My path to seeking reproductive healthcare outside the US began in the same way it would have at home: It started with life not going according to my neatly organized plan.
In summer 2025, I found myself freshly divorced and looking out over the proverbial fertility cliff of turning 35. I suddenly felt the need to act fast. I was unsure about having children, but I wanted to keep that door open for the future.
As a self-employed writer with health insurance that leaves much to be desired, I knew going abroad for a more affordable option was my only choice—at least the only financially responsible one. That’s how I found myself in the office of Doctor Daniela Paz Cervantes, an OBGYN in Oaxaca, Mexico, who oversaw my care for two rounds of egg freezing just a few months later.
I’m not unique in my search for medical care abroad. Although exact numbers are difficult to track, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that “millions of US residents travel internationally for medical care each year,” listing reproductive tourism as one of the main categories of services that they seek. While I went to Mexico for my treatments, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, and Barbados are also particularly popular for fertility tourism.
Dr. Mario Vega Croker, Medical Director of Panama Fertility located in Panama City, Panama, has noticed more Americans knocking on his door. Panama Fertility opened nearly 40 years ago as a small clinic catering to local families; fast forward to today, and it’s grown into one of the most prolific clinics in Central America, with half of their patients hailing from the US and Caribbean.
“American patients are one of our fastest-growing groups, especially in gestational surrogacy, [receiving] egg donations, and IVF,” says Dr. Vega Croker. “Many come to us after putting their dreams on hold because treatment at home felt out of reach […] Finding the same expertise and quality of care at about half the cost often gives them the chance to finally begin, or to try again.”
According to FertilityIQ, a data-based fertility education platform, the average egg freezing cycle costs $16,000 in the US. Meanwhile, I spent about $7,000 for one round, which is inclusive of what I paid for flights, food, accommodations, and activities for the three weeks I was in Mexico for my treatment. And I appreciated the quality of my care: My entire cycle was incredibly thorough and personalized, even before I touched down in Oaxaca. It was a no-brainer.
Alisa Purdie, a California-based online business coach, faced a similar set of choices when she got divorced at 31 with the added challenge of managing premature menopause, which can cause fertility issues—though her journey, from ideation to undergoing treatment, took more than a decade to come to fruition.
