IVF legislation across Europe varies considerably, with each country adopting its own regulations regarding access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
Broad Access (including single, same-sex couples and state funding)
- Belgium: IVF is state-funded for up to six cycles, available to heterosexual couples, single women, and same-sex couples. Egg and sperm donation are allowed, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is widely permitted.
- Denmark: Available to heterosexual couples, single women, and same-sex couples. Up to three state-funded IVF cycles are offered. Donor eggs and sperm are legal, and donors can be anonymous or known.
- France: IVF is available to heterosexual couples, single women, and lesbian couples. State-funded for up to four cycles for women under 43. Egg/sperm donation is allowed but must be anonymous.
- Sweden: Same-sex couples and single women have access. Egg/sperm donation is allowed. Treatment is state-funded for a limited number of cycles.
Moderate Access with some restrictions
- United Kingdom: Heterosexual couples, same-sex couples, and single women can access IVF. Funding is available through the NHS, but access varies by region. Private cycles cost around €7,000. Donor gametes are legal, with an upper age limit of 42 for funded treatment.
- Netherlands: IVF is funded for up to three cycles for heterosexual and same-sex couples, as well as single women. PGT is allowed for serious genetic conditions.
- Spain: IVF is widely accessible for heterosexual couples, single women, and same-sex couples. The country is a top destination for fertility tourism. Egg and sperm donations are anonymous, and surrogacy is illegal.
- Portugal: Available to heterosexual and lesbian couples, as well as single women. The state covers treatment for a limited number of cycles. Sperm and egg donation are allowed, and PGT is permitted.
Restricted Access (More regulations and/or bans on certain groups)
- Germany: IVF is allowed only for heterosexual married couples. Egg donation is banned, and embryo freezing is limited. Surrogacy is illegal, and only three embryos can be created or transferred per cycle.
- Italy: IVF is only available to heterosexual couples. Egg and sperm donation are allowed since 2014, but surrogacy is banned. There are also restrictions on the number of embryos that can be created and transferred.
- Austria: Egg donation and sperm donation are allowed, but surrogacy is banned. IVF is available for heterosexual couples but has limited state funding.
- Switzerland: Egg donation is prohibited, but sperm donation is allowed for heterosexual couples. Surrogacy is illegal, and IVF is only available for married heterosexual couples.
Prohibitive laws or highly restricted
- Norway: IVF is available only to heterosexual and lesbian couples. Egg donation is prohibited, and surrogacy is illegal.
- Poland: IVF is legal but highly restricted, with state funding being cut. The process is available only to heterosexual couples. Donor gametes are allowed, but surrogacy is banned.
- Hungary: IVF is legal for heterosexual couples, but the government tightly controls access, and private clinics are limited in offering services.
- Lithuania: IVF is legal for married heterosexual couples, and embryo freezing is allowed. However, there is no state funding.
Popular IVF destinations (Fertility tourism)
- Greece: Greece has become a popular destination for fertility treatments, offering IVF to heterosexual couples, single women, and same-sex couples. Surrogacy is legal with court approval. Egg and sperm donation are legal and widely used.
- Czech Republic: IVF is available to heterosexual couples and single women. Egg donation and sperm donation are anonymous, and surrogacy is prohibited. The country is known for affordable IVF.
- Ukraine: Ukraine offers broad access to IVF, including for surrogacy, which is legal. The country is known for affordable treatments and attracts many international patients. This situation has changed since the beginning of the war in 2022. Since then Georgia has developed into a new alternative surrogacy destination.
- Georgia: IVF is available to heterosexual couples and single women. Surrogacy is legal and well-regulated in Georgia, with no parental rights given to the surrogate. Egg and sperm donation are permitted, including for international patients with both anonymous and non-anonymous options available. Embryo donation and Embryo freezing are also permitted.