IVF in Turkey: what you should know before you book
Turkey has a large and well-regulated IVF sector: assisted reproduction centres are licensed and inspected by the Ministry of Health, and embryologists in the bigger hospitals work with ICSI, blastocyst culture, embryo freezing and genetic testing every day. Couples from the UK, Ireland, Europe and the Gulf mainly come for the price — on our site an ICSI cycle in Turkey starts at €4,810 at an accredited hospital — and for short waiting times.
IVF in Turkey is not the right choice for everyone, though, because Turkish law is stricter than the law in the UK, Spain or the US. Only married couples can be treated, and only with their own eggs and sperm: donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos and surrogacy are illegal, and sex selection is allowed only to avoid a serious genetic disease. If you need a donor, read the legal section first.
This guide explains what a cycle costs and what the price includes, how IVF and ICSI differ, who can be treated, how long you need to stay, what success rates really mean at different ages, the risks and how to check a clinic. The hospitals that perform IVF on our site are listed on this page with their own prices, and a quote is free: a fertility specialist reviews your test results before you decide anything.
IVF Treatment (ICSI) in Turkey: how it works
- 1Send your photos and questions
Free and without obligation: tell us what you want to change and send a few photos — by form or WhatsApp.
- 2Get a written plan and price
A surgeon reviews your case and you receive a personal plan with the price, usually within 24 hours. Compare hospitals; nothing is paid in advance.
- 3Travel, surgery and aftercare
Airport pick-up, examination, surgery and check-ups in Istanbul, then follow-up with your surgeon after you fly home.
IVF Treatment (ICSI) in Turkey: hospitals and prices
Hospitals on our site that perform IVF Treatment (ICSI), with each hospital's own list price for international patients, shown in your currency.
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Price from€4,810 Get price
- Within about 2 hours
A coordinator replies in your language by WhatsApp or e-mail.
- Within 24 hours
A surgeon reviews your photos and you receive a written plan with the surgeon's name and the price.
- You decide
Ask anything and take your time — nothing is paid in advance.
Why plan IVF Treatment (ICSI) in Turkey with Treat Journey?
- Free for patients
Searching, comparing and requesting quotes costs nothing. You pay the hospital directly, at the price in your written quote — never a pre-payment to us.
- Real hospital prices, published
Every price on this page is the hospital's own price for international patients, shown live in your currency, with what the package includes.
- A named surgeon and a written plan
Your quote names the surgeon and the hospital and lists exactly what is included — no anonymous packages.
- Licensed hospitals only
We list licensed hospitals with an international patient department; accreditations such as JCI are shown on each hospital page.
- Honest reviews
We show real patient reviews, including Google reviews and critical ones, and we never invent ratings.
- Support before, during and after
A coordinator in your language answers within hours, arranges transfers and an interpreter, and stays in touch after you fly home.
How much is IVF in Turkey?
An ICSI cycle at the hospital on this page costs €4,810 for international patients, shown in your currency in the hospital list. Across the Turkish market, the IVF cost in Turkey for one cycle mostly falls between about €3,000 and €6,000; the difference is largely in what is included — above all the stimulation medication, embryo freezing and genetic testing. A price far below that range usually means the medication, the ICSI, the laboratory work or the transfer are charged separately.
The table compares typical prices for one cycle using your own eggs. The Turkish figure is the hospital's own list price; the other figures are approximate private-sector ranges, and they vary widely between clinics.
| Country | Typical price of one IVF/ICSI cycle | Medication |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | from €4,810 | Stimulation medication from €1,100 if not in the package; the dose depends on your age and ovarian reserve |
| United Kingdom | about £5,000–£8,000 per cycle | Usually extra, about £1,000–£2,500 |
| United States | about $15,000–$20,000 per cycle | Usually extra, about $3,000–$6,000 |
| Germany | about €4,000–€6,000 per cycle | Often extra; statutory insurance covers part of the cost for some married couples |
How much is IVF in the UK — and can you get it on the NHS?
