Cross-border fertility care--International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies global survey: 2006 data and estimates.

OBJECTIVE

To collect data on the prevalence and reasons for cross-border fertility care (CBFC).

DESIGN

Retrospective survey conducted by the International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

SETTING

Forty-nine countries who have previously participated with the International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

PATIENT(S): Number of CBFC patients per country.

INTERVENTION(S): Questionnaire.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of CBFC patients and reason for travel.

RESULT(S): The majority of replies were comprised of estimates for incoming and outgoing patients having CBFC. The main reasons for leaving a home country for CBFC included treatment anonymity and legality issues, whereas incoming patients most often traveled due to efficacy and access.

CONCLUSION(S): Few countries are able to quantify numbers of patients having CBFC, although our data suggest that incoming treatment seekers are more easily numerated due to clinic registration procedures. Standardization of data collection and creation of national databases are needed to collect quantitative information that will help reproductive caregivers to provide support for patients having CBFC.