Couples Now Able to Freeze Their Embryos in UAE
A new draft law in UAE will provide couples undergoing IVF more support
17 April 2019
Editor
Thousands of married couples seeking IVF treatment will now be allowed to preserve their embryos.
In a new draft federal law approved by the Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday, couples trying to conceive can now freeze their embryos for up to 5 years, as well as freeze their eggs and sperm.
The new legislation aims to give hope to those who experience difficulty reproducing by increasing their chances of getting pregnant, promoting children's health, as well as to bolster the UAE's vision to achieve leadership in the field of fertilisation and assisted reproduction.
Demand for IVF treatment has been growing steadily in the UAE, according to The National. One clinic alone now helps over 10,000 couples from the MENA region every year, and others - like Fakih IVF - no doubt welcome the new ruling.
Despite the relaxations of the law, couples will still require approval from the Ministry of Health to preserve embryos and treatment is only available to those who are married.
Embryos should be destroyed if a couple is divorced, or one of them passes away.
All about IVF in Dubai and UAE
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) helps couples with fertilisation, embryo development, and implantation to help start a pregnancy. IVF is one of the more widely known types of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and works by combining medicines and surgical procedures to help sperm fertilise an egg and then keep that egg implanted in a woman's uterus.
IVF treatments are a multi-step process, and can take several months to complete the whole process. Many couples need more than 1 round of IVF to get pregnant.
The newly approved UAE legislation, which allows the freezing of embryos, means couples who have already been through the treatment once are less likely to have to complete the initial stages again.
Using frozen embryos happens at a significantly lower cost than having a fresh cycle because you bypass a big portion of the procedure without compromising the result.
How much does IVF cost in UAE?
The average cost of an IVF treatment in Dubai and UAE can range from AED 35,000 to AED 70,000 depending on the complexity of the case.
What other options do couples have in UAE?
Unfortunately, surrogacy in Dubai and UAE continues to be illegal - and fertility clinics found to have broken this regulation potentially face a fine of up to AED 1 million. Medical practitioners who ignore the legislation can also face a fine of up to AED 500,000 and a jail term of between 2 to 5 years. We have a complete guide on surrogacy laws in the UAE here for you.
Alternatively - adoption is an option afforded to non-Muslim expatriates living in Dubai and the UAE. We have a guide on that here, too.
