IVF in Denmark as a Single Mom by Choice.
My Experience and Costs

In all honesty, it started out pretty vain. I thought about where some of the hottest guys come from first. Denmark? Yes, that sounds right. Then I started Googling IVF in Denmark. By some twist of fate, it’s actually a huge IVF hub in Europe.

When I started looking at clinics, so many things just clicked. Mild IVF uses less medication and is less hard on your body. The clinic I chose focused on getting quality eggs instead of just trying to get the highest quantity possible. There were also some key differences between doing IVF in Denmark and doing it in America.

One of the biggest differences was that I was awake for my egg retrieval.

It was very, very painful. I was given pain medication, but I was still awake and could feel what was happening.

Later, I talked to my pelvic floor PT about it and she told me something interesting. She said she sees patients who come in with lingering pain after egg retrievals. 

They are basically using a needle to retrieve the eggs directly from your ovaries. My personal theory is that when you are awake, the doctor has to be more gentle because you can actually feel what they are doing. I obviously can’t prove that, but my recovery was incredibly easy. I was able to fly home the next day. If I did it again though, I would probably give myself one extra day before flying home if I could.

There were also differences when it came to genetic testing.

PGT-A was not an option for me in Denmark without a medical indication. That also meant I couldn’t choose the sex of my embryo.

Honestly, I liked that.

I did my genetic testing during pregnancy and I still got to have a gender reveal. Denmark also generally prioritizes single embryo transfers, which was completely fine with me.

Then there was the cost. IVF in Denmark was significantly cheaper for me than doing it in America.

I know some employers and insurance plans in the U.S. now cover some fertility treatment, but that wasn’t the case for me. I was paying out of pocket.

For the IVF treatment, embryo storage, donor sperm, medications, and the transfer that ultimately resulted in my son, I spent about $6,444.

Of course, traveling to another country adds another entire category of expenses. I also included a breakdown of my travel and lodging costs below.

Please keep in mind that I definitely splurged on some parts of my travel, especially my flights and lodging. You could absolutely do this more cheaply if you were more budget conscious.

For example, my lodging during my first trip cost around $4,000 more than my lodging during my later trip, even though I stayed for almost the same amount of time. The second time I chose a much more budget friendly hotel.

Overall, I am extremely happy that I chose Denmark.

A frozen embryo transfer at my clinic is only around $1,000. So even after adding travel expenses, another transfer in Denmark can still potentially cost me less than paying out of pocket for an FET in America.

There are other countries where IVF may be even cheaper. But if you are considering traveling abroad for IVF as a SMBC, make sure you research the laws of the country you are considering first. Some countries have restrictions on fertility treatment for single women.

For me, Denmark gave me what I was looking for. Lower costs, a treatment approach I felt comfortable with, access to donor sperm, and the ability to pursue motherhood on my own.

And most importantly, Denmark is where I made the embryo that eventually became my son. 🤍

These were the prices I personally paid in 2024. Clinic and medication prices may have changed.