Question 1

When was the first IVF baby born in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

The first IVF baby in Portugal was born in 1985, representing a significant advancement in reproductive technology for the country.

This historic birth took place at the Hospital de Santa Maria in Lisbon and provided a new opportunity for couples struggling with infertility to achieve their dream of parenthood.

This event was a pivotal moment in the history of reproductive medicine in Portugal, offering hope to many.

Question 2

Are egg donors anonymous in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

In Portugal, egg donors are not anonymous, a change implemented in 2018.

Current Portuguese law grants children conceived through donor eggs the right to learn the identity of their donor when they reach the age of 18, with the state guaranteeing this access and maintaining donor information for 75 years. Donors provide informed consent to this non-anonymous arrangement, understanding their identity may be revealed to any resulting child.

Although donors do not have any legal parental rights or responsibilities, the intention is to allow individuals born from donor eggs to understand their genetic background, and recipients have access to detailed donor profiles including physical characteristics, medical history, and educational background, while the donor’s privacy is maintained during treatment.

Question 3

How much does IVF cost in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

The cost of IVF in Portugal typically ranges from €3,500 to €5,300 for a basic cycle, though this price may not always include the cost of medications.

For those considering IVF with egg donation, the cost generally falls between €5,500 and €8,000 per cycle, with some clinics offering packages starting at €7,950 for a minimum of two guaranteed blastocysts. It’s important to note that medication costs are often separate and can add significantly to the overall expense, potentially ranging from approximately €450 to €600, and may include costs for medications administered to the egg donor. Additional procedures like ICSI can start from around €4,000 with own eggs, while PGT-A genetic embryo testing can cost between €2,000 and €2,400.

Further costs can be associated with procedures such as embryo monitoring (€150 to €300), vitrification and storage of embryos (€450 to €600 for one year), and frozen embryo transfer (FET) which typically costs between €1,100 and €1,400. Blastocyst culture usually ranges from €300 to €500 and is often included in basic packages.

Question 4

Is surrogacy legal in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Surrogacy is permitted in Portugal, but only under strict conditions that prioritize altruistic arrangements and medical necessity.

Portuguese law explicitly prohibits commercial surrogacy, with penalties for those involved in such arrangements, including potential imprisonment. Altruistic surrogacy is allowed for individuals or couples who are unable to carry a pregnancy to term due to specific medical conditions, and the surrogate mother must have previously given birth and not use her own eggs.

Establishing legal parentage involves a contract and registration of the child, though the surrogate mother has a period after birth to revoke her consent; if she does not, parenthood transfers to the intended parents. Generally, intended parents must have a genetic link to the child, though exceptions exist based on infertility or relationship dynamics.

Question 5

Can lesbians do IVF in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, lesbian couples can undergo IVF in Portugal, as the country has progressive and inclusive laws regarding same-sex couples and single women seeking fertility treatments.

Portugal has legalized same-sex marriage and parenting, allowing lesbian couples, whether married or in registered partnerships, to legally access assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. Access to donor sperm is available, and since 2016, ART has been accessible to all women regardless of marital status or sexual orientation; gamete donations are non-anonymous, with children having the right to access donor information at age 18.

Through techniques like Reciprocal IVF, both partners in a lesbian couple can be recognized as legal parents, ensuring equal rights and responsibilities regarding the child’s upbringing. While IVF and donor gametes are readily available, surrogacy is strictly regulated and generally not lawful in Portugal, with limited exceptions under specific medical conditions and a prohibition on commercial surrogacy.

Question 6

What is the age limit for IVF in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

In Portugal, the general age limit for women undergoing IVF treatment is 50 years old, though this can vary depending on whether the treatment is publicly or privately funded.

For publicly funded IVF cycles, the age limit for women is typically 40 years old for the first three cycles, while men are eligible for public funding up to age 60. Private clinics generally follow the legal maximum age of 50 for women, but may consider treatment up to age 55 in specific circumstances based on a patient’s medical fitness. There is no strict legal upper age limit for men seeking IVF, although some clinics may have a policy limit of 60.

The age limit of 50 for women applies regardless of whether they are using their own eggs or donor eggs, as Portuguese law focuses on the age of the future parents rather than the egg donor’s age, though egg donors themselves are typically between 18 and 35 years old.

Question 7

What is the IVF success rate in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

IVF success rates in Portugal are competitive with leading European standards, varying based on age and whether own eggs or donor eggs are used.

For women under 35 using their own eggs, clinical pregnancy rates are approximately 35-40% per cycle, with some sources indicating live birth rates between 40-50% per transfer or cycle, and potentially as high as 45-55%. Success rates for those aged 35-39 are around 25-30% per cycle, while women over 40 experience rates ranging from 10% to 15%, decreasing to single digits after age 42. IVF utilizing donor eggs in Portugal generally achieves higher success rates, typically ranging from 60% to 70%, with pregnancy rates around 52.6% per fresh embryo transfer and cumulative success rates of 60% and above.

Portugal’s fresh embryo transfer success rate with donor eggs, at 52.6%, is comparable to other popular European destinations, and while rates for women under 35 using their own eggs are slightly lower than in the USA (35-40% versus 49.7%), Portugal’s egg donation success rates are competitive.

Question 8

Is egg donation legal in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Egg donation is legal and regulated in Portugal, operating under ethical and altruistic principles within a transparent framework.

Assisted reproduction techniques, including egg donation, are accessible to heterosexual couples, single women, and female couples. Donors must be between 18 and 35 years old and undergo thorough medical and psychological screenings to ensure good physical and mental health, as well as to rule out infectious diseases and genetic disorders. While egg donation is considered an altruistic act, donors are financially compensated for expenses, travel, and inconvenience, with the amount fixed by law to between approximately €878 and €1,045 per donation.

