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Egg donation and IVF in Estonia
Table of Contents
- 1 Why IVF in Estonia?
- 2 Fertility Clinics in Estonia
- 3 IVF treatment in Estonia
- 4 Egg Donation in Estonia
- 5 Embryo donation in Estonia
- 6 Egg donation and IVF cost in Estonia
- 7 IVF success rates in Estonia
- 8 Best IVF clinics in Estonia
- 9 Legal aspects of IVF in Estonia
- 10 IVF in Estonia – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 10.1 How much does IVF and egg donation cost in Estonia?
- 10.2 What kind of IVF treatment is legally allowed in Estonia?
- 10.3 What are IVF and egg donation success rates in Estonia?
- 10.4 What are the most frequently chosen cities for egg donation treatment in Estonia?
- 10.5 What major laws are regulating IVF treatment in Estonia?
- 10.6 Where can I find the information on IVF clinics in Estonia?
Why IVF in Estonia?
In recent years, Estonia, a Baltic state in Northern Europe, has become a country of choice for many Scandinavians and Baltic region residents looking for fertility treatment abroad. It is no wonder if you take into account its good healthcare system and the fact that fertility treatments are well regulated and the clinics are regularly inspected. In combination with its clean environment, diverse culture and fine food, Estonia seems to be a perfect spot for fertility treatment and pleasant holidays.
Which patients choose Estonia for egg donation IVF?
- Patients with advanced maternal age – IVF clinics in Estonia support patients up to 50 years old (however, in most cases, donor eggs are recommended if the woman is older than 43 years).
- Single women – both IVF with own eggs and egg donation IVF are available to single women and unmarried couples.
Patients seeking anonymity in terms of donation – donation of egg and sperm is anonymous in Estonia. - Patients interested in PGS/PGT-A embryo genetic diagnosis – preimplantation genetic testing for various types of genetic disorders is allowed and used in Estonia.
- Patients looking for high-quality IVF treatment at reasonable prices – the cost of fertility treatment in Estonia is much less than in the UK and fertility clinics are regularly inspected to maintain a high standard.
- Patients from Scandinavia – egg donors in Estonia suit well to Scandinavian patients by phenotype and temperament.
Egg Donation and IVF in Estonia – basic information
| Egg Donation and IVF in Estonia – costs and availability | |
|---|---|
| IVF with own eggs in Estonia – the average cost | €2,500 – €3,500 |
| Egg donation in Estonia – the average cost | €5,500 – €6,000 |
| Average egg donation success rates in Estonia* | 33.8%-40.2% Data from ESHRE report for 2016 |
| Maximum patient – woman age | 50 |
| IVF treatments for single women | Allowed |
| IVF treatments for female same sex couples | Allowed ROPA method available (Reception of Oocytes from Partner) |
| Gender selection / sex selection in Estonia | Not allowed Not allowed for family balancing reasons |
| Maximum number of embryos to transfer IVF with donor eggs | 3 |
| Maximum number of embryos to transfer IVF with own eggs | 3 |
| Egg donation – anonymity | Anonymous |
| Egg donor availability | Very good Caucasian and Scandinavian availability |
| Egg donor age | 18-35 |
| Maximum number of children born from the same egg donor | 6 |
| Sperm donor – maximum age | 35 |
| Maximum number of children born from the same sperm donor | 6 |
| Egg donation clinics in Estonia | Best IVF clinics in Estonia >>> |
IVF in Estonia – reasons to go
- Good healthcare system and reproductive health services in adherence with the European Union Tissues and Cells Directive.
- Recognised IVF clinics, located in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
- Highly-trained IVF specialists.
- Quite liberal legislation: the upper age limit for women is 50, and assisted reproduction is legally available to unmarried couples and single women.
- Short waiting lists for donor eggs and sperm.
- The possibility to combine one’s own fertility treatment with holidays in picturesque surroundings.
Estonia is a Northern European country between the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. With over 1,500 islands, it can boast diverse landscape with rocky beaches, deep forests, rivers and lakes. It is more and more often perceived by Europeans as a great holiday destination, thanks to fascinating medieval cities, national parks and hidden cultural treasures.
Estonia has a lot of experience in infertility treatment – the first artificially conceived child anywhere in the Baltic region was conceived and born in Estonia in 1995. Estonian fertility specialists have good reputation in the Nordic countries and Estonian IVF clinics clinics provide infertility treatment services to many patients from the Nordic countries – and more and more patients coming from further parts of Europe, too. Estonia is located between Scandinavia, central Europe, and Russia, therefore there are multiple ways to travel over to Estonia across the land, water, and air. There are regular ferries running between Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm, and flight connections landing in Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, the largest airport in Estonia. Obviously, an additional advantage is the fact that Estonia is a European Union member and its currency is the Euro.