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the UK regulator, notes that a single private cycle can cost £5,000 or more, and once medication, ICSI, freezing and add-ons are counted many couples pay £7,000–£10,000 per cycle. NICE guidance recommends up to three full cycles on the NHS for women under 40 who have been trying for two years, and one cycle for women aged 40–42 who meet further criteria, but local NHS funding bodies decide how much is actually offered, and many fund only one cycle or set extra conditions. Waiting lists and these local rules are the main reasons UK couples compare IVF treatment in Turkey.
What makes one IVF cycle more expensive than another:
- Medication: the hormone injections for ovarian stimulation are the largest variable cost. Women with a low ovarian reserve usually need higher doses, so the medication costs more.
- ICSI: injecting a single sperm into each egg (ICSI) is standard in most Turkish clinics and is part of the cycle on this page; elsewhere it may be an extra.
- Freezing and storage: freezing the extra embryos and storing them each year are usually charged separately, and so is a later frozen embryo transfer.
- Genetic testing: PGT-A or PGD/PGT-M is priced per embryo or per case and can add a considerable amount.
- Male factor: if there are no sperm in the ejaculate, a TESA or TESE is added to retrieve sperm from the testicle.
What Turkey IVF packages usually include: the consultation, the ultrasound scans and blood tests during stimulation, egg collection under sedation, sperm preparation, ICSI, embryo culture, one embryo transfer and the pregnancy blood test; transfers between the airport, hotel and hospital and an interpreter are often added. Medication, freezing, storage, PGT, extra nights and flights are often not included — ask for the list in writing, because "all-inclusive" means different things at different clinics.
Payment: at the hospitals on our site you pay the hospital directly in Turkey; requesting a quote costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Be careful with any clinic that asks for a large deposit by bank transfer before a doctor has seen your test results.
IVF laws in Turkey: who can have treatment
Assisted reproduction in Turkey is governed by a Ministry of Health regulation on assisted reproductive treatment and treatment centres. The main rules affect international patients as much as Turkish couples:
- Married couples only: treatment is allowed only for a woman and a man who are legally married to each other. You will be asked for a marriage certificate, usually with an apostille and a sworn translation. Single women and same-sex couples cannot have IVF in Turkey.
- Your own eggs and sperm only: donor eggs, donor sperm and donor embryos are illegal, and so is surrogacy. A clinic in Turkey that offers any of these is breaking the law; Turkish clinics may refer patients to clinics in other countries, but treatment with a donor cannot take place in Turkey.
- No sex selection for family balancing: choosing the sex of a baby is not allowed. Genetic testing may be used to avoid a serious inherited disease, including a disease linked to one sex — then the test is chosen for medical reasons, not for preference.
- Limits on the number of embryos: to reduce twin and triplet pregnancies, the regulation allows only one embryo to be transferred for women under 35 in their first two attempts; in later attempts and from 35 a maximum of two.
- Frozen embryos: both spouses must consent in writing to freezing and to continued storage. Embryos can be used only by the same married couple; ask the clinic how long they can be stored and what storage costs each year.
For couples using their own eggs and sperm, these rules change little beyond the paperwork.
IVF or ICSI? Types of treatment and add-ons
The treatment on this page is an ICSI cycle — the form of IVF most Turkish clinics use as standard. Your specialist recommends the protocol after looking at your tests, and confirms it at the first scan in Turkey.
| Treatment | What it means | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional IVF | Eggs and prepared sperm are placed together in a dish and fertilise on their own | Normal sperm, tubal or unexplained infertility |
| ICSI | One sperm is injected into each mature egg | Low sperm count or motility, previous failed fertilisation, frozen or surgically retrieved sperm |
| Fresh embryo transfer | An embryo is transferred 3 or 5 days after egg collection, in the same trip | Most first cycles without a risk of hyperstimulation |
| Freeze-all and frozen embryo transfer | All embryos are frozen; the transfer follows in a later cycle | A high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation, genetic testing, or a lining that is not ready |
| PGT-A | A few cells of a 5–6-day embryo are tested for the number of chromosomes | Sometimes offered to older women or after repeated miscarriage; its benefit is debated |
| PGD / PGT-M | Embryos are tested for a specific inherited disease | Couples who carry a known genetic condition |
Add-ons: many clinics offer extras such as embryo glue, assisted hatching, time-lapse imaging, endometrial scratching or immune treatments. The HFEA rates the evidence for each add-on and, for most of them, finds no good evidence that they increase the chance of a baby for most patients. Ask what each extra costs and why it is recommended for you specifically.
IVF, IUI or egg freezing: which do you need?
IVF is not always the first step. Depending on the cause of infertility, a simpler treatment may be tried first, or a different one may fit your plans better:
- IUI (intrauterine insemination): prepared sperm is placed in the womb around ovulation. It is cheaper and simpler, but it needs at least one open fallopian tube and reasonable sperm quality, and the chance of pregnancy per cycle is lower than with IVF.
- IVF/ICSI: the usual choice for blocked or damaged tubes, low sperm count, endometriosis, older age, or after several unsuccessful IUI cycles.
- Egg freezing: for women who want to preserve their fertility for later. In Turkey it is allowed for medical reasons and, under conditions set by the regulation, for a low ovarian reserve or a family history of early menopause; the eggs can later be used only within marriage.
If the cause is not yet clear, fertility tests for women and a semen analysis come first.
Who is a good candidate — and is there an IVF Turkey age limit?
IVF is usually recommended for couples who have not conceived after a year of regular unprotected intercourse (or six months if the woman is 35 or older), and earlier when there is a known cause: blocked tubes, severe endometriosis, a very low sperm count or a genetic condition.
The IVF Turkey age limit: Turkish law does not set one fixed upper age, but because donor eggs are not allowed, a woman's own egg supply sets the practical limit. Most clinics treat women up to their mid-forties and decide case by case after an AMH blood test and an ultrasound count of the follicles. From the early forties the chance of a baby with your own eggs falls sharply (see the success rates below), and a good specialist tells you this honestly before you pay.
Tests to bring: recent results for AMH, day-2–3 hormones (FSH, LH, oestradiol), an ultrasound with an antral follicle count, a semen analysis, blood group and infection screening (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis) for both partners, and any previous IVF reports. Problems inside the womb, such as fibroids, polyps or a blocked tube filled with fluid, may need treatment first — for example hysteroscopy or fibroid removal.
Who should wait: women with uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure or thyroid disease, a recent blood clot, or a BMI well above 35 are usually asked to improve their health first, because these conditions increase the risks in pregnancy.
How an IVF cycle works, step by step
- Stimulation (about 8–12 days): daily hormone injections make several eggs mature at once instead of one. Other medication stops you ovulating too early. Most women learn to give the injections themselves.
- Monitoring: ultrasound scans and blood tests every two or three days show how the follicles grow, and the dose is adjusted.
- Trigger: when the follicles are large enough, a final injection matures the eggs; egg collection is timed about 34–36 hours later.
- Egg collection: a thin needle guided by vaginal ultrasound draws the eggs out of the follicles. It takes about 20 minutes under sedation, and you go back to the hotel the same day. On the same morning, the husband gives a sperm sample.
- Fertilisation and culture: each mature egg is injected with one sperm (ICSI). The next day the embryologist checks how many have fertilised, and the embryos are grown in the laboratory for 3–5 days.
- Embryo transfer: one embryo, rarely two, is placed in the womb through a soft catheter under ultrasound guidance. It feels similar to a smear test and needs no anaesthesia. Good embryos that are not transferred can be frozen.
- Pregnancy test: a blood test for the pregnancy hormone (beta-hCG) about 9–12 days after the transfer — you can have it at home.
Your IVF trip to Turkey, day by day
For a full cycle with a fresh transfer, plan about 12–15 days in Turkey. You can often shorten the stay to about a week by starting the injections at home with scans by a local doctor, or by freezing all embryos and coming back later for a short transfer trip. A typical full-cycle plan in Istanbul:
- Day 1 (day 2 or 3 of your period) — arrival and first scan: airport pick-up, consultation with the fertility specialist, a baseline ultrasound and blood tests, and the final protocol and price in writing. You start the injections.
- Days 2–10 — stimulation: you stay at the hotel and come in for scans and blood tests every two or three days.
- Around day 10–12 — trigger and egg collection: the trigger injection is given in the evening, and the eggs are collected about a day and a half later. Your husband must be in Turkey on the day of collection to give the sperm sample, unless frozen sperm has been arranged in advance.
