Flying whilst undergoing IVF treatment: what matters, what doesn’t

There is no evidence to suggest that flying reduces the chances of implantation. The cabin pressure, turbulence and cosmic radiation encountered on a three-hour flight have no proven effect on a transferred embryo. Women who live in Athens and take the tram go home the same day; you’re taking a plane, which is the same thing in practical terms.

After a transfer

You can fly as early as the following day, and many patients return home on the same day. The only two real precautions concern blood circulation, because progesterone and a possible early pregnancy slightly increase the risk of blood clots: get up and walk around every hour, stay hydrated, and wear compression stockings if the flight lasts more than three hours or if you have a history of such issues. On a three-and-a-quarter-hour flight from Thessaloniki to Paris, this is sensible though not essential.

After an egg retrieval

This is where you need to be more cautious. The egg retrieval leaves the ovaries enlarged, and the risk of hyperstimulation arises between the third and twelfth day. Most clinics advise waiting 24 to 48 hours before flying, which is reasonable. Above all, do not fly if you have a tight abdomen, are gaining weight rapidly or are short of breath: these are signs that require a medical consultation, not a flight. The article on hyperstimulation sets out the warning signs in detail.

Medicines in your luggage

The most important practical point: keep everything in your hand luggage. A hold luggage bag lost for three days will cost you a cycle. Gonadotropin pens cannot withstand either the freezing temperatures of the hold or high temperatures.

• Cold chain: most gonadotropins should be stored between 2 and 8 °C, with some products able to tolerate room temperature for several weeks — check the package leaflet. Use an insulated bag with a pack of ice, never in direct contact with the medication.
• Prescription in English or French, stating the chemical names and not just the trade names, for airport security and in the event of an inspection.
• Needles and syringes: permitted in the cabin with a prescription. Make sure you have a sharps container.
• Medical liquids are not subject to the 100 ml limit if accompanied by a prescription; declare them at security rather than hiding them.

Within the Schengen area, there are no systematic customs checks. This does not exempt you from having a prescription.

Insurance and healthcare cover

The European Health Insurance Card covers medically necessary and unforeseen treatment during a temporary stay — it does not cover the IVF treatment itself, which is a planned treatment. It is useful if a complication arises whilst you are there. Apply for it before you leave; it is free of charge.

It is worth considering travel insurance with medical cover, whilst checking for two common exclusions: complications arising from planned fertility treatment, and pregnancy beyond a certain stage. Read these two clauses carefully; a policy that excludes ‘the consequences of voluntary medical treatment’ will be of no use to you.

The timetable: the real constraint

The risk isn’t medical; it’s logistical. With hormone replacement therapy, the transfer date is set three to four weeks in advance and rarely changes: you can book your trip with peace of mind. In a natural cycle, it depends on your ovulation and may shift by a day or two. In this case, book changeable tickets and allow for a day’s leeway either way. Details of stays by protocol are available here.

Once there

Book a hotel within twenty minutes of the clinic, not the prettiest one on the other side of town. Take printed copies of your medical reports with you, as well as your mobile phone. And keep the morning of the transfer free of any other commitments: the clinic’s schedule may shift by an hour or two depending on embryo development, and rushing to catch a flight that same afternoon is the only truly avoidable source of stress on this trip.

Frequently asked questions

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