Fertility Clinics in Estonia
Currently, there are six fertility clinics in Estonia, including three private ones. Fertility clinics are located in Tallin, the capital city, and are regularly inspected by the Republic of Estonia Agency of Medicines which issues licences for handling tissues and cells accordingly to the European Union Tissue and Cells Directives. Some IVF clinics also attain ISO certification.
IVF clinics in Estonia are modern and well-equipped and can boast qualified teams of fertility professionals. All the staff generally speak English fluently. Estonian IVF clinics offer a wide range of treatments in reproductive medicine, including a number of advanced techniques and services offered in conjunction with IVF, such as PGS/PGD, EmbryoGlue, Endometrial Scratching or ERA test. The costs of IVF with own eggs and egg donation can be significantly lower than in e.g. the UK.
Featured IVF Clinics in Estonia
IVF treatment in Estonia
Estonia offers quite liberal legislation concerning IVF treatment: assisted reproductive services are legally available to single women, and married and unmarried couples. However, the latter need to sign a consent form before a treatment, in which they agree to be parents of any future child.
There is a maximum legal limit as to how old a female patient can be to access IVF treatment – and it is 50 years in most cases. However, in practice, donor eggs are recommended if the woman is older than 43 years.
In Estonia, egg donation as well as sperm and embryo donations are allowed and anonymous. PGS and PGD are permitted and so is egg freezing. There is no limit on how long frozen eggs or sperm can be stored. Frozen embryos can be stored for up to 7 years. Up to three embryos are allowed to be transferred in Estonia.
Sex selection for non-medical reasons is forbidden. Surrogacy is not allowed either but currently, there is a discussion in government about permitting altruistic surrogacy for medical reasons.
Egg Donation in Estonia
Egg, sperm and embryo donations are important parts of reproductive medicine in Estonia – and they are anonymous. Egg donation treatment is generally advised for women who are over 43 years old. The legal age limit in this case is 50. Eggs come from donors who must be between 18-35 years of age. There is no central register in Estonia documenting how many times a donor has donated eggs but the law states that no more than 6 children are allowed to be born from one woman. Egg donors are compensated for their donation. Generally, it is about 500 Euros (but the exact amount depends upon the clinic).
Egg donor information available in Estonia
Egg donors are anonymous so it means that their personal details are not revealed. It is not possible for the intended parents or the donor-conceived child to contact the donor, and for the donor to contact the intended parents and donor-conceived child. The only information about the donor made available to the recipient (and future child) is the following: nationality, skin colour, education, marital status, any children, height, build, colour of hair and colour of eyes.
Egg donor qualifications
Egg donors in Estonia must be between 18-35 years old. They go through a rigorous screening process during which they are examined for infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities. They undergo a psychological evaluation, too.
Qualification tests for egg donors required by law:
- HIV
- Acute or chronic hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
- Syphilis
- Chlamydial infection
- HTLV I/II
- Cystic fibrosis and other autosomal recessive diseases
- Fragile-X Syndrome, and other X-linked recessive disorders
- Other genetic diseases
- Multifactorial congenital disorder or syndrome
- Unbalanced genomes.
Embryo donation in Estonia
Embryo donation is allowed in Estonia – from both fresh and frozen eggs (and sperm). Estonian law allows patients to donate their surplus embryos to adoption programmes. However, not every clinic will offer its patients both types of embryo donation.
Egg donation and IVF cost in Estonia
When compared with costs in the most expensive IVF destinations in Europe (such as the UK or Spain), IVF prices in Estonia are reasonably lower. The advertised prices of IVF treatment using own eggs are around 2,000-3,000 Euros while the costs of egg donation oscillate around 5,000-6,000 Euros. The price of the treatment always includes the so-called add-ons, such as a treatment plan, sedation, egg collection, embryo culture and transfer as well as egg collection and donors’ compensation (in treatments with donations).
IVF success rates in Estonia
It is important to remember that values advertised by clinics on their websites are often very far from national averages showed by independent IVF bodies. In Estonia, all success rates from fertility clinics are sent to the Republic of Estonia Agency of Medicines. Some clinics also send their statistics to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
According to the ESHRE report for 2016 (published in 2020), pregnancy rates for cycle aspirations in Estonia were 25.2 % in case of IVF with own eggs and 28.0% in case of ICSI. The pregnancy success rates for egg donation cycles were reported per embryo transfer for freshly donated oocytes (40.2%), for frozen oocytes ( 40.0%) and for thawed oocytes (33.8%).
