What is the cost of the ROPA method in Spain?
The cost of the ROPA method in Spain ranges from £4,150 to £6,230. This technique is not permitted in the UK, so there is no UK price to compare. The package covers stimulation, egg collection under light sedation, fertilisation and embryo transfer.
📊 2026 Price Table
| Type of intervention | Price in Spain | Price in the UK |
|---|---|---|
| ROPA method (standard package) | £4,240 - £5,620 | Not performed in the UK |
| ROPA method + PGT-A (genetic testing) | £6,060 - £7,960 | Not performed in the UK |
| Frozen embryo transfer (ROPA) | £1,210 - £2,080 | Not performed in the UK |
| Sperm donation option (bank) | £300 - £560 | Covered by the NHS up to age 43; donation is altruistic; £2,590 - £4,330 if self-funded |
What is the ROPA method?
Clinics in Barcelona and Madrid offer reciprocal IVF for female couples (ROPA method), also known as shared motherhood or double motherhood. This procedure allows each partner to participate in the pregnancy process: one provides the eggs, the other carries the baby.
Is the ROPA method legal in France?
No. The French Biomedicine Agency states that this method is not authorised in France[1]. The Council of State confirmed this on 19 June 2024, citing the principle of anonymity in egg donation[2]. Egg donation remains anonymous in France, and a donation cannot be directed to a named recipient. Since 2021, assisted reproduction has been open to female couples, but only with sperm donation.
How does reciprocal IVF work with the ROPA method?
Reciprocal IVF, or the ROPA method, is a two-person assisted reproduction technique: one woman undergoes ovarian stimulation and egg collection, her eggs are fertilised with donor sperm, and the resulting embryo is transferred to her partner’s uterus, who will carry the pregnancy to term.
The woman who provides the eggs is the genetic mother of the child. The one who receives the embryo is the gestational mother: she carries the pregnancy and gives birth. This is also known as shared motherhood. The medical journey is the same as for IVF in Spain, with two patients treated in parallel.
Fertilisation is carried out by conventional IVF or by ICSI, which injects a single sperm into each egg. The choice is made by the clinic’s medical team, depending on the quality of the eggs collected and of the donor sperm.
The ROPA method in Spain, step by step
A ROPA method in Spain takes place in five stages: ovarian stimulation of the first partner, egg collection, fertilisation in the laboratory, preparation of the second partner’s uterus, and embryo transfer. The two treatments run in parallel.
1. Ovarian stimulation of the partner providing the eggs
The partner providing the eggs receives hormone injections for several days, so that her ovaries produce multiple eggs instead of just one. Ultrasound scans and, in some cases, hormone tests monitor follicle growth until triggering.
This step carries its own risk: ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Its moderate or severe forms occur in 3 to 8% of IVF cycles[3]. Ultrasound monitoring also helps detect it early.
2. Egg collection
When the follicles have reached the desired size, an injection triggers final egg maturation, and collection is performed at the time set by the team. It is carried out vaginally, under ultrasound guidance and light sedation, to minimise discomfort.
Like any puncture, it carries rare complications such as bleeding or infection. The duration of the procedure and the length of stay depend on the Spanish clinic’s protocol.
3. Fertilisation and embryo culture
In the laboratory, the eggs are fertilised with sperm from an anonymous donor, chosen by the medical team[4]. The next day, the embryologist checks under the microscope which ones have been fertilised, and the embryos are then cultured in an incubator for a few days before transfer.
4. Preparation of the partner carrying the pregnancy
Meanwhile, the second partner undergoes hormonal treatment to thicken the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, so that it can receive the embryo. Ultrasound checks confirm that this preparation is progressing at the right pace before the transfer date.
The two treatments are most often synchronised on the same calendar. When this is not possible, the embryos are frozen and transferred during a later preparation cycle.
5. Embryo transfer
The transfer takes place between the third and fifth day after egg collection, depending on embryo development. A thin catheter, inserted through the cervix, deposits the embryo, usually without sedation or anaesthesia. Spanish law limits the transfer to three embryos per cycle[4].
