ADVERTISEMENT

FERTILITY

OBG Management. 2009 February;21(02):29-55
February 1, 2009|OBG Management
David G. Adamson, MD
Author and Disclosure Information

David G. Adamson, MD
Dr. Adamson is Director of Fertility Physicians of Northern California in Palo Alto and San Jose. He is also Adjunct Clinical Professor of ObGyn at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford and Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. He is Immediate Past President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

If you’re looking for better ways to treat infertility or enhance fecundity, here are some developments you’ll want to know about

IN THIS ARTICLE

More and more women seek care in countries other than their own

“Medical tourism” is an interesting phenomenon that has received widespread media attention. When it applies to infertility, a more appropriate term may be “cross-border reproductive care.”

This is an international phenomenon that is, so far, poorly documented. Common reasons to travel for medical care include cost and availability of specialized services. Women grappling with infertility may also seek to bypass regulations or ethical issues that limit availability of treatment in their home country. Among the issues that prompt travel are:

  • gamete and embryo donation
  • payment of donors and surrogates
  • nontraditional relationships.
The Canadian government hosted the first international symposium on cross-border reproductive care last month in an effort to learn more about this complex issue and identify ways to ensure the quality and safety of such services.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT