2100→5 Million Won... American Women Say "Let's Go to Europe to Freeze Eggs"

NYT Report... "Procedure Costs One-Third"
Mexico, Spain, and Czech Republic Are Popular

The number of American women traveling to Europe, including Spain and the Czech Republic, to freeze their eggs is increasing. This is because the cost is much cheaper than in their home country, and they can enjoy tourism along with the procedure.

On the 10th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) reported that more and more American women are embarking on "egg freezing trips" ranging from nearby Mexico to Europe, including Spain, the Czech Republic, and Norway, and introduced detailed cases of women who underwent overseas egg freezing procedures.

According to Milvia, a company specializing in egg freezing trips, the total cost of egg freezing procedures in the United States?including hormone injections, doctor consultations and procedures, and storage of frozen eggs?reaches about $16,000 (approximately 21 million KRW). In contrast, the same procedure costs $6,550 (about 8.6 million KRW) in Barbados, a Caribbean island nation, $6,134 (about 8 million KRW) in the United Kingdom, and $3,816 (about 5 million KRW) in Spain.

(The photo above is not directly related to the article content.) [Image source=Pixabay]

Milvia estimates that there are millions of women in the U.S. who want to freeze their eggs, but only a very small portion actually undergo the procedure. This is because most American women cannot receive egg freezing procedures covered by health insurance, making the cost very burdensome. According to Mercer Health News, as of 2020, less than 20% of U.S. companies with over 20,000 employees provide health insurance benefits for egg freezing.

However, the story changes when looking overseas, where the procedure costs only 25-30% of the U.S. price. The financial burden is significantly reduced, and the two-week procedure period can be transformed from a painful experience into a wonderful vacation. Milvia, for example, offers women seeking egg freezing procedures abroad assistance with flight and accommodation bookings, as well as pick-up and concierge services.

Abhi Gavalkar, CEO of Milvia, said, "In addition to arranging tourism, we can introduce women in similar situations so that those struggling with hormonal changes can feel emotional solidarity."

Jennifer Lannan, founder of Freeze Health, a global egg freezing information provider, said, "Currently, Mexico and Spain are the 'hot spots' for egg freezing," explaining that "Mexico is close to the U.S. and very affordable, while Spain is a popular tourist destination and the leading country in research and development in Europe."

NYT reported the case of Gillian Morris (36), a software developer who underwent egg freezing in Madrid, Spain, in 2019 with two friends. After posting her plan to travel to Europe for egg freezing on social media, her friends joined her to undergo the procedure together.

She recalled, "I never even considered egg freezing until I heard that the cost in Spain was one-fifth of that in the U.S. We rented a shared accommodation with friends, and during the free time in the middle of the procedure, we enjoyed wonderful restaurants and visited museums and other cities like typical tourists." She added, "All the hospital staff spoke English, and it was more comfortable than U.S. hospitals. I was happy to turn what could have been a difficult experience into a vacation and a fun opportunity."

Global Reproductive Tourism Market Expected to Grow Rapidly

Madrid, Spain. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

However, there are precautions for overseas egg freezing procedures. Sidonia Rose Swarm, founder of Freeze Health, emphasized the need to book travel plans, especially flights and accommodations, flexibly, as the number of eggs retrieved may vary depending on the body cycle. She also advised verifying whether the clinic performing the procedure is licensed and if there are English-speaking medical professionals available. Additionally, Swarm recommended, "Because hormones can cause mood swings or emotional changes, it is advisable to travel with a companion."

Market research firm Grand View Research predicts that the global reproductive tourism market, including egg freezing, will grow rapidly at over 30% annually over the next seven years, reaching a market size of $6.2 billion (approximately 8.2 trillion KRW) by 2030.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.