--- title: "Questions About Treatment Abroad" url: "https://familyartivf.com/faq" description: "Answers about IVF and donation in Baku or Cyprus: costs, days away, MotherScan in London, travel, donors and your data, after treatment." --- # Questions About Treatment Abroad Answered plainly, before you decide anything Straight answers about treatment in Baku or Cyprus with tests and follow-up at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan: how to start, what it costs, how long you are away, and what happens afterwards. If your question is not here, our UK team answers it on a call. ## Getting started What is Family Art IVF?+ Family Art IVF is a UK-based team that organises IVF and egg, sperm and embryo donation treatment in Baku or Cyprus for people living in the UK, with tests and follow-up scans at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan. How do I book a consultation?+ Leave your number on the call-back form, or message us on WhatsApp or by phone. Our UK team calls you, explains the journey and the price in a free consultation, then books any tests you need at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan or your treatment at DNA Clinic in Baku. There are no health questions on the form, and no obligation at this stage. Do I need a GP referral?+ No referral is needed; you can contact us directly. Previous medical records are useful, especially if you have had fertility investigations or IVF before. In the UK you can ask your GP or previous clinic for copies of your own records, and our UK team tells you which documents are worth obtaining. Can I send my test results before the consultation?+ Yes. Send scans or photos of your results by email or WhatsApp and they are reviewed before your appointment at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan. Documents are handled confidentially. If anything is missing, you are told before you travel. Our UK team then sends your results to your doctor in Baku or Cyprus. What if I have already had unsuccessful IVF cycles elsewhere?+ Many patients come after one or more cycles at other clinics. Your previous protocols, medication doses and embryo records are reviewed, because unsuccessful cycles contain useful information. Your doctor then plans treatment rather than repeating what did not work. Bring copies of your records to your consultation. Can single women and female couples have treatment?+ Yes. DNA Clinic treats single women and female couples, using donor sperm. Where does the treatment take place?+ At DNA Clinic in Baku, with procedures at Caspian International Hospital, or at Miracle Hospital in Cyprus. Your consultation is with our UK team, and your tests and follow-up scans take place at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan. ## Treatments Which treatments are offered?+ IVF, egg donation, sperm donation, embryo donation, egg, sperm and embryo freezing, PGD, the genetic screening of embryos, and gender selection with PGD. Your doctor recommends the treatment after your consultation and tests in London. How is egg donation different from IVF with my own eggs?+ In IVF your own ovaries are stimulated and your own eggs are collected. In egg donation the donor's eggs are fertilised with your partner's sperm, and the embryo is transferred once your womb lining has been prepared. With Family Art IVF that means: Man 1 day and woman 1 day, at least 5 days apart. What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?+ In conventional IVF, eggs and prepared sperm are placed together and fertilisation happens on its own. With ICSI, the embryologist injects a single sperm directly into each mature egg. ICSI is used when sperm count, movement or shape is a concern. ICSI costs the same as standard IVF, so there is no extra charge for it. Can I add genetic screening of the embryos?+ Yes. PGD with NGS is added to an IVF or donation package: embryos develop to day 5 and are screened for genetic conditions before one is chosen for transfer. For genetic screening, cells are taken on day 5 and results take about 15 days, so the embryos are frozen and transferred on a later visit. For gender selection, cells are taken on day 3 and results are ready by day 5, in time for a fresh transfer. How many embryos are transferred?+ Transferring more than one embryo raises the chance of twins, and a multiple pregnancy carries higher risks for mother and babies. Your doctor discusses single or double embryo transfer with you, based on your age, embryo quality and history. European guidance (ESHRE) recommends transferring one embryo in most cases, especially for women under 35. Can I freeze my remaining embryos?+ Yes. Suitable embryos that are not transferred can be frozen by vitrification, a fast-freezing method, and used in a later frozen embryo transfer, for example for a sibling. Embryos can be stored for up to 5 years; after the first year, storage continues each year at your written request. Your UK team confirms the storage fee before anything is booked. Is a fresh embryo transfer possible?+ In some cases. Donor and recipient cycles are synchronised. The man is at the clinic on the day of egg collection. Embryo transfer on day 5. You either stay for 5 days or make two 1-day visits at least 5 days apart. The frozen transfer is the journey we recommend, and your doctor explains the difference for you. What medication will I need to take?