Ukraine has been a surrogacy hotspot for hopeful couples all over the world for years. With steadfast legislation, excellent facilities, and top notch medical technologies, the country sees thousands of couples per year.
The country's services are closely matched with those offered in other countries, like the United States, but with a burgeoning economy, Ukraine surrogacy programs can come at a far lower price, making the process more viable for people on strict budgets.
With a minimum of 50 million couples worldwide struggling with a diagnosis of infertility, it's no great shock that the country has found a secure place within the surrogacy tourism market. Throughout the world, surrogacy is heavily regulated, and often classified as illegal. Thanks to forward thinking law makers and dedicated caring professionals, Ukraine offers its services to almost any couple in need.
Two doctors from Ilaya's Ukraine surrogacy programs hope to shed light on the growing need for better and more comprehensive reproductive procedures. Two highly respected OBGYN-endocrinologists discuss their own thoughts on why this problem exists, how best to approach it, and what's to come in the future.
The Reproductive Conundrum
One of the biggest problems that physicians and researchers face is low and late reporting due to associated stigma and modern lifestyle choices. Most couples don't even know they're struggling with infertility.
"Infertility is a disease in which a couple is not able to conceive a child for 12 months with regular sexual intercourse. If the problem of infertility [exists] for up to 3 years and the woman's age is up to 30 years, then it is necessary to be examined. Establish the cause, eliminate it, and try to get pregnant independently in [a] natural way. If, within 3 years, against the background of treatment, pregnancy does not occur on its own, then the couple should opt for assisted reproductive technologies. The sooner a woman starts treatment, the better the IVF (in vitro fertilization) result."
Few couples realize that IVF and associated reproductive technologies can take years to achieve viable results. Often leaving IVF and other procedures as a last resort measure.
"The examination and forward treatment of couples depends on the age of the patient," One of the OBGYN's remind us. "If a woman is under 35 years old - could be used the different types of infertility treatments without IVF techniques. Trying these types of treatments usually takes up to 2 years. If after 2 years of treatment the pregnancy doesn't occur, then we need to perform IVF. However, if the woman is more than 35 years- we give 6 months period to try treatments without using IVF. If we observe no pregnancy, then IVF techniques are used. The examinations are carried out according to the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine... Depending on the anamnesis of the patient, additional methods of examination are prescribed."
While Ukraine offers their services to any married couple that needs additional assistance in having a child, the laws require that the couple provide a verifiable medical reason as to why they cannot conceive naturally.
Ukraine is proud to be a contributing member of the reproductive medicine community, and it's not a position they take lightly. Ensuring that their programs continue on, being some of the best, and effectively shutting out any possibility of exploitative processes.
Outside of couples putting off seeking help as soon as problems arrive, the ilaya doctors also cite modern lifestyle choices as a culprit behind lower fertility rates. "Unfortunately, the percentage of infertility is only growing, because women put off their reproductive plans to 35-45 years. By this period, the ovarian reserve of the ovaries is reduced. By this age, chronic diseases arise that can disrupt the function of the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes."
"This is sad statistics. Today, as the doctor I see the biggest problem in this field regarding to self-medication, collection of information from online sources, discouragement after negative attempts of IVF and ignoring of doctor's recommendations. The percentage of patients who come in the early stages of infertility is low. More people used to wait too much before going to the doctor with this problem." In a world resolute in the distrust of science and medicine, and all too wrapped up in the cunning and easily published misinformation, fewer patients are seeking the help they need when they actually need it. Leaving many practitioners to pick up the pieces too late.
Where anti-vaccination sentiment and overzealous use of online "medical advice" sites run ramped, doctors are left with less and less to work with. Outside of this, the stigma attached to masculine infertility is also found to be debilitating. As most men tend to not report difficulties or want to stay off of the examination table.
What Can Be Done
"A couple always undergo examinations together," says one doctor. "Man and woman. A man submits a super orgasm, a woman checks anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), steroid hormones, infections and prepare for hysterosalpingography." A specific method of evaluating uterine tubal structure and pathology using advanced imaging techniques. "If AMH is low, it is an indication for immediate IVF. If the Fallopian tubes are impassable, also IVF is required." Meaning that while many forms of infertility are irreversible, IVF and surrogacy are still viable options. Options that need to be explored sooner, rather than later.
"The sooner they find out the cause of infertility, the faster we can determine the need for IVF or other treatment, and it is important, because age matters. The condition of a woman's ovaries is determined by her age. The older the woman, the less her ovarian reserve is, and the quality [of her eggs] also is lower with age. Therefore, the sooner a woman starts IVF, the higher are her chances of getting a desired pregnancy."
However, thanks largely to favorable legislation and skilled physicians, couples can not have access to as many IVF cycles as they need, but they can also freely choose donor eggs and sperm should the need arise. Ukraine surrogacy programs are one of the few that allow patients to choose from both male and female donors. Where, in either circumstance, the child legally belongs to the parent that has a genetic connection with the child. Leaving the surrogate off of the birth certificate entirely, and saving parents from costly court fees or adoptive processes.
"In Ukraine, doctors work according to European standards. Specialists in this field occupy leading positions in the global market, conducting a lot of research and discoveries. A strong legal framework and support for foreign couples is noted. Also the cost of IVF and other services are several times cheaper than in Europe."
However, the incentives don't simply stop at good medicine and protective legislation. For many parents across the world, price tag is only a very small prohibitive factor when it comes to surrogacy programs.
"In many European countries, surrogacy is prohibited or restricted so intended parents are looking for solutions in countries where it is regulated by law. Ukraine is in this list of countries. Each year we have more international patients." While other countries like Greece and the United States offer surrogacy programs with positive legislation backing them, for many the travel alone makes the programs less than ideal. Leaving centralized Ukraine an ever more popularized destination for international surrogacy.
