Egg donation is prohibited in Switzerland: what is the current legal situation, and what options are available for treatment in Greece?

‘Am I allowed to do this in Greece, given that it’s banned in my own country?’ This is often the first question asked by patients living in Switzerland. The short answer is: egg donation is banned in Switzerland, but this ban applies only to treatments carried out on Swiss territory. It does not prevent you from receiving an egg donation in a country where it is legal, such as Greece.

What is governed by Swiss law, however, is everything surrounding the treatment: reimbursement, the child’s access to their origins, parentage for certain couples, and the fate of any remaining embryos. Here is the legal situation as of October 2026, and what Greek law permits.

What Swiss law says in 2026

The Federal Act on Medically Assisted Reproduction (RMA) has been in force since 2001. Article 4 is unambiguous: ‘The donation of eggs and embryos, as well as surrogacy, are prohibited.’ The law imposes a fine of up to 100,000 francs on anyone who uses donated eggs. Other rules that apply to you:

• medically assisted reproduction is restricted to couples who, taking into account their age and personal circumstances, appear capable of raising the child until they reach the age of majority; the law does not specify a specific age;
• sperm donation is restricted to married couples; since 1 July 2022 and the introduction of marriage for all, this includes married female couples;
• single women therefore do not have access to medically assisted reproduction;
• Genetic testing of embryos has been permitted, subject to certain conditions, since 1 September 2017;
• A child born through sperm donation may find out the donor’s identity at the age of 18.

The full text is published at the official compendium of federal law.

Egg donation in Switzerland: what is the current status of the review?

In autumn 2022, Parliament adopted a motion entitled ‘Fulfilling the desire to have children. Legalising egg donation for married couples’. On 29 January 2025, the Federal Council set out the broad outlines of the proposal and suggested going a step further: authorising sperm and egg donation for unmarried couples as well. Donors would not receive money, but could be paid an allowance, and the child would have the right to know their origins, as is the case with sperm donation. Single women are not mentioned.

At the time of writing, in October 2026, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is preparing the preliminary draft. According to its page on legislative proposals, the consultation is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2027, at the same time as that for a review of the law on parentage. The text will then have to go before Parliament. There is therefore no date for entry into force at this stage, and for women aged 40 or 42, this timetable is crucial.

Receiving a donation of eggs abroad whilst living in Switzerland

The National Ethics Commission stated in its 2022 position paper that treatments involving the donation of eggs and embryos carried out abroad “do not, however, fall within the scope of Swiss prohibitions”. The FOPH, for its part, notes that many couples travel abroad to fulfil their desire to have a child. Three legal points are worth checking before departure:

• The mother. Under Swiss law, the mother is always the woman who gives birth to the child, even if the egg comes from a donor.
• Married female couples. The mother’s spouse is recognised as a parent from birth where the child was conceived using a sperm donation in accordance with Swiss law (Article 255a of the Civil Code). For treatment abroad, this condition may not necessarily be met: have your situation checked by a lawyer before proceeding.
• Surplus embryos. Swiss law prohibits the use of donated eggs and contains no explicit rules on the importation of eggs. You should therefore not rely on transferring embryos conceived in Greece using a donation to Switzerland: instead, plan for subsequent transfers at the Greek clinic, and seek legal advice on any other options.

The child’s access to their origins: a question to consider beforehand

In Switzerland, the right to know one’s ancestry is enshrined in the Constitution. The National Ethics Commission emphasises that this right is not fully guaranteed when couples have to undergo treatment in a country where donation remains anonymous.

In Greece, donation is anonymous by default; since 2022, the law has also provided for forms of non-anonymous donation, but these remain rare in practice. In particular, Greek law allows the donor’s identity to be disclosed to the child once they have reached the age of majority, if they so request. If this is important to you, raise the issue with the clinic during your initial discussion. The Greek framework is set out in detail in the article on egg donation and anonymity, and how to discuss it later in talking to your child about donation.

What compulsory health insurance covers, and what it does not cover

The list of benefits under compulsory health insurance (LAMal) is clear: in vitro fertilisation is not covered, even in Switzerland; artificial insemination is covered, with a maximum of three treatment cycles per pregnancy. Treatment planned abroad is reimbursed only in exceptional cases, following a prior request from your doctor to the insurer’s medical adviser. As in vitro fertilisation is not included among the reimbursed benefits, you should expect to cover the full cost yourself.

The European Health Insurance Card, on the back of your Swiss health insurance card, covers medically necessary care during a temporary stay, not the treatment you are travelling abroad to receive. If you have supplementary insurance, ask them in writing what it covers. For further information, see travel insurance for IVF treatment abroad and the cost of IVF in Greece.

Switzerland or Greece: the rules side by side

Switzerland and Greece are both part of the Schengen Area. A transfer involving egg donation generally requires a two- to four-day stay, in a single trip, as the endometrial preparation takes place at home: see how many days to stay in Greece. If you are over 43, the process is detailed in IVF after 43; if you are single, in assisted reproduction as a single woman.

My advice

Don’t base your plans on the Swiss legislative review: it may happen, but no one can say when. If egg donation is the route you’re taking, first carry out the three checks that depend on Swiss law: the child’s right to know their origins, parentage if you’re a female couple, and the cost without insurance. Only then should you choose a clinic. If you’d like us to look at your situation together, write to me.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/switzerland-ivf-egg-donation-greece/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook