there is an overabundance of one gender and you are looking to add some diversity.

Whatever your reason, whether it's one of these or something else, the laws regarding sex selection vary country-to-country, sometimes state-to-state and even clinic-to-clinic. So, if the concept of sex selection/gender selection is something that piques your interest, you may want to do a little research before jumping in - for most that means finding out which method best suits your needs and which clinics offer it.

What choices are available?

Microsort®

There are a variety of paths you can take if you are looking to specifically have a boy or girl. One option available at some US clinics is a relatively new procedure called Microsort®. To explain it simply, any unprocessed sperm sample contains about 50% girl sperm (X) and 50% boy sperm (Y). The goal of the MicroSort® is to separate the X and Y sperm. At this time, it is not possible to separate it out and have a 100% pure sample of either male or female sperm but clinical tests show there is approximately a 91% chance of selecting the desired female designated sperm and 76% of getting a male sperm. Pretty good odds - especially if you are aiming for a girl. And better than the normal 50-50% that you get in nature.

One consideration before deciding to do Microsort® is that there are certain eligibility requirements which clients must meet before their clinic will/can allow them to use this procedure. Patients must:
Be in need of reducing the probability of inheriting gender-linked diseases or

Have a need for achieving family balancing and already have children of one gender and not the other.

At this time Microsort® is only available in the United States, has not been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and is still in the experimental stages. That being said, more than 800 babies have been born using this technology. The cost is approximately $3500 US/cycle (not including other IVF or IUI cycle fees.)

PGD/PGH

Another option for gender selection is Pre Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). PGD is the only method that can guarantee your gender choice with almost 100% accuracy. Using PGD, embryos are tested for gender before being implanted in the womb.

To qualify for PGD, you usually need a minimum of seven embryos (per the requirements of most clinics.) The embryologist then removes one cell from each embryo on the third day of its development in the lab and then that one cell can be tested not only for gender, additionally at this time you can test for the most common chromosomal abnormalities. It takes two days for the testing to come back, so the embryos would be transferred to a healthy uterus 5 days after they were created.

For those who are carriers of rare genetic disorders, there is also Pre Genetic Haplotyping (PGH). PGH works the same way as PGD, except that the genetic testing technique is more advanced. This is a relatively new variation of PGD with the first pregnancies in 2006.

With both PGD and PGH your doctor will only transfer the embryos that are the correct gender and come back without any obvious abnormalities. The cost of PGD and PGH ranges from $3500 - $7000 depending upon the lab, clinic and type of testing performed.

PGD is a used globally - so you would not be limited to the United States - however, you would need to check with the particular clinic to find out if they offer PGD for sex selection (this is a different question than whether or not they offer PGD for ruling out chromosomal abnormalities.)

Sperm Spinning

Lastly, there is something called Ericsson method for sperm sorting - also referred to as "sperm spinning." The idea behind sperm spinning is fairly simple - sperm with X chromosomes tend to be heavier than sperm with Y chromosomes. So, in theory, spinning sperm in a centrifuge will separate out the male and female sperm, with the female sperm sinking to the bottom. Once the sperm spinning process is complete, the sperm of choice can be introduced to an egg either through insemination (IUI) or in the lab via IVF.

Sperm spinning has been in use since the 1970s and is the least expensive of the options mentioned - and possibly the best choice for those who are financially challenged in this already expensive process - but unfortunately it has the lowest rate of success. For those hoping for a girl approximately 5 of 6 succeeded, and for those hoping for a boy, 1 in 3 were successful.

Sperm spinning is widely available in both the United States and Europe, and the cost per cycle is approximately $660 - $1200 US (not including other cycle fees.)

The Final Word

The one wonderful thing about the world of infertility is that there are constantly new techniques being developed to fulfill and suit everyone's needs. So, if you don't see or find what you want today, there's a good chance someone will develop it tomorrow.

Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos is the Co-owner and Co-Director of Agency for Fertility Solutions, a US-based fertility consulting company that specializes in international clientele - including those coming to the US and those looking for international solutions to their fertility issues. You can contact Kathryn at: Kathryn@agency4solutions.com. Kathryn is the mother of identical twins conceived through the miracles of modern medicine.

Global Guest Expert: Bradford A. Kolb, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

Welcome to the new Global IVF Blog. Our goal is to educate you, our readers, in regards to what is happening within the infertility community; not just in the USA but all over the world! We have asked experts in the Assisted Reproductive Technology field to assist us in bringing you the most current information, products, and services. Today we are highlighting Bradford Alan Kolb, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinology and the Infertility Managing Partner from the Huntington Reproductive Center.

Dr. Kolb received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of California, Irvine. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University and a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at the University of Southern California, receiving board certification in both fields. He currently holds the position of Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and is a physician specializing in the care of complex fertility problems at Huntington Reproductive Center. Dr. Kolb is internationally known for his expertise in egg donation, oocyte cryopreservation and the treatment of couples who have failed traditional therapy in other centers. He sits on the medical advisory board for several pharmaceutical companies, Extend Fertility, Fertile Hope and Resolve.

Dr. Kolb is involved in groundbreaking research that is rapidly advancing the science of fertility preservation – a factor that will aid those desiring to delay childbearing. His current research is focused on oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing), identification of novel factors that allow for the assessment of an embryos viability and in-vitro maturation (the retrieval and subsequent growth of immature eggs to maturity without the use of fertility drugs).