Going for fertility treatment abroad? 8 Portugal FAQs, covered

In 2025, we’re still looking to Europe, and Portugal specifically, for some of the latest and best in fertility care developments and approaches. 

From the IVF Portugal age limit, to queries about donor anonymity, costs, travel tips and more, we’ve collected your most-asked questions about fertility treatment in Portugal, and put them to the experts at leading Porto-based clinic Procriar.

Procriar is a top destination clinic right now, for a patient-centered approach and top-notch expertise. Before you get reading – hop over to their website for a flavour of the kind of experience and care you can expect. 

Now, over to the Procriar team, to answer your questions.

1. First off, what makes Portugal a hotspot for IVF in 2025?

1. Progressive fertility laws

Portugal’s laws are among the most inclusive in Europe. IVF is available to all women, including single women and same-sex female couples. 

Additionally, egg and sperm donation are legal but non-anonymous, and the law also permits preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) under specific conditions, helping improve IVF success rates.

2. High-quality medical expertise and success rates

Portuguese fertility clinics are well-regulated, with highly trained specialists and state-of-the-art technology. 

Many clinics, including Procriar, achieve success rates that match or surpass European averages, thanks to personalised treatment plans and advanced lab techniques.

3. Affordable and competitive costs

Compared to countries like the US or the UK, fertility treatments in Portugal are much more affordable without compromising quality. 

IVF costs, including egg donation, are often lower than in other Western European destinations.

4. Shorter wait lists and better accessibility

While waiting times for donor eggs or IVF cycles can be lengthy in some countries, Portugal typically offers shorter waiting periods – a major draw for international patients. 

Many clinics also provide multilingual support to make the process easier for foreign patients.

5. Comfortable climate 

Portugal’s mild climate, beautiful coastlines, and wellness-focused environment provide a pretty serene backdrop for fertility treatments. 

IVF abroad is no small thing, and many patients find the relaxed atmosphere can help them feel calm and relaxed during their trip?

Want more detail on what makes Portugal stand out? Read this next: From open ID egg donation to next-gen tech – what the top Portuguese fertility clinics are getting right

2. What is the IVF Portugal age limit?

In Portugal, private clinics allow IVF treatments until the female patient reaches 50 years of age. 

This offers a clear and inclusive framework compared to some other countries where age restrictions might be stricter or less well-defined.

3. Is IVF free in Portugal?

A key question for anyone considering fertility treatment abroad is cost.

For residents of Portugal, IVF is partially or fully funded through the National Health Service (SNS) for women up to 40 years old.

For non-residents, there is no public funding, and those travelling to Portugal for treatment will need to pay for IVF out-of-pocket. 

However, international patients can access high-quality private clinics with advanced care and high success rates, often at much lower costs than in the UK or US.

4. What is an Open-ID Donor in Portugal?

An Open-ID donor is a donor who has agreed to the possibility of being contacted by children born from their donations once they reach 18 years of age.

At Procriar, donor anonymity is not permitted, and all donors must consent to being Open-ID donors. This non-anonymous, transparent approach helps safeguard donor-conceived children’s rights and promotes ethical donation practices.

Here’s how the system works:

1. All donor information is stored in Portugal’s National ART Authority database, once their donation has been made.
2. Comprehensive donor profiles, including detailed medical histories, are shared with prospective parents.
3. There are limits on the number of donations and children per donor to ensure ethical practices.

We’ve answered more of your specific questions on Portuguese egg donors here, with expert insight from Dr. Leonor Neves, Clinical Psychologist at Procriar.

5. How is Portugal’s progressive approach demonstrated at leading clinics?

Procriar embodies Portugal’s progressive stance on fertility treatment in several key ways, including: 

• Non-anonymous donation: Children can access donor information at 18.
• Inclusive legislation: Single women and same-sex female couples can access fertility treatments.
• Comprehensive regulation: The National ART Authority ensures ethical and transparent treatment.
• Genetic and immunological matching: Procriar analyses over 2,200 genes and conducts immunological matching to optimise treatment outcomes.
• Patient-centred care: Individualised treatment plans at Procriar support patients throughout their journey.

Simply put – Procriar combines Portugal’s progressive fertility laws with advanced medical technology and personalised care.

6. Is Reciprocal IVF in Portugal gaining popularity?

Reciprocal IVF (also known as ROPA or Shared Motherhood) is increasingly popular among same-sex female couples in Portugal. 

In a nutshell, it allows both partners to participate in the reproductive process – one provides the eggs, and the other carries the pregnancy.

At Procriar, one partner undergoes hormone treatments to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved and fertilised using donor sperm. We’ll then use Embryoscope® technology for real-time embryo monitoring to select the most viable embryos. 

The second partner prepares her uterus with hormone treatments, and one or two embryos are transferred. 

Want to dive deeper? Read our 101 guide on the ROPA method in Europe, created with expert insight from Vladimiro Silva, Scientific and Executive Director at Procriar. 

7. Is gender selection legal in Portugal?

Gender selection in Portugal is only allowed for medical reasons. 

In practice at Procriar, this would look like preventing the transmission of certain sex-specific genetic disorders, like haemophilia.

It’s worth noting that choosing a baby’s gender for personal preference only is strictly prohibited under Portuguese law.

8. Any predictions for 2025 and beyond, when it comes to IVF in Portugal and fertility travel in Europe?

We think the future of fertility treatment in Portugal and fertility tourism across Europe is set to be marked by innovations in technology, plus a growing demand for personalised treatments.

With the use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, genetic testing, and real-time embryo monitoring such as the Embryoscope, fertility clinics will be able to select embryos more precisely, increasing treatment success rates. The personalisation of treatment, with continuous monitoring of embryo development, will lead to better outcomes and greater safety for patients. At Procriar we’re proud to be at the very forefront of these developments. 

Egg and sperm donation will continue to grow, with an increase in demand for non-anonymous donors. In Portugal, clinics like ours already offer detailed donor profiles, ensuring greater transparency and allowing patients to make more informed decisions. 

Fertility preservation will also be a growing trend, we’ve already seen a huge increase in demand for egg, sperm and embryo freezing, and expect it to increase as young people take more control over their reproductive future. 

The high-quality fertility treatment offering at affordable prices with a personalised approach positions Portugal and Procriar as a key destination for fertility tourism – catering to the growing demand from patients worldwide

Bonus question – What is the best thing to eat in Portugal, if we decide to travel for treatment?

It has to be Francesinha, a kind of Portuguese speciality sandwich! It was originally created in Porto and it’s still the best place to try it in the whole of Portugal. 

In fact, one of the best places to eat Francesinha is really close to Procriar clinic. Just because you’re visiting for fertility treatment, doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself too!

Keen to learn more or get started with planning treatment in Portugal? Connect with the Procriar team today for more answers to specific questions, or to book an initial consultation.