Fertility patients living in Scotland are travelling abroad for treatment as there are not enough sperm donors

According to STV News, women travel to countries such as Denmark and Greece for IVF treatment as Scottish fertility clinics face a shortage of sperm.

Clinics are urging more men to come forward to meet the demand, but since COVID, there has been a reluctance to come into a hospital setting.

One woman who decided to go it alone is Fiona, who travelled to Greece in 2019 to realise her dream of becoming a parent.

The 36-year-old said she dreamt of a little girl with red hair, which prompted the decision and is now mum to nine-year-old Maura.

She said: “I can meet someone at any point in my life, and they can be a partner to me, but my time to have children isn’t never-ending.

“I got it into my head that time was running out. I tried with a known donor first, but it didn’t pan out. I kept my IVF option open. I had initial testing done to find out where I was.”

Fiona was not eligible for NHS-funded IVF treatment as she is a single woman.

After interviewing nine or ten different clinics, she felt her money was better spent abroad and settled on a Greek clinic and a Danish sperm donor. She spent in the region of £8,000.

“They gave me a much better feeling than I ever got from a clinic in Scotland. They were invested in the outcome.”

“The options in the country with sperm banks and donors are limited. I was lucky I only needed to have one round of IVF and one transfer.”

She is now a single, but happy mum to her daughter.

Fiona said: “I’m delighted. She’s a firecracker, and she’s wonderful.”

Do you live in Scotland? Did you travel abroad to have IVF treatment? We’d love to hear your story; email mystory@ivfbabble.com.

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