- If you're over 45, age limits already close several countries. Start with the age section before anything else.
- Anonymous donation means the donor is not legally identifiable through the treatment system. It does not guarantee that identification will never become possible later in life.
- Czech Republic does not accept single women. If you're going alone, this country is ruled out regardless of anything else.
- Advertised prices usually exclude medication, travel, accommodation, and add-ons. Real costs are often higher than clinic headline figures suggest.
- Most patients travel once for transfer, while most preparation happens remotely. Some cases still require more coordination.
Age limits close countries early
Age limits vary more than most people expect, and this is the first filter to apply. There is no point comparing cost or donor type in a country that will not treat you.
| Your age | Effect on shortlist |
|---|---|
| Under 46 | All eight countries remain open on age alone |
| 46 or over | Denmark excluded |
| 50 or over | Czech Republic, Portugal, and Denmark excluded. Spain, the UK, and South Africa are at or near their limit |
| Over 50 | Greece and North Cyprus are the main realistic options in the covered set |
| Over 54 | North Cyprus is effectively the only covered country still open at that point |
Eligibility: single women and couples
Most covered countries accept single women. Czech Republic does not. This is a legal restriction, not a clinic choice, and it applies across the country.
Czech Republic: single women are not eligible under national law. This is the only covered country with this restriction.
Donor type: anonymous or identifiable
Some countries require anonymous donation by law. Others require identifiable donation. Denmark and Greece offer a choice, though Greece's identifiable option remains limited in practice.
| Donor type | Countries |
|---|---|
| Anonymous only | Spain, Czech Republic, North Cyprus, South Africa |
| Identifiable only | Portugal, United Kingdom |
| Choice (anonymous or identifiable) | Denmark, Greece (identifiable option limited in practice) |
If identifiable donation matters to you, Spain, Czech Republic, North Cyprus, and South Africa drop out immediately.
Cost: what you're actually comparing
Headline clinic prices rarely reflect total treatment cost. For a frozen donor egg cycle, recipient medication alone often adds around €400 to €1,300. Travel, accommodation, and add-ons are on top. The ranges below are shown before travel.
| Country | Estimated frozen cycle range |
|---|---|
| South Africa | €5,500–€8,500 |
| North Cyprus | €6,000–€8,000 |
| Czech Republic | €6,500–€8,500 |
| Portugal | €7,500–€9,500 |
| Greece | €7,500–€10,000 |
| Spain | €7,500–€10,500 |
| Denmark | €8,500–€11,000 |
| United Kingdom | €12,000–€18,500 |
These are editorial estimates for a frozen donor egg cycle, including base treatment and recipient medication. They are not guaranteed prices and do not include travel, accommodation, optional add-ons, or extra procedures.
South Africa, North Cyprus, Czech Republic, Portugal, and Greece sit in the lower-cost group. Denmark and the UK are at the top end. Spain sits in the middle, but total cost can still exceed €10,000 once all costs are included.
Read the cost guide for a fuller breakdown of what is included, what is not, and how to build a realistic total budget.
Donor ethnicity and availability
Most covered European destinations draw from predominantly Caucasian donor pools. If you need a donor from a specific ethnic background, this filter can narrow your shortlist early and is worth checking before going further.
| Ethnicity | Strongest options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caucasian | Spain, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, North Cyprus, Denmark | Generally the strongest availability across the covered European options |
| Black / African | South Africa, UK | South Africa is the strongest practical option in the covered set |
| South Asian | UK | Often limited in European clinics; UK may offer better access in practice |
| East / Southeast Asian | UK (limited) | Very limited across all covered countries; check with clinics directly |
| Hispanic / Latino | Spain | Spain may have relatively stronger availability given its donor pool composition |
Availability is clinic-dependent and can change over time. Confirm with individual clinics rather than relying on country-level assumptions.
Read the donor ethnicity guide
How the process works
Most preparation happens remotely. In most cases, the only essential in-person step is the transfer.
Remote consultation From home
Review your history, confirm eligibility, and agree on the treatment plan.
Medical tests at home From home
Blood tests, scans, and any required checks are usually done locally and shared with the clinic.
Donor matching From home
The clinic matches you based on legal rules, profile fit, and donor availability.
Uterine lining preparation From home
You take medication at home to prepare the uterus for transfer.
Travel to the clinic At the clinic
You travel for the transfer window. Timing and length of stay vary by clinic and situation.
Embryo transfer and pregnancy test At the clinic / from home
The transfer happens at the clinic, then the pregnancy test is done at home after the wait.
Most patients travel once for transfer, but some clinics or situations require more coordination.
Success rates
Live birth rates across the covered countries typically fall between 40% and 55% per transfer. Because donor egg quality is a major driver of outcome, recipient age usually matters less than it does in IVF with your own eggs.
Rates vary by clinic, donor age, and individual medical profile. Clinic-reported figures and national statistics are not always directly comparable.
Is this the right treatment for you?
If you have not already applied your main constraint, start there. Age closes the most options. Donor type can remove countries immediately. Use the shortlist tool to work through both at once.
Age limits by country · Donor type guide · Cost guide · Build a shortlist