The Outcomes of Fertility Tourism in Third-Party Donation: A Scoping Review Study

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Midwifery, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Paramedicine, Islamic Azad University, Larestan Branch, Larestan, Iran.

10.22038/ijogi.2025.87189.6401

Abstract

Introduction: Fertility tourism is a new term that have seen a growing trend in recent decade. It refers to the movement of individuals to other countries for the purpose of undergoing infertility treatment. When this phenomenon is associated with the donation of gametes, embryos or surrogacy, it involves numerous issues that must be considered by both policymakers and donors and recipients. Therefore, the present study was conducted with aim to examine the issues and challenges of fertility tourism in cases of third-party donation.
Methods: In this scoping review study, articles were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Magiran, SID databases, and Google Scholar search engine between 2010 to 2025, with the keywords: challenges/ Problems; Tourism/ Travel; Reproductive/ Fertility; ART/IVF; Gamete/ Sperm/ Oocyte/ Fetus/ Donation; Surrogacy, and their Persian equivalents. Articles were evaluated using the STROBE checklist; finally, 15 articles were included in the review.
Results: Based on the results of the retrieve studies, the challenges fall into six main areas including: (1) religious and cultural challenges, (2) ethical considerations, (3) psychological and physical consequences, (4) infrastructural and economic factors, (5) social, family and kinship challenges, and (6) legal complexities of cross-border reproductive care.
Conclusion: Fertility tourism, particularly in cases involving donation services, faces a range of multifaceted challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a coordinated global protocol with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach that addresses all these dimensions to eliminate the various problems and challenges associated with this treatment method.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 28, Issue 8
October 2025
Pages 54-67

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