What results and risks for the ROPA method?
Published results for the ROPA method are close to those of IVF using own eggs, according to a systematic review of eight studies covering 1,405 cycles[5]. All these studies are retrospective, which limits the scope of this comparison between the two techniques.
What is the success rate of the ROPA method?
A series conducted from 2011 to 2020 in 18 Spanish clinics reports 44.7% live births per transfer and 61.6% per couple, including frozen cycles[6]. These figures come from a retrospective series, with no comparison group, and depend on the age of the egg donor.
Is the ROPA method riskier for pregnancy?
A Belgian cohort of 73 pregnancies after ROPA and 77 after insemination found more early pre-eclampsia, especially after frozen embryo transfer in an artificial cycle, and more preterm births and first-trimester bleeding[7]. The study is retrospective and single-centre.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of the ROPA method in Spain?
Expect to pay £4,150 to £6,230 for a complete cycle in Spain, and £6,060 to £7,960 with PGT-A genetic testing. The UK does not perform this technique, so there is no UK price to compare and no NHS coverage is available.
Do you have to be married to do the ROPA method in Spain?
In practice, yes. Spanish law only establishes dual parentage if both women are married and not separated, either legally or de facto[4]. Without marriage, egg donation between partners is not enough to establish this dual parentage.
Who does the baby look like after a ROPA method?
The child inherits the genetic heritage of the woman who provides the eggs and of the sperm donor. The partner who carries the pregnancy does not contribute genetically: she carries the pregnancy to term and gives birth.
Why do the ROPA method in Spain?
Spain’s 2006 law on assisted reproduction makes ROPA possible in practice: anonymous sperm donation, a maximum of three embryos transferred per cycle, and dual parentage for married female couples[4]. The UK does not allow this method[1].
Is sperm donation anonymous in Spain?
Yes. Spanish law requires donor anonymity, with the donor chosen by the medical team for physical and immunological resemblance[4]. His identity is only disclosed if there is a risk to the child’s health. In the UK, the child can access its origins at adulthood[8].
Until what age can you do the ROPA method?
Spanish clinics apply their own age limits, lower for the woman who donates her eggs than for the one who carries the pregnancy. The donor’s ovarian reserve is assessed by hormone testing.
Can you freeze surplus embryos?
Yes. In the reference Spanish series, half of the ROPA cycles left frozen embryos[6]. They allow another attempt, or a second child later, without going through ovarian stimulation or another egg collection.
Sources & References
- Agence de la biomédecine. La méthode ROPA est-elle autorisée en France ? 2023. Consulter la source
- Conseil d’État, 1re et 4e chambres réunies. Décision n° 472649 du 19 juin 2024, réception d’ovocytes de la partenaire (ROPA). 2024. Consulter la source
- Tang H, Mourad SM, Wang A, Zhai SD, Hart RJ. Dopamine agonists for preventing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021. Consulter la source
- Espagne, Boletín Oficial del Estado. Ley 14/2006, de 26 de mayo, sobre técnicas de reproducción humana asistida, art. 3.2, 5.5, 6.5 et 7.3. 2006. Consulter la source
- Dubois B, Naveed H, Nietsch KS, Band IC, Brandão P, Estevez SL. A systematic review of reproductive technologies for shared conception in same-sex female couples. Fertility and Sterility. 2024;122(5):774-782. Consulter la source
- Brandão P, Monseur B, Melo P, et al. Shared IVF among female couples: clinical outcomes of the Reception of Oocytes from the Partner (ROPA) method. Reproductive BioMedicine Online. 2023;47(4):103284. Consulter la source
- Loreti S, Moeykens M, Darici E, et al. Are pregnancy complications associated with conception methods in female same-sex couples? A retrospective, matched cohort study. Reproductive BioMedicine Online. 2025;51(2):104876. Consulter la source
- Santé.fr, ministère de la Santé. Accès aux origines des personnes nées d’une assistance médicale à la procréation avec tiers donneur. 2022. Consulter la source
