More and more Americans are crossing the Atlantic for IVF. Greece, Spain and the Czech Republic top their list. We spoke to Jakub Dejewski, CEO and co-founder of IVF Media Ltd. and Chair of the European Fertility Society, about what our data shows, why Greece has become so popular, and which Greek legal rules US patients should understand before they travel.
US demand for IVF in Europe jumped 37% in 2025
IVF Media data shows that 2025 brought the largest year-over-year increase so far in the number of Americans choosing a clinic in Europe: growth of 37.2% compared with 2024. Among US citizens, interest in individual destinations grew as follows:
- Greece: +38.1%
- Spain: +41.7%
- Czech Republic: +53.1% – the sharpest rise of all
Most Americans now go abroad for their very first IVF cycle
The profile of US patients is changing too. Travelling abroad used to be something Americans considered after failed treatment at home. That is no longer the typical story.
In the first half of 2024, 33% of US patients had experienced at least one failed IVF cycle before seeking treatment abroad. By the first half of 2025 this had fallen to 30%, and by the first half of 2026 to just 24%.
In other words, a steadily growing majority of Americans – 67%, 70%, and 76%, respectively – are now coming to Europe for their very first IVF cycle.
Jakub Dejewski, CEO of IVF Media Ltd.
Own-egg IVF is catching up with egg donation
For years, the price gap for IVF with donor eggs was the main reason Americans came to Europe, and donor-egg treatment dominated demand from the US. In 2025 that started to change. Demand from US patients for IVF with their own eggs rose by 58.4%, while demand for donor-egg IVF grew by only 3.9%.
This suggests that the cost pressures pushing Americans abroad now extend well beyond the procedure itself to the full range of ancillary expenses.
Jakub Dejewski, CEO of IVF Media Ltd.
Those extra costs include medication, genetic testing, gamete storage and related services. IVF medication alone has become far more expensive: according to GoodRx, list prices rose 84% between 2014 and August 2024, compared with a 37% increase for prescription drugs overall. The result is that even standard own-egg IVF is now significantly more economical in Europe.
IVF costs: the United States vs Greece
A single IVF cycle in the US now typically costs $15,000–$25,000 for self-pay patients once medication and common add-ons are included. Clinic base fees alone can reach $10,000–$20,000. Before the pandemic, all-in figures of roughly $12,000–$15,000 were commonly quoted.
Most patients need more than one cycle – an average of about 2.3 egg retrievals. That means the total cost of bringing home a baby frequently reaches $40,000–$60,000.
Dejewski points to several reasons for the rise: general medical inflation, post-pandemic staffing costs (embryologists in particular remain scarce and expensive), a surge in demand as cycles postponed in 2020 met growing employer-benefit uptake, and the consolidation of clinics under private-equity ownership.
In Greece, typical basic package prices are:
- IVF with own eggs: €2,500–€3,500
- IVF with donor eggs: €5,500–€7,000
- Embryo donation: €3,500–€6,000
- Egg freezing: €2,500–€3,000
That is often a fraction of the cost of private fertility treatment in the United States.
IVF Media’s 2025 survey shows the scale: 59% of US patients with failed IVF had already spent more than €20,000 out of pocket – and among fully self-funded US patients, 81% had. See the data.
Why Americans choose Greece
Cost is the main reason. In IVF Media’s research report Seeking IVF Treatment Abroad: Patient Research 2024, cost was the dominant motivation for seeking IVF outside the home country – rated far above legislation, treatment availability, quality or funding eligibility. Greece is also one of the leading destinations: 40% of North American respondents said they would consider it for treatment.
Beyond price, Greece offers:
- patient-friendly IVF legislation
- a network of more than 50 IVF clinics
- experienced specialists and high-quality laboratories
- no waiting lists
- strong egg donor availability
In practical terms, Americans choose Greece because they can access treatment that is more affordable, faster to begin, and well-supported for international patients – whether they are pursuing IVF with their own eggs, donor-egg IVF, embryo donation, or egg freezing.
Jakub Dejewski, CEO of IVF Media Ltd.
