French and Italians use Belgian fertility laws

23 August 2004

BRUSSELS – French and Italian women are flocking to Belgium to make use of its more liberal fertility laws, it emerged on Monday.

Ovum donations are a blessing for women who find it difficult to have children.

But while Belgium, Spain, Greece and the UK are at the forefront of this technology, other countries have banned the practice.

Italy, Switzerland and Germany have all forbidden the treatment, while in France severe restrictions have led to long waiting lists.

The delays have pushed French women in particular to cross the Belgian border.

They can receive treatment at the Erasmus hospital, which is one of 17 centres or laboratories that specialises in the practice.

According to De Morgen, Italian women are coming in droves to the infertility centre at the VUB university in Brussels.

Professor Devroey, who works at the centre, has estimated around 400 Italian patients now come every year after Italian national laws were tightened.

Subject: Belgian news