Reciprocal IVF, also called ROPA or shared motherhood, lets a female couple both take part biologically: one partner’s eggs are fertilised with donor sperm, and the embryo is carried by the other partner. It is one of the most searched questions for couples planning a family, and one of the hardest to price, because clinics bundle it in very different ways. Here are the prices clinics actually publish, what each includes, and where the treatment is legal.
Reciprocal IVF cost by country
| Country | Published price | What it includes or leaves out | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20,000–$30,000 typical | Market range quoted by CNY Fertility; its own complete cycle including medication is $8,989–$10,288. UCSF lists $20,900–$28,900 cash for a standard IVF cycle, with donor sperm, legal services and medication extra | CNY Fertility, UCSF |
| Spain | from €6,125 | "ROPA" starting price; the page does not say whether donor sperm or medication is included | Eugin |
| Portugal | €5,500 | One complete cycle with one transfer; medication, blood tests, embryo storage, PGT and donor sperm excluded (own sperm bank €600; first consultation €110; extra frozen transfer €1,650) | Ferticentro |
| United Kingdom | £6,749 to from £7,830 | ABC IVF package £6,749; Create Fertility from £7,830, varying with medication and plan | ABC IVF, Create |
| Mexico | from MXN 154,000 (≈ $8,300) | The clinic lists up to two transfers, genetic testing and the sperm donor; price varies by city (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Metepec) | Fertilidad Integral |
Prices read on the clinics’ own pages in November 2026. They are published starting prices, not regulated tariffs, and each clinic counts different items in its headline figure. Only Fertilidad Integral’s Mexico price states that donor sperm is included.
Why reciprocal IVF costs more than standard IVF
A reciprocal cycle is a standard IVF cycle with a second patient attached. The extra items are what make two quotes hard to compare:
- Two sets of screening. Both partners are tested. One London clinic, the Harley Street Fertility Clinic, lists £800 for the egg-providing partner’s screening tests, plus £120 per partner for counselling (2025 price list).
- Medication for the egg provider, usually billed separately, and preparation of the carrying partner’s womb for transfer.
- Donor sperm, from the clinic’s bank or an outside bank, often not in the headline price.
- Freezing and frozen transfer. Many couples transfer a frozen embryo so the carrying partner’s cycle can be timed separately, which is often an extra line.
Ask every clinic for one written figure that names all of these. That is the only way a €5,500 Portuguese quote and a $25,000 US quote can be compared honestly.
Where female couples can have reciprocal IVF
| Country | Reciprocal IVF for female couples | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | Allowed | Recognised since 2007; clinics treat married couples and registered partners |
| Portugal | Allowed | Open to female couples; donation is identity-release |
| United Kingdom | Allowed | Licensed clinics; implications counselling required when donor sperm is used |
| Mexico | Clinic policy | No federal law; many private clinics offer it, and some state codes refer only to spouses |
| Greece | Not as a couple | One partner can be treated as a single woman |
| Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey | Not allowed | Treatment limited to heterosexual couples |
The full country-by-country picture, including donor sperm rules, is in our same-sex couples guide.
Legal parenthood: settle it before you pay
Where you are treated decides whether you can have reciprocal IVF; where you live decides who the legal parents are. In Spain, both mothers can be registered in the Civil Registry when the couple is married; confirm the current conditions for unmarried partners with the clinic or a Spanish lawyer. In the UK, the woman who gives birth is the legal mother, and a spouse or civil partner is automatically the second parent; otherwise both partners sign the consent forms before treatment. Back home, recognition of the second mother varies by country and, in the US and Mexico, by state. A short consultation with a family lawyer costs far less than fixing a birth certificate later.
Getting the most from your budget
For US couples, the saving abroad is real but narrower than headline prices suggest: add medication, donor sperm, two flights and a stay of one to two weeks. Mexico is the shortest trip; Spain and Portugal offer the clearest legal footing for female couples. Use the Eligibility + Cost Finder to see which countries treat you as a couple, then compare written quotes using the checklist above. The IVF cost by country guide gives the standard-cycle baselines. Prices checked November 2026; this is not legal or medical advice.