Ask a thousand fertility patients where they’d go for IVF abroad, and one country comes up more than any other. By a mile.
In 2024, we surveyed 1,189 patients worldwide who were actively researching IVF treatment abroad. We asked which countries they were considering for treatment. Patients could shortlist more than one destination – and the results draw a remarkably clear map of global fertility travel.
The league table: Spain, Greece, Czech Republic
Here’s how the destinations ranked, by the share of patients considering each country:
| Rank | Destination | Patients considering it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 60% |
| 2 | Greece | 34% |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 30% |
| 4 | Denmark | 23% |
| 5 | Portugal | 21% |
| 6 | North Cyprus | 20% |
| 7 | Poland | 15% |
| 8 | Latvia | 12% |
| 9 | Turkey | 12% |
| 10 | Estonia | 11% |
| 11 | USA | 10% |
| 12 | Mexico | 6% |
| 13 | Barbados | 5% |
| 14 | India | 4% |
| 15 | Belgium | 1% |
Three countries dominate. Six in ten patients worldwide put Spain on their shortlist. Greece and the Czech Republic follow, each considered by roughly a third of patients. Everything else trails behind.
Why Spain wins – everywhere
Spain isn’t just first overall. It is the number one choice in almost every single market we surveyed. Italians shortlist Spain at 83%. Dutch patients at 75%. French at 72%. Scandinavians at 67%. UK and Irish patients at 65%. Germans, Austrians and Swiss at 57%. North Americans at 48%.
The reasons are structural. Spain has the largest fertility clinic network in Europe, the biggest egg donor pool, treatment for women up to age 50, and access for single women and female couples. It handles more donor-egg IVF cycles than any other European country. Patients of every nationality, with every motivation – cost, law, availability, quality – find something in Spain.
Only one market broke the rule. For patients from Australia and New Zealand, Greece edged ahead at 52%, with Spain just behind at 50%.
Patients pick what’s close – and what’s connected
Beyond the big three, the data shows a simple pattern: patients gravitate to destinations near home, or culturally connected to it.
Germans, Austrians and Swiss go next door. The Czech Republic is the standout second choice in the DACH region, shortlisted by 39% of its patients. In fact, of all patients worldwide considering the Czech Republic, 29% come from the DACH region – its top source market. A short drive from Munich or Vienna, prices roughly half of Western European levels, and German-speaking coordinators in many Prague and Brno clinics explain why.
Scandinavians stay north. Denmark was shortlisted by 46% of Scandinavian patients – double its global average – and Latvia by 31%, nearly triple its global figure. Scandinavians made up 14% of all patients considering Denmark, almost twice their 8% share of the survey.
North Americans look south. Mexico appears on 29% of North American shortlists, and Barbados on 16%. Globally, 73% of all patients considering Mexico were North American. Proximity plus prices far below US levels make the case.
Australasians think globally. With no nearby low-cost destination, patients from Australia and New Zealand spread their shortlists the widest: Greece 52%, Spain 50%, USA 40% – the highest interest in the USA of any market.
The French favour the Latin route. After Spain (72%), French patients shortlist Portugal at 37% – the highest of any market – alongside the Czech Republic (35%), Greece (34%) and Denmark (34%).
What the map means
Put the pieces together and global fertility travel runs on three factors: a dominant hub (Spain), strong regional corridors (DACH→Czech Republic, Scandinavia→Denmark and the Baltics, North America→Mexico and the Caribbean), and a handful of specialist draws – Denmark for its donor system, Portugal for non-anonymous donation, North Cyprus for its high age limits.
And the shortlists are long. Most patients weren’t fixed on one country – they were comparing several at once. For clinics, that means patients are actively weighing you against options in two or three other countries. For patients, it’s a reminder that comparing destinations – not just clinics – is a normal, sensible part of the journey.
What this means if you’re choosing a destination
Start with the rules, then the budget, then the clinic. The most popular destinations differ far more in law than in medicine. Age limits range from 45 to 58. Donor anonymity is strict in Spain and the Czech Republic, optional in Denmark, and abolished in Portugal. Access for single women and female couples varies country by country.
Popularity is information – 60% of patients considering Spain reflects real strengths – but the right destination is the one whose laws, prices and donor system match your situation. The second most popular country on the list might be the first best fit for you.
FAQ
What is the most popular country for IVF abroad?
Spain. In our 2024 survey of 1,189 patients researching IVF abroad, 60% were considering Spain – nearly double second-placed Greece (34%). Spain was the top choice in seven of the eight major markets we surveyed.
What are the top IVF destinations in Europe?
Spain (60%), Greece (34%), the Czech Republic (30%), Denmark (23%), Portugal (21%) and North Cyprus (20%) lead the list, followed by Poland (15%) and Latvia (12%).
Where do German patients go for IVF abroad?
Mainly Spain (57%) and the Czech Republic (39%). The Czech Republic’s proximity, lower prices and German-speaking patient coordinators make it the strongest regional corridor in European fertility travel.
Where do American and Canadian patients go for IVF abroad?
Spain (48%) and Greece (40%) top the list, but North Americans are also the main source of interest in Mexico – 73% of all patients considering Mexico came from the US and Canada.
Do patients consider more than one country for IVF abroad?
Yes – most shortlist several destinations at once. That’s why the percentages add up to more than 100: patients compare countries side by side before choosing a clinic.
This article is based on “Seeking IVF Treatment Abroad: Patient Research 2024” – IVF Media’s survey of 1,189 patients worldwide, conducted January–June 2024. Read more about the research here →
Read the full series
This article is part of our five-part series based on our 2024 survey of 1,189 patients researching IVF treatment abroad:
- Why Patients Go Abroad for IVF: Cost Drives the English-Speaking World, Law Drives Europe
- The Most Popular IVF Destinations Abroad – and Who Chooses Them (this article)
- How Much Are Patients Willing to Pay for IVF Abroad? Half Budget Under €7,000
- Google First, Clinic Websites Second: How Patients Research IVF Clinics Abroad – and What They Can’t Find
- What Makes Patients Choose an IVF Clinic Abroad? The Doctor, Not the Building
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