| Egg Donation Success Rates* per woman age in Europe – popular countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country / Woman age | <34 | 35-39 | ≥40 |
| Spain | 53.8 | 57.4 | 53.7 |
| Czech Republic | 44.7 | 41.0 | 40.2 |
| Greece | 59.6 | 58.9 | 54.3 |
| North Cyprus | No data / not collected by ESHRE | ||
| Ukraine | 64.3 | 66.3 | 61.9 |
| Russia | 46.7 | 45.5 | 42.8 |
| Portugal | 43.7 | 46.4 | 49.2 |
| Poland | 45.3 | 44.2 | 40.3 |
| Latvia | 100.0* | 16.7* | 7.7* |
| UK | 41.9 | 44.0 | 41.8 |
IVF Estonia - success rates - Your individual chances for a successful treatment
Remember that average success rates shouldn’t be the primary deciding factor for your choice of clinic. Each patient is different – they have place different emphasis and importance on infertility diagnoses and medical histories. As such, the prognoses for each patient can vary greatly and usually are different from the presented average success rates of each clinic. If you want clarification about a clinic’s success rates, call the clinic before scheduling an appointment – describe your medical history in detail, including your age, weight, height, the infertility diagnosis, the number of failed cycles, performed tests and procedures etc. and ask for your individual success prognosis.
Best IVF clinics in Estonia
According to patients’ reviews and comments best IVF clinics in Estonia are located in Tallin, the capital of Estonia. So which is the best IVF clinic in Estonia? There is no easy answer to this question – however, the top IVF clinics in Estonia are usually the most popular ones.
Here is a list of the best IVF clinics in Estonia featured at eggdonationfriends.com.
Legal aspects of IVF in Estonia
The main Estonian law on medically assisted procreation is Artificial Insemination and Embryo Protection Act from 1997. The Act regulates artificial insemination of a woman with the sperm of a man and transfer of embryos created in vitro as well as the protection of embryos created in vitro. You can find it here.
Additionally, Estonia applies the European Tissue and Cells Directive which regulates assisted reproduction in the European Union. Fertility clinics in Estonia undergo regular safety and quality inspections by the Republic of Estonia Agency of Medicines – the body that issues licences for handling tissues and cells properly.
IVF in Estonia – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does IVF and egg donation cost in Estonia?
The cost of a single own egg IVF cycle ranges from 2000 to 3000 Euros while an egg donation cycle may cost from 5000 to 6000 Euros. Additionally, patients may have to cover the costs of a medical consultation with a doctor and remember that initial advertised prices may not reveal the full cost – there are many add-ons included as well (e.g. treatment plan, sedation, egg collection, embryo transfer, egg collection).
What kind of IVF treatment is legally allowed in Estonia?
IVF treatment in Estonia is allowed for single women, and married and unmarried couples equally. The legal age limit for female patients is 50 years old. Egg/sperm/embryo donation is allowed and anonymous – donor and patient identities are strictly guarded by the clinic. Social freezing of eggs is permitted and embryos can be stored for up to 7 years. The maximum number of embryos to transfer in both IVF with own eggs and IVF with donor eggs is 3. PGS/PGD is allowed.
What are IVF and egg donation success rates in Estonia?
Some clinics in Estonia are reporting their results to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). According to the ESHRE report for 2016 (published in 2020), pregnancy rates for cycle aspirations in Estonia were 25.2 % in case of IVF with own eggs and 28.0% in case of ICSI. The pregnancy success rates for egg donation cycles per embryo transfer were as following: for freshly donated oocytes (40.2%), for frozen oocytes ( 40.0%) and for thawed oocytes (33.8%).
What are the most frequently chosen cities for egg donation treatment in Estonia?
Most IVF clinics in Estonia are located in its capital and largest city: Tallinn. Tallinn is a world heritage site with a history ranging back to the Middle Ages – but it is also a modern and vibrant city at the same time. Tallinn International Airport is Estonia’s largest airport. It is located 4km southeast of Tallinn’s city centre.
What major laws are regulating IVF treatment in Estonia?
The main piece of legislation regulating the conditions of IVF and other fertility treatments in Estonia is Artificial Insemination and Embryo Protection Act of 1997. Estonia also adheres to the European Union Tissues and Cells Directive.
Where can I find the information on IVF clinics in Estonia?
Fertility clinics in Estonia undergo regular safety and quality inspections by the Republic of Estonia Agency of Medicines – the body that issues licenses for handling tissues and cells properly.
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Resources used in this article
- Legislation and reimbursement of ART and IUI treatments in Europe,
https://www.eshre.eu/Data-collection-and-research/Consortia/EIM/Legislation-for-ART-and-IUI-treatments - Patients Enquiry Reports 2013-2019, Fertility Clinics Abroad Ltd., Edinburgh, August 2019.
- Patients Enquiry Reports 2013-2019, IVF Media Ltd., Dublin, August 2019.
- ART in Europe, 2016: results generated from European registries by ESHRE
https://academic.oup.com/hropen/article/2020/3/hoaa032/5879305 - Artificial Insemination and Embryo Protection Act https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/530102013057/consolide
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