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| IVF and Egg Donation in Latvia - availability and limits | |
|---|---|
| Maximum patient age | No limit not specified by legislation, decided by each clinic individually |
| IVF treatments for single women | Allowed |
| IVF treatments for female same sex couples | Allowed |
| Gender selection | Allowed only if there are medical reasons Not allowed for family balancing reasons |
| Maximum number of embryos to transfer IVF with donor eggs | Not specified by legislation there are approved guidelines which do not recommend embryo transfer of 3 or more, SET is recommended |
| Maximum number of embryos to transfer IVF with own eggs |
|
| Egg donation - anonymity | Anonymous Some characteristics, history and skills may be revealed to the recipient - depending on clinic's decision |
| Egg donor availability | Good |
| Egg donor age | 18-35 |
| Maximum number of children born from the same egg donor | 3 |
| Sperm donor - maximum age | 45 |
| Maximum number of children born from the same sperm donor | 3 |
| IVF clinics in Latvia | Check IVF clinics in Latvia >>> |
The scenic Latvia is home to many stunning views and architectural wonders. What the country is not yet famous for is its ability to offer high quality fertility treatments, however is has become one of the most reliable and quality fertility treatment providers in Europe. An important advantage is the fact that Latvia belongs to both the European Union and the Schengen area. Looking for a perfect place for IVF? Riga (Latvia capital) may be an option to consider.
According to the 2014 report by the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), there were only five clinics in Latvia in that year, with only three reporting their results directly to ESHRE. But don’t let yourself be fooled by that number, though. Latvian clinics offer high standards of care and follow modern procedures for safe and effective IVF. Riga, Latvia, is the place where most of those clinics are located.
The country often serves foreign patients seeking affordable treatments with Lithuanians and Estonians arriving in large numbers. Latvia is also increasing in popularity as a destination for patients from Scandinavia, Germany and the United Kingdom. Clinics reflect that reality by often offering additional patient services, such as having translators and personal coordinators on hand. Most medical staff in Latvia speak English, while some may also speak additional languages, such as Russian.
Results from Latvian clinics submitted to ESHRE are compiled into yearly aggregate reports; these, however, like others from other countries, are often published with a large delay.
Clinic EGV was founded in 1998. The clinic’s main goal has always been to provide patients with quality and comprehensive reproductive health care and the opportunity to become parents for those diagnosed with infertility. The clinic is proud of its outstanding team of specialists who are able to find a
Current Latvian law permits access to fertility treatments to single women, heterosexual couples. Women in same-sex relationships may be treated by some of the clinics – assuming one partner states that she is single.
One unusual thing about Latvia is that their assisted reproduction laws do not specify an upper age limit for either women or men. Latvian IVF clinics decide on cases individually, which can make the country an attractive destination for older patients. In order to make the best choice, always remember to ask your clinic if they have an age limit in place.
Gamete and embryo donations are allowed. Although there is no legal requirement, the approved guidelines recommend a single embryo transfer for all the patients with good prognosis. The same guidelines do not recommend the transfer of three or more embryos. Donations anonymity is clearly required by the law. Parents are only allowed access to the donor’s genetic and phenotypic data.
Modern pre-implantation diagnostics such as PGS and PGD are available to patients. Sex selection as a result of these diagnostics is only allowed in medically justified cases – for instance, if there is a significant possibility of the child being born with a genetic disorder related to the sex chromosomes.
Same sex female couples can be treated in Latvia.
According to the Latvian law, egg, sperm and embryo donation is anonymous. The donors’ personal data is collected and entered into the nationwide donor registry where confidentiality is maintained by the Latvian Ministry of Health. It is important to mention here that because of the country’s small population (around 2 million – according to 2019 estimations) and ethnic makeup, donor diversity is rather limited.
Although Latvian law requires strict anonymity with regard to the donors, patients have access to some basic genetic and phenotypic information, such as a description of their appearance (height, weight, skin tone, hair and eye colours, etc.), their blood type, and their genetic history.
Latvian law does not specify a procedure in which donors and patients are matched. Instead, each clinic has its own matching method. While most of them follow guidelines from ESHRE and other related advisory bodies, it is always worth making sure what the matching process is at a given clinic and what information about the donor would be made available to you as a patient.
Potential donors in Latvia must satisfy several criteria in order to be able to donate. First of all, donors must be between the ages of 18 and 35 (in case of women) and 18 and 45 (in case of men). They are selected on the basis of their age, health and medical history, and they also have to submit an assessment made by a psychiatrist and a narcologist.