- The next days — fertilisation report: the embryologist tells you how many eggs were mature and how many fertilised, then how the embryos develop.
- 3 or 5 days after collection — embryo transfer: a short procedure; you rest for a little while and return to the hotel.
- A day or two after the transfer — flight home: with written instructions for the medication and the date of the pregnancy test.
If your husband can stay only a few days, ask about freezing a sperm sample at the start of the trip. Book flexible tickets: the day of egg collection depends on how your ovaries respond and can move by a day or two.
After embryo transfer: the two-week wait
The time between the transfer and the pregnancy test is often the hardest part emotionally. You continue progesterone (as pessaries, gel or injections) to support the lining of the womb, usually until about the tenth to twelfth week if you are pregnant.
- Activity: bed rest after the transfer does not improve the chance of pregnancy; normal light activity and walking are fine. Avoid hard training, hot baths and saunas, alcohol and smoking.
- Symptoms: mild cramps, bloating and light spotting are common and do not tell you whether the treatment has worked. Home tests too early can give a misleading result because of the trigger injection — wait for the blood test.
- If the test is positive: a second blood test confirms that the hormone level is rising, and an ultrasound at about six to seven weeks shows the pregnancy sac and heartbeat. Your own doctor or midwife then takes over the pregnancy care.
- If the test is negative: stop the medication only as your clinic instructs. A review call with the specialist to discuss what could change in a next cycle, or a transfer of frozen embryos, is part of good care.
Flying home after IVF and embryo transfer
Flying after an embryo transfer does not dislodge the embryo — it is held in the lining of the womb, and cabin pressure and movement do not affect it. Most clinics are comfortable with a flight a day or two after the transfer.
The bigger concern is ovarian hyperstimulation: if you had many eggs collected, your ovaries can stay enlarged for a few days, and your clinic may then recommend freezing all embryos and delaying the transfer, or staying a little longer before flying. On the flight, drink plenty of water, walk in the aisle and wear compression stockings if advised, because the hormones slightly increase the risk of blood clots. Keep your progesterone and the clinic's letter in your hand luggage. Severe abdominal pain, rapid swelling of the abdomen, shortness of breath or very little urine are reasons to seek urgent medical care.
Turkey IVF success rate: what the figures mean
Success in IVF depends above all on the woman's age, because age decides how many eggs are collected and how many of the embryos are chromosomally normal. Clinics often quote high "pregnancy rates", but what matters is the chance of a live birth, and how it is counted: per cycle started, per egg collection or per embryo transferred.
The most complete public figures come from the HFEA, which publishes national data for every licensed clinic in the UK. In its recent reports the birth rate per embryo transferred, using the patient's own eggs, was roughly:
| Woman's age | Approximate birth rate per embryo transferred (HFEA, own eggs) |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | about 1 in 3 |
| 35–37 | about 1 in 4 |
| 38–39 | about 1 in 5 |
| 40–42 | about 1 in 8 |
| 43–44 | about 1 in 20 |
| 45 and over | a few in 100 |
These are averages across a whole country, not a promise for any couple; your own chance depends on your ovarian reserve, the cause of infertility, sperm quality, the womb and your health, and can be higher or lower. Turkish clinics do not report to a public national register with audited outcomes in the way UK clinics report to the HFEA, so ask any clinic exactly how its figures are calculated, for which age group, and whether they are live births or positive tests. Several cycles, or a frozen transfer after a first cycle, are often needed; the chance of a baby over several cycles is higher than over one.
Risks of IVF: what studies show
IVF is a routine treatment and serious complications are uncommon, but the medication, the egg collection and the pregnancy that follows each carry risks:
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): the ovaries over-respond, causing bloating, pain and fluid in the abdomen. Mild forms are common; the HFEA estimates that the severe form affects about 1 in 100 women in an IVF cycle. Modern protocols — a different trigger injection and freezing all embryos — lower the risk considerably.
- Multiple pregnancy: twins and triplets carry much higher risks for mother and babies, including premature birth. Single embryo transfer, which Turkish rules require for younger women in their first attempts, has brought the multiple birth rate in the UK down to well under 1 in 10 births.
