Assisted reproduction, third reason behind medical tourism in Mexico

Infertility treatments

are between 30% to 50% less expensive in Mexico than in other countries, such as the United States, which has boosted medical tourism in the country.

According to Abraham Martínez, general director of INVINSEMER in Mexico City, assisted reproductive treatments are the third reason behind this type of tourism, after cardiovascular procedures and plastic surgery, pursuant to a study by ProMexico and the Ministry of Health.

Depending on the technique used, the prices for these treatments may range from MXN$ 18,000 for an artificial insemination procedure – with an effectiveness percentage ranging from 15% to 20% – to almost MXN$ 120,000 for an egg donation procedure – with a success of 80 per cent.

In our country, there are 2.6 million infertility cases and every year 180,000 more are diagnosed, according to figures of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

The director of the fertility clinic mentioned that the current lifestyle or age at which couples decide to become parents, among other factors, are conditions which may complicate conceiving a child.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) , infertility is defined as the unsuccessful attempts of a couple to conceive over the course of a full year, a situation which already affects 17% of the Mexican couples , according to Ipsos Healthcare.

There are several causes of infertility, such as hormone imbalances, conditions such as endometriosis, ovulation problems, untreated infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, low sperm count and sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology.

He added that a high percentage of infertile couples are able to conceive with the adequate treatment, therefore, it is vital that a reproduction expert determines whether the reproductive problem is present in one or both partners, and which steps to follow afterward.

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