OBJECTIVES: To map the profile of travellers for IVF treatment from the UK to Greece, to investigate the incentives that forced them to seek IVF treatment abroad and to understand the reasons for the selection of Greece.

METHODS: The study sample consisted of 91 women from the UK who visited Greece during 2010-2015 in order to receive IVF treatment. A cross-sectional study was carried out using an anonymous electronic questionnaire developed by the researchers, which was personally e-mailed to each participant and included 24 close-ended questions.

RESULTS: The study population consisted mostly of white women (81.3%), heterosexual (92.3%), married (64.8%), of higher educational and economical status and a mean age of ~40 years old. Overall, 67 women had eventually a positive pregnancy test, while the multiple pregnancy rate was 20.9%. The most predominant motivations for seeking treatment abroad was the high cost of treatment at home country (69.2%), dissatisfaction of previous treatment at the home country (62.2%), high cross-border success rates (60.4%) and the desire for multiple embryo transfer (47.3%). 59.3% of the women reported that they chose Greece due to the clinic’s high success rates, 51.6% due to economic costs and 50.5% due to the quality of care, with a statistically significant correlation between the choice of donor treatment and anonymity (p=0.002) and availability (p <0.001). 89.9% of the women would recommend Greece for IVF treatment, while 74% stated that treatment in Greece was better suited to their needs.

CONCLUSIONS: The cost and the quality of treatment are raised as crucial reasons for medical tourism and choosing Greece for IVF treatment, although incentives are personalized for every woman according to their socio-demographic and medical background. Alongside with the globalization of IVF, the need for a framework of effective cooperation between countries has become even more evident.