- Egg collection: bleeding, infection or injury to the bowel or bladder are rare — fewer than 1 in 100 procedures.
- Ectopic pregnancy: a pregnancy outside the womb occurs in roughly 1–2 in 100 IVF pregnancies, which is why an early ultrasound matters.
- Pregnancy risks: IVF pregnancies have a somewhat higher rate of high blood pressure, premature birth and low birth weight, partly because of the parents' age and the cause of infertility. Your local doctor should know the pregnancy came from IVF.
- Emotional strain: anxiety and low mood during treatment are common. Counselling is recommended by the HFEA and is offered by many clinics; ask whether it is available in your language.
How to choose the best IVF clinic in Turkey for you
Patients often search for the "best IVF clinic in Turkey". There is no single best clinic for every couple, but there are clear criteria — and they answer whether IVF in Turkey is safe: it is as safe as the centre you choose.
- A licensed centre: every assisted reproduction centre in Turkey must be licensed by the Ministry of Health. Ask for the licence, and check that the IVF unit is inside or linked to a hospital that can handle a complication such as OHSS.
- The doctor and the embryologist: ask for the name of the gynaecologist and reproductive specialist who will lead your treatment, and how the laboratory works — the embryology team matters as much as the doctor.
- Honest figures: a clinic that quotes success rates without your age, or one figure for everyone, is not answering the question. Ask for live birth rates for your age group, and how many cycles they perform a year.
- A plan based on your tests: a good specialist reviews your AMH, scans, semen analysis and previous cycles before quoting, explains why the protocol was chosen and what may not be possible.
- Follow-up at home: ask who answers your messages after you fly home, who reads the pregnancy test, and what a frozen transfer would cost.
Red flags: offers of donor eggs, donor sperm, surrogacy or sex selection in Turkey (all illegal), guaranteed pregnancy or "money-back" promises without written conditions, many embryos transferred at once, pressure to buy several add-ons and large deposits before a consultation. Most IVF centres are in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya; the hospital that offers IVF on our site, Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital, is in Istanbul. You can compare all partner hospitals and read how a request works.
IVF Treatment (ICSI) in Turkey reviews
Reviews of the hospitals and surgeons on this page that perform IVF Treatment (ICSI), with reviews about this treatment first. Reviews from Google are marked.
I cannot thank Dr. Servet and his team from the Cardiology Department enough for their support and for their patience and dedication throughout my mother's treatment. I sincerely wish you continued success and that you continue to heal our patients.
What can you say about the hospital that ruined my mother's life for two and a half months and then handed her over to us in her corpse?... She only needed intensive care, no treatment needed... she only needed care... They did the worst they could, they handed my mother over to us in a terrible state, her body... What can be said?... May they get what they deserve.
I am extremely grateful to Dr. Ahmed Fazli for the excellent care and treatment he provided to my son. My son had three fractures in his hand, and as a parent, it was a very stressful and frightening situation for us. Dr. Fazli handled the operation with great professionalism, care, and confidence. He explained the situation clearly, answered all our questions, and made us feel that our son was in safe hands throughout the entire process. The operation went very well, and we are very happy with my son's recovery. His expertise, calm approach, and genuine concern for his patients gave our family great confidence during a difficult time. I sincerely thank Dr. Mohammad Fazli for his dedication and excellent work. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a skilled, caring, and trustworthy orthopedic doctor.
I am extremely grateful to Dr. Ahmed Fazli for the excellent care and treatment he provided to my son. My son had three fractures in his hand, and as a parent, it was a very stressful and frightening situation for us. Dr. Fazli handled the operation with great professionalism, care, and confidence. He explained the situation clearly, answered all our questions, and made us feel that our son was in safe hands throughout the entire process. The operation went very well, and we are very happy with my son's recovery. His expertise, calm approach, and genuine concern for his patients gave our family great confidence during a difficult time. I sincerely thank Dr. Ahmed Fazli for his dedication and excellent work. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a skilled, caring, and trustworthy orthopedic doctor.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Emil YUNUSOV at Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital for his attention, approach, and for truly dedicating his time to his patients. I felt comfortable during the examination, and he patiently and clearly answered all my questions. He is a physician who cares not only about the treatment process but also about making the patient feel safe. I wholeheartedly recommend him. Thank you for his effort and attention.