Egg donation in Portugal is non-anonymous, granting children born from donor eggs the right to access the donor’s identity at age 18, and recipients have access to donor profiles including physical traits, medical history, and education. A donor can donate a maximum of four times in their lifetime, with a minimum interval of three months between each donation.

Question 9

Can you choose gender with IVF in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

In Portugal, gender selection using IVF is only allowed for medical reasons, and is not permitted for non-medical reasons like family balancing.

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) or Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) are available, but their use is limited to preventing the transmission of serious sex-linked genetic disorders, such as hemophilia, which primarily affects males. Portuguese law prohibits the use of these technologies for gender selection outside of these specific medical contexts.

Question 10

Can gay couples do IVF in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, IVF treatments are legally accessible to same-sex couples in Portugal, offering various options to build their families.

Portugal provides a progressive legal framework ensuring equal access to assisted reproductive technologies for all, regardless of sexual orientation. Female couples can utilize IVF with egg donation, sperm donation, double donation, and reciprocal IVF, also known as shared motherhood, where one partner donates eggs and the other carries the pregnancy. All gamete donation treatments operate under a non-anonymous donor policy, allowing children conceived through donation to access the donor’s identity at age 18.

However, it is important to note that while gestational surrogacy is legal in Portugal, it is currently not accessible to male same-sex couples and is primarily limited to married heterosexual couples with medical reasons preventing pregnancy, and must be altruistic.

Question 11

Is sperm donation legal in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Sperm donation is legal in Portugal and is governed by specific regulations within the country’s framework for medically assisted reproduction.

Since 2018, sperm donation in Portugal has been non-anonymous, meaning that individuals conceived through sperm donation have the right to access identifying information about their donor when they reach the age of 18. The Portuguese state maintains this information for 75 years, ensuring access for donor-conceived individuals. While donors are anonymous to the intended parents, they consent to having their identity revealed to their offspring later in life.

Potential sperm donors in Portugal must be between 18 and 45 years old, in good health, and free from sexually transmitted and hereditary diseases, undergoing thorough medical and psychological screening. Donors are also limited to donating to a maximum of eight families and receive financial compensation to cover expenses and lost income.

Question 12

Is IVF legal in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

IVF is legal in Portugal, operating under a legal framework designed to uphold ethical standards and protect patient rights.

The primary law governing Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR) is Law No. 32/2006 of July 26th, which has been updated in 2016 and 2018 to reflect current societal values and constitutional principles. The National Council for Medically Assisted Procreation (CNPMA) regulates and monitors IVF centers, establishes quality guidelines, and maintains national registries for treatments and donors.

Portuguese law allows access to IVF for heterosexual couples, single women, and female same-sex couples, with age limits generally up to 49 years and 364 days for women and 60 years for men. Gamete donation is permitted but is non-anonymous, granting donor-conceived individuals the right to know their donor’s identity when they reach adulthood, and limits are in place regarding the number of donations per donor.

Question 13

Is reciprocal IVF (ROPA) allowed in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal IVF (ROPA) is legally permitted in Portugal for female same-sex couples, providing them with the same access to medically assisted procreation as heterosexual couples.

This inclusive legislation ensures both partners in a female same-sex couple have equal parental rights and are recognized as legal mothers, irrespective of whose eggs are used or who carries the pregnancy; marital status is not a factor in accessing these technologies. Women up to 50 years old are permitted to undergo IVF treatment, including ROPA.

Several fertility clinics in Portugal offer ROPA services, including Ferticentro – Centro de Estudos de Fertilidade, CLINIMER Centro Cirúrgico de Coimbra, IERA Lisboa Quirón Salud, and Ginemed Portugal, providing personalized treatment plans and advanced technologies, and Portugal’s donor regulations are ethical and non-anonymous.

Question 14

Is embryo donation legal in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Embryo donation is legal in Portugal and is governed by specific laws designed to ensure transparency and safeguard the rights of everyone involved.

This practice operates on a non-anonymous basis, granting donor-conceived children the right to access identifying details about their donors upon reaching adulthood. The use of in vitro embryos is limited to addressing infertility or preventing the inheritance of serious diseases, and embryos for donation generally come from individuals or couples with remaining vitrified embryos after undergoing ART treatments.

Embryo donation requires explicit consent from those with rights to the embryos, and donors must acknowledge the non-anonymous nature of the donation. Since 2016, access to donated embryos has been extended to include infertile heterosexual couples, single women, and female couples, and donor information is maintained by the National Council for Medically Assisted Reproduction for a period of 75 years.

Question 15

Can single women do IVF in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, single women can pursue IVF in Portugal and have access to both donor sperm and donor eggs.

The legal framework in Portugal is inclusive, specifically permitting single women to undergo assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. Portuguese law allows the use of donor gametes for single women, but it does not permit solo fatherhood through ART. Portugal has a well-established gamete donation system, and it’s important to note that donations are non-anonymous, meaning children conceived through donor gametes have the right to access the donor's identity at age 18.

Women undergoing IVF in Portugal generally have an age limit of up to 50 years old, though publicly funded treatments may have a lower age limit of 40 for IVF/ICSI. Donors undergo thorough clinical and genetic evaluations to ensure the quality and safety of donations.

Best IVF and Fertility Clinics in Portugal

Top IVF Clinics in Portugal

Ferticentro - Centro De Estudos De Fertilidade S.A.

Ava Clinic Lisbon

IVI Faro

IERA - Lisboa

IVI Lisboa Clinic

Ginemed Lisboa

Cemeare - Centro Médico de Assistência à Reprodução

Popular Destinations in Portugal

Lisbon

Coimbra

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