Greek IVF law: what US patients should know
Greece has a reputation as one of Europe’s most legally accommodating fertility destinations. The European Atlas of Fertility Treatment Policies 2024, published by Fertility Europe and the EPF, records no reported patient-rights issues for Greece. The country has a dedicated ART law, a national treatment registry and an official donor register.
Yet a solid legal framework is not the same as a familiar one.
Jakub Dejewski, CEO of IVF Media Ltd.
Several Greek rules differ sharply from American practice. Knowing them in advance helps patients avoid unwelcome surprises mid-treatment.
Embryo storage has an expiry date
Americans are used to keeping frozen embryos in storage indefinitely. In Greece, cryopreservation is first authorised for five years. It can be extended for another five with a permit from the National Authority for Assisted Reproduction, and some interpretations of the updated framework cite a ten-year ceiling. When the period ends, remaining embryos must be destroyed, donated to another patient or released for research. Anyone planning to bank embryos between cycles should ask their clinic exactly how renewals work.
Donor anonymity is the rule
The European Atlas classifies Greece’s donation system as “mixed”, but in day-to-day practice egg and sperm donation is anonymous. This is a real departure for Americans, as open-identity donation has become increasingly standard in the US. A child conceived through donation in Greece will generally have no way of identifying the donor as an adult. Families for whom future donor contact matters should weigh this carefully before committing.
Age limits and paperwork
Greek law allows IVF up to the age of 54 – one of the most generous limits in Europe. Women aged 50 to 54 must first get authorisation from the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction. Single women and unmarried couples are fully eligible, but both must sign a notarial deed confirming consent. This is a minor formality: it can be signed on arrival in Greece for roughly €70.
Sex selection and embryo transfer limits
Sex selection is prohibited unless it is medically justified by a sex-linked disease – a clear contrast with the US, where elective sex selection through PGT is widely available. Greek law also caps the number of embryos that can be transferred in one cycle according to the patient’s age, so requests for multi-embryo transfers above those limits cannot be accommodated.
Access for female same-sex couples is also limited. A woman in a same-sex partnership can undergo IVF under the rules for single women, but her partner gets no automatic parental rights.
Surrogacy is effectively closed to Americans
Under Law 5197/2025, surrogacy in Greece requires both the intended mother and the surrogate to be resident in Greece. Foreign nationality is not a barrier in itself, but residence is decisive. An American living in the United States and travelling to Greece for treatment would, in practice, not qualify.
Bringing embryos back to the US
One issue sits outside Greek law entirely. Embryos created in Greece and later shipped to the United States fall under FDA donor-screening regulations on import, and not every Greek clinic’s documentation meets those requirements. Patients who may want a future transfer in the US should confirm compatibility with both the Greek clinic and the receiving US facility before treatment begins.
Greek fertility legislation has been amended several times since 2022, and further changes cannot be ruled out. This overview is for general information only. For decision-critical questions – especially storage duration, donor anonymity and cross-border embryo transport – patients should check current rules directly with their clinic and, where significant sums or family plans depend on the answer, get advice from a Greek fertility law specialist.
About Jakub Dejewski
Jakub Dejewski is the CEO and co-founder of IVF Media Ltd. and Chair of the European Fertility Society (EFS). He has worked in the fertility field since 2009.
IVF Media Ltd. supports patients who are considering travelling abroad for fertility treatment. It provides reliable, up-to-date information to help patients choose a destination and a clinic, along with online tools such as guides, calculators, a clinic directory and educational videos, and personalised advice from its team of Patient Care Assistants.
The European Fertility Society is an evidence-based organisation that provides tools, support and education to people undergoing fertility treatment and to fertility clinics. It has hosted nearly one thousand live online events with fertility experts from around the world. EFS also trains healthcare and patient care professionals, develops patient-centred care guidance, and runs the first EU Patient-Centred Care Clinic Programme certification.
The interview with Jakub Dejewski by LJ Dawson was used in her article published in the following articles:
- High Fertility Costs Push Americans Abroad for IVF Treatment (KFF Health News)
- Why some couples are combining a European vacation with their IVF treatments (The Washington Post)
- High Fertility Costs Push Americans Abroad for IVF Treatment (U.S. News & World Report)
- High IVF costs push Americans abroad for fertility treatment (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
- High fertility costs push Americans abroad for IVF treatment (Telegraph Herald)
