Driven by Costs, Fertility Clients Head Overseas

Most Americans seeking fertility treatment stay close to home. Yet for many, the procedure is unaffordable in the United States. A single in vitro treatment can cost over US$10,000, and insurance rarely covers the procedure. Despite concerns about quality and safety, middle-class couples are increasingly heading overseas. "For the price of one I.V.F. cycle in the U.S.A. the patient can come to South Africa, have the treatment done here in Cape Town and have a lovely holiday at the same time and still take some cash home," explains one South African doctor. As this so-called fertility tourism gains in popularity, aspiring parents may now produce truly "global" offspring. - YaleGlobal