We cannot thank Lokman Hekim Hospital and our dear Professor Saynur enough. We had been trying to have a child for 1.5 years, and when we first went to the hospital, we immediately thought of IVF. However, after Professor Saynur meticulously examined our tests and saw no obstacles in the results, she patiently and cheerfully guided us towards artificial insemination treatment. We are so glad we trusted her knowledge and experience and listened to her advice. Thanks to her wonderful care, positive energy throughout the process, and smiling face, we felt very safe from the very first step. Now, thank God, I am pregnant! Endless thanks to Professor Saynur and the entire Lokman Hekim Hospital team for this great happiness they have brought into our lives. We are so glad our paths crossed! :))
Frequently asked questions
An ICSI cycle at the accredited hospital on our site costs from about €4,800 for international patients (shown in your currency on this page). Across the Turkish market, one cycle usually costs about €3,000–€6,000, depending mainly on whether medication, freezing and genetic testing are included. Your exact price is written on your quote after a specialist has reviewed your tests.
Usually, yes. A private cycle in the UK typically costs about £5,000–£8,000 before medication, and many couples pay £7,000–£10,000 in total. Compare what each price includes — medication, ICSI, freezing and the transfer — rather than the headline figure.
Usually the consultation, scans and blood tests during stimulation, egg collection under sedation, ICSI, embryo culture, one embryo transfer and the pregnancy test, often with transfers and an interpreter. Medication, freezing, storage, genetic testing, flights and extra nights are often not included — ask for the list in writing.
Only married couples, using the wife's own eggs and the husband's own sperm. You need a marriage certificate. Single women and same-sex couples cannot be treated in Turkey.
No. Donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos and surrogacy are illegal in Turkey. Couples who need a donor have to be treated in another country.
No, not for preference. Genetic testing of embryos is allowed only for medical reasons, such as avoiding a serious inherited disease, including one that affects only one sex.
Turkish law does not set one fixed upper age, but because donor eggs are not allowed, most clinics treat women up to their mid-forties and decide individually after AMH and ultrasound tests. The chance of a baby with your own eggs falls sharply from the early forties.
It depends mainly on the woman's age and is not one number. UK national data from the HFEA show a birth rate per embryo transferred of roughly 1 in 3 under 35, falling to about 1 in 8 at 40–42 and lower after that. Ask any clinic for live birth rates for your age group and how they are calculated.
About 12–15 days for a full cycle with a fresh transfer. You can often shorten it to about a week by starting the injections at home with local scans, or by freezing the embryos and returning later for a short transfer trip.
Yes, at least for the egg collection day, when he gives a fresh sperm sample, and both of you sign the consent forms. If he can stay only briefly, a sample can be frozen at the start of the trip.
In conventional IVF eggs and sperm are placed together and fertilise on their own; in ICSI one sperm is injected directly into each egg. ICSI is used for low sperm count or motility and after failed fertilisation, and most Turkish clinics use it as standard.
It is done under sedation and takes about 20 minutes, so you do not feel it. Afterwards, cramping and bloating similar to period pain are common for a day or two and are controlled with simple painkillers.
Yes. Flying does not affect the embryo, and most clinics are comfortable with a flight a day or two after the transfer. Drink plenty of water and move around on the flight; if you are at risk of hyperstimulation, follow your clinic's advice on when to fly.
No. Studies show that bed rest does not improve the chance of pregnancy. Normal light activity and walking are fine; avoid hard exercise, hot baths, alcohol and smoking.
It is as safe as the centre you choose. Choose a Ministry of Health licensed centre linked to a hospital, a specialist who bases the plan on your tests, transfer of one or at most two embryos, and a clinic that gives honest figures for your age.
Check the Ministry of Health licence, ask who the specialist and the embryology team are, ask for live birth rates for your age group, read real patient reviews and ask what follow-up, freezing and frozen transfers cost. Avoid clinics offering donors, surrogacy or sex selection in Turkey.
Yes — licensed IVF centres operate in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya. The hospital that offers IVF on our site is in Istanbul; the same Turkish law applies everywhere in the country.