Egg Freezing & IVF in Iran

The healthcare system is advanced in Iran. Many hospitals and clinics cater to medical tourists, especially from neighbouring countries, Europe, and Northern America. The medical services offered are broad and the prices are reasonable. In medical history, Iran has become the birthplace of Avicenna, the "father of modern medicine." His Canon of Medicine served as the medical reference for several countries around the world for centuries.

Today, Iran's medical tourism is booming, especially in the fields of infertility treatment, optical surgeries, and spinal operations. Medical tourists also appreciate the short waiting times in Iran's medical facilities. Doctors often receive international training and certifications while facilities pass national accreditation systems.

It is also worth noting that the political atmosphere in the country may pose a challenge to medical tourists. There is also a language barrier although this can be remedied by translation services provided by many medical tourism agencies and departments and most doctors speak English. International insurance is not always accepted at Iran's healthcare facilities.

What To Do in Iran During Your Medical Vacation

If you landed in the capital, Tehran, you'd love to hang out at the teahouses and coffee shops or shop till you drop at the city bazaars. While there, you can take a look at the mummies in the National Museum of Iran or the colourful gems at the Treasury of Natural Jewels. Travel to Esfahan, the city fit for kings and sultans. There you'll find the Naqsh-e Jahan Square filled with mosques and palaces that are fronted with ceramics, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Have a shopping spree on spices and carpets to bring home to friends and family back home. Another must-visit city is Shiraz, home to good wine, poetry, and more mosques and gardens.

Respect the laws and customs of Iran as a Muslim nation. Women should wear long skirts and slacks and blouses and shirts with long sleeves in public places. Additionally, they should wear a head scarf. Israeli nationals are not permitted entry to Iran. When staying at a hotel, unmarried couples can share a room as long as they are not Muslim. Muslim couples should present a marriage contract. Muslims fast for 30 days during the annual Ramadan. Even non-Muslims must not eat or drink in public before sundown during Ramadan. Respect gender-separated areas marked as "men only" or "women only" in public vehicles and mosques. Do not shake the hands of someone who is not of your same gender. When exporting goods, keep to the allowed limits: a maximum of 10 kilos of pistachios and other nuts; 100 grams of saffron; and 20 meters of carpet per person.

To have IVF in Iran, you will arrive either at Mehrabad International Airport or Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) in Tehran. From there, you can take domestic flights for long distances. The following are some airline choices for domestic flights: Iran Air, Mahan Air, Kish Air, Qeshm Air, ATA, Atrak, Caspian Airlines, Iran Airtours, Meraj Airlines, and Taban Air. The most convenient transportation in Iran is on buses. Aside from regular buses, there are VIP buses and night buses. Take the train from Tehran to Tabriz, Esfahan, Mashhad, Bandar Abbas, and Kerman. Within cities, take taxis, Snapp (Iran's ride-hailing app), normal and BRT (bus rapid transit) city buses, and the subway.

Persian or Farsi is the official and most widely spoken language in Iran. Other languages are Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Luri, and Arabic.

Social Attitudes Towards Fertility Treatment

A study reported that women in Iran who seek IVF and infertility treatment encounter many social challenges that could negatively affect their life quality. Negative effects of IVF failure include violence (physical, verbal, or stigma), problems in the marriage, social isolation and exclusion, being ignored by relatives in family gatherings, and social alienation. The study recommended that infertility be considered a biomedical issue of a couple and that infertility treatment be prioritised.