+ That depends on the treatment. An IVF cycle usually involves stimulation injections, a medication to prevent early ovulation, a trigger injection before egg collection and progesterone after transfer. Donor and frozen transfer cycles usually need oestrogen and progesterone to prepare the womb. Your plan lists every medication and when to take it. Is egg collection painful?+ Egg collection is a short procedure at the hospital, Caspian International Hospital in Baku or Miracle Hospital in Cyprus, usually done under sedation, so you sleep through it and do not feel it. Most women rest for an hour or two before going back to the hotel. Afterwards most women describe period-like cramping and bloating for a day or two. ## Costs and payment How much does treatment cost?+ Packages in Baku or Cyprus start from £4,500 for IVF, £6,000 for egg donation and £5,500 for sperm donation. Each package covers your treatment and transfers, with your stay at CityLife Boutique Hotel included in Baku but not in Cyprus, and every package except IVF also includes the medication used in treatment. Single treatments such as freezing and IUI are priced on their own, with transfers included. Your first step is a free consultation with our UK team. Tests and follow-up scans in London are paid separately to our partner clinic, MotherScan, at its own prices. Are there any hidden fees?+ No. The pricing page lists what is included and, just as importantly, what is not: tests and follow-up scans in London, paid to MotherScan, flights, accommodation in Cyprus, extra nights in Baku, insurance, medication, where the package does not include it. You receive a written quote before anything is booked, and if your medical plan changes, any cost difference is discussed with you before proceeding, never after. Why can treatment abroad cost less?+ Operating costs, not quality. Staff, premises and the general cost of living in Baku and Cyprus are lower than in London, and that difference is reflected in the package price. The package also bundles the stay and transfers that are often billed separately elsewhere. How do I pay, and when?+ Our UK team explains how and when you pay during your free consultation, and confirms it in writing before anything is booked. Can I claim the cost on insurance or tax?+ Most UK private health insurance policies do not cover IVF, in the UK or abroad, although some employers offer fertility benefits that reimburse part of the cost; it is worth asking your HR department. You receive itemised invoices for any claim you are able to make. Please check the position with your insurer or adviser, as we cannot give financial advice. ## London, MotherScan What happens at MotherScan in London?+ Your tests and monitoring scans before you travel, and your follow-up scans when you return. MotherScan is our partner clinic in London, in Wimbledon and Islington. Family Art IVF organises your appointments; MotherScan performs the scans and tests. Do I pay MotherScan separately?+ Yes. Your first step is a free consultation with our UK team. Tests and follow-up scans in London are paid separately to our partner clinic, MotherScan, at its own prices. Our UK team tells you which appointments you need and what they cost before you book. Which tests do I need before treatment?+ The list depends on your treatment. Most patients need hormone blood tests, a pelvic ultrasound scan, infectious disease screening and, for the male partner, a semen analysis. After your consultation you receive a checklist, and the tests are arranged in London so that your time abroad is used for treatment. Our UK team tells you exactly which tests you need during your consultation. Can I use tests I already have from the NHS or another clinic?+ Yes. You can have your tests wherever suits you: through the NHS, at another clinic or at our partner clinic MotherScan. Recent results are preferred, but you can send older ones too; our UK team tells you if any test needs repeating, then sends your results to DNA Clinic. ## Travel and your days abroad How long do I need to be away?+ Woman 1 day, man 1 day, at least 5 days apart. For most treatments that means two short visits rather than one long stay. A 5-day stay is possible, but short visits are what we recommend. Does my partner need to travel?+ It depends on the treatment. For egg donation the man spends one day at the clinic, on the day of egg collection. For embryo donation the man does not need to travel at all. Where do I stay?+ In Baku, at CityLife Boutique Hotel, included in every treatment package. In Cyprus the hotel is not included; hotels in Nicosia you can book include Merit Lefkoşa Hotel, Golden Tulip Nicosia (Grand Pasha), City Royal Hotel. In both, transfers between the airport, the hotel and the clinic are arranged for you. How do I get to Baku or Cyprus from the UK?+ To Baku: Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flies direct to Baku from London Heathrow and London Gatwick, a flight of about 5 hours 30 minutes. UK passport holders need an e-visa, applied for online at evisa.gov.az at least 3 working days before travel (an urgent service takes 3 hours). It is normally single entry for up to 30 days. Your passport must be valid for 6 months after you arrive. To Cyprus: There are no direct flights from the UK to Cyprus. Flights to Ercan Airport connect in Turkey, usually Istanbul, and take about 7 to 8 hours from London in total. If you plan to visit the south of the island on the same trip, read the UK government's travel advice for Cyprus first: the Republic of Cyprus treats entry through Ercan as illegal entry. Check that your travel insurance covers the north of the island. Our UK team can talk you through it. Are airport transfers and the hotel arranged for me?+ Yes. Transfers between the airport, the hotel and the clinic are included in every price, and in Baku your stay at CityLife Boutique Hotel is part of every treatment package. In Cyprus the hotel is not included; our UK team suggests hotels in Nicosia near the hospital. Extra nights are not included in either. Is it safe to fly home after the embryo transfer?+ For most patients, flying home the same day or the next day is fine; the embryo is held within the womb and is not affected by normal travel. Stay hydrated, move around on the flight and avoid lifting heavy luggage. If your doctor advises waiting a day, that advice is for your individual case. Can I combine treatment with time to see the city?+ Many patients add a night or two. Baku has a walled Old City, a seafront boulevard and good restaurants; Nicosia has its walled old town and the Selimiye Mosque. The short-visit journey means treatment days are few, so any sightseeing fits around them; plan energetic days before the transfer, not after. Who looks after me abroad?+ Treatment takes place at DNA Clinic in Baku, with procedures at Caspian International Hospital, or at Miracle Hospital in Cyprus. Transfers are arranged for you, and our UK team stays in touch throughout. The DNA Clinic team speaks English, Azerbaijani, Russian and Turkish, and the Miracle Hospital team English and Turkish, so you can talk to them in English. ## Chances and expectations What are your results?+ We do not publish outcome figures until verified data, by age group and time period, is available. Your doctor gives you a realistic, individual assessment at your consultation rather than a marketing number. Published figures are averages, and individual results vary. What affects the chance of success?+ Age is the biggest factor, because egg quality declines from the mid-thirties onwards. Embryo quality, the womb lining, sperm quality, the cause of infertility, body weight, smoking and the laboratory handling your embryos all play a part. Some of these cannot be changed; others can be prepared for before treatment. Do you promise a result?+ No. No honest clinic can promise a pregnancy. What you can expect is a plan made for you, clear pricing with no surprise extras, and a frank assessment of your chances before you spend anything. If a particular approach is unlikely to work for you, your doctor says so and explains the alternatives. What happens if treatment is not successful?+ Your doctor reviews the cycle with you: how the preparation went, how the embryos developed, and what the cycle showed. If you have frozen embryos, a frozen embryo transfer is a shorter next step. Otherwise you discuss whether a different plan or a different treatment would help. There is no sales pitch at that moment. ## Donors, clinics and your data Are donors anonymous, and what do I learn about them?+ Yes. Egg, sperm and embryo donors at DNA Clinic are anonymous. You can learn the donor's height, eye colour, hair colour and education; photographs and identity details are never shared. DNA Clinic matches the donor to you by physical characteristics and blood group. Is DNA Clinic licensed?+ Yes. DNA Clinic is a licensed clinic in Azerbaijan. How is my personal data handled?+ Your data is handled to the standard of the GDPR. Health information is shared with DNA Clinic in Azerbaijan only for your treatment and with your consent. The details are in our privacy policy. ## After treatment What happens after the embryo transfer?+ You rest briefly at the clinic, then return to the hotel and carry on with normal light activity; strict bed rest has no proven benefit. Avoid heavy lifting, intense exercise, hot baths and saunas until the pregnancy test. You continue the medication exactly as prescribed, and our UK team stays in touch. When do I take the pregnancy test?+ A blood test, usually 9 to 14 days after the embryo transfer, is the reliable test; your team tells you the exact date. Home urine tests taken too early can give false results. The result is talked through with you, and follow-up scans take place at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan. What if the result is positive?+ The result is confirmed and a scan is booked at our partner clinic in London, MotherScan. Your doctor guides the medication and provides a treatment summary for your GP or midwife, so the handover into NHS or private antenatal care in the UK is straightforward. Where will the birth take place?+ In the UK, with NHS or private maternity care. Treatment takes place in Baku or Cyprus; the birth does not. Can I reach the team after I return?+ Yes. Our UK team is your point of contact before, during and after treatment, monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (UK time), by phone, WhatsApp or email. ## Did we miss your question? Fertility treatment raises questions that are personal and specific. If yours is not answered here, ask our UK team directly, on WhatsApp or on a call. A person answers, not a chatbot, monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (UK time). [Request a callback](/consultation/)[WhatsApp](https://wa.me/447351494253?text=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20talk%20to%20the%20Family%20Art%20IVF%20team.) You may also find these useful: [How it works](/how-it-works/), [Packages and prices](/pricing/), [Your days in Baku](/your-days-in-baku/), [Your days in Cyprus](/your-days-in-cyprus/).