Donor qualification tests required by law:
Depending on the donor’s travel and exposure history, additional testing may be required including tests for RhD, malaria, CMV and T. cruzi. Sometimes Latvian IVF clinics also include karyotyping testing (as recommended by ESHRE) as well they as microbiological and pap smears and ultrasound examinations on egg donors
There is a maximum number of 3 children born from same egg donor.
Embryo donation in Latvia is allowed for a single woman and infertile heterosexual couples.
Latvia’s relatively high standards of care come at a price. The average egg donation treatment in Latvia is €5,000 – €8,000 while the prices of single IVF cycle with own eggs range from €3,200 to €6,200. These prices are surely higher than in nearby destinations, such as Poland or Russia.
| IVF costs abroad – popular countries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country / IVF treatment type | Egg donation costs | IVF own eggs costs |
| Spain | €5,900 – €11,000 | €4,100 – €7,100 |
| Czech Republic | €4,500 – €8,000 | €2,700 – €5,700 |
| Greece | €5,000 – €8,000 | €3,200 – €6,200 |
| North Cyprus | €4,500 – €6,000 | €2,700 – €5,700 |
| Ukraine | €4,000 – €7,000 | €2,200 – €5,200 |
| Russia | €3,800 – €7,000 | €2,000 – €5,000 |
| Portugal | €6,000 – €8,000 | €3,200 – €6,200 |
| Poland | €4,000 – €6,000 | €2,200 – €5,200 |
| Latvia | €5,000 – €8,000 | €3,200 – €6,200 |
| UK | €10,000 – €14,000 | €6,000 – €10,000 |
It also needs to be remarked that some clinics may not be as transparent about additional fees accumulating over the course of treatment; always be sure to ask your clinic of choice about whether these costs are included in their price quote:
IVF with donor eggs (egg donation) success rates in Latvia as compared to other European countries according to ESHRE latest report.
Please note, in the latest ESHRE report, there were 101 egg donation cycles reported from Latvia. It might not have been enough data to present success rates comparable with other countries.
| 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 |
Latvia passed its initial Sexual and Reproductive Health Law back in 2002. It laid out the legislative foundations for diagnosing and treating infertility. Articles 13 through 15 deal with assisted reproduction, establishing that heterosexual couples, single women and same-sex female couples could undergo IVF procedures, whether with their own gametes, or those of a donor. Article 15 forbids, among other things, sex selection (except for medically justified reasons) and transferring more than three embryos in a single cycle.
This law was then augmented by several regulations passed by the Latvian parliament. Regulation 716, passed in 2003, set forth the rules for setting up donor gamete banks, as well as established the registries of infertile families, assisted reproduction procedures and gamete donors. It also clarified the process of performing assisted reproduction treatments.
Two additional resolutions followed – no. 208 in 2007 and no. 1176 in 2013 slightly changing the procedures and protocols for obtaining, handling, and storing human tissues and cells. These changes brought the Latvian legislation more in-line with the European recommendations and regulations.
Latvia can boast the impressively high standards of diagnostics and treatment as well as professional and experienced infertility specialists at hand. The cost of average egg donation treatment is €5,000 – €8,000 while the prices of single IVF cycle with own eggs range from €3,200 to €6,200.
In Latvia, single women, heterosexual couples and same-sex female couples are allowed for IVF treatment, with no legal age limit for either women or men. Egg and embryo donations are allowed and anonymous. Preimplantation diagnostics such as PGS and PGD are available and sex selection is allowed only in medically justified cases.
Unfortunately, only few clinics are reporting their results to the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). According the ESHRE 2014 report, the overall birth rates for IVF with own eggs were 22.3% (for patients under 35 years old), 24.5% (for patients aged 35-39) and 3.2% (for patients over 40). The birth rate for IVF treatment with donor eggs was 50.9% for all age groups.
The most willingly chosen city for IVF treatment in Latvia is its capital, Riga. It is the place where most Latvian IVF clinics are located.
The basic law of in vitro fertilisation in Latvia is Sexual and Reproductive Health Law, passed back in 2002. There are also specific regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, such as Regulation No.716 („Organisational Procedures for the medical impregnation and procedures for the establishment of an infertile families register, medical impregnation register and gamete donor register, as well as for the establishment of the gamete donor bank”) or Regulation No.1176 (“Regulations Regarding the Use of Human Tissues and Cells”).
IVF patients travelling to Latvia for IVF treatment may contact the Cross–Border Healthcare Contact Point at the National Health Service. It is an information centre, providing the information on the Latvian national healthcare system as well as on the procedures required for obtaining the cross–border healthcare services. Its contact details are found on the website.
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