How IVF with The Medical Travel Company in India offers hope for British families

By Dr Madhurima Rajkhowa, Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 17.5 per cent of the global population, that’s roughly one in six people, struggles with fertility challenges. This cuts across borders, income levels, and ethnicities: infertility does not discriminate.

But in my 30+ years as a gynaecologist, fertility specialist, and clinical leader in both the NHS and private UK settings, I’ve seen how gaps in local provision push patients, especially from ethnic minority communities, into making difficult, often painful compromises.

 

Fertility care with The Medical Travel Company (TMTC) was born out of a simple, yet powerful realisation.

The system in the UK is a postcode lottery and is not serving everyone, particularly not British South Asians who need donor eggs of a matching ethnicity, and who are met with long waiting lists, limited choice, and escalating costs for private treatment in the UK.

Through TMTC, we’ve created a regulated, clinically robust IVF pathway in India that not only bridges these gaps but also offers patients real autonomy, cultural sensitivity, and continuity of care from start to finish.

The British Asian egg donor gap

Let’s begin with the numbers.

According to the 2025 fertility treatment report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), in 2023, there were just 65 Asian egg donors registered in the entire UK.

By contrast, there were over 1,100 Caucasian donors. And yet in cities like Birmingham, where I’ve worked for decades, a significant proportion of the fertility patients I see are of British Asian heritage.

Many are forced to choose egg donors of a different ethnicity, not because they want to, but because there’s no alternative. That compromise weighs heavily; emotionally, culturally, and sometimes genetically.

The HFEA strictly regulates the importation of donor eggs, so this is not an issue that money or private clinics can easily solve. It’s a matter of access.

This is the critical void that TMTC addresses.

By partnering with rigorously vetted, regulated fertility clinics across India (where Asian egg donors are far more readily available) we can offer these patients an option that respects both their cultural and clinical needs.

Local care vs. medical travel

There’s a pervasive assumption that medical travel is all about cost.

While affordability is undeniably a driver, it is not the only one, nor is it the most important for many patients.

In England, access to NHS-funded IVF is becoming increasingly scarce.

Most Integrated Care Boards in England now fund only one IVF cycle, despite NICE guidelines recommending up to three for women under 40, and some exclude patients who already have a child or are over a certain age.

Even getting a referral from a GP can be a hurdle, with many primary care practices too stretched to support early intervention.

Patients are not just looking abroad to save money; they’re looking to move forward and grow their family. In the UK, a single IVF cycle with medication can cost a significant amount in a private clinic.

With TMTC, that same cycle could potentially be around half the price, depending on clinical needs.

But what makes TMTC distinct is not just the cost, it’s the quality, continuity, and ethical clarity of the care we provide.

Regulated, ethical, and clinically led

There are legitimate concerns about international fertility clinics.

Stories of multiple embryo transfers, poor patient counselling, or lack of regulation have led many UK clinicians to advise patients against overseas treatment.

This is exactly why I joined TMTC. As a UK-trained consultant who has also practised in India, I’ve handpicked our partner clinics based on transparent regulatory standards.

India’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Act now mirrors many of the safeguards we value in the UK. It mandates that donors can only donate once, limiting the risk of biological half-siblings and ensuring rigorous donor screening.

Clinics are licensed, regularly inspected, and follow strict protocols on embryo transfer and patient consent.

What truly sets TMTC apart is our joint-care model.

Every patient has a named UK consultant who conducts initial assessments and tailors a treatment plan. That plan is then co-managed with a named Indian consultant at a vetted partner clinic.

Patients aren’t left to navigate a foreign system on their own, we’re with them before, during, and after.

Bridging cultural and clinical divides

One of the most under-recognised challenges in fertility treatment is cultural sensitivity.

In my years of consulting, I’ve worked with South Asian patients across the socioeconomic spectrum.

From single women right through to those living in joint family households.

What unites many of them is not shame, but silence.

The pain of subfertility is universal, but for many British Asians, the support structures around it are not.

TMTC understands this. We don’t approach our patients as cases; we meet them as people.

Our patient support teams in both the UK and India are trained not just clinically, but culturally.

Whether it’s language, family dynamics, or religious considerations, we approach each patient with empathy and discretion.

Continuity that doesn’t end when the flight lands

One of the common pitfalls of medical travel is that patients often fall into a void once they return home.

There’s no one to call, no aftercare plan, and no emotional support.

TMTC eliminates this risk.

The same consultant who assesses a patient before they travel will be there to support them on their return.

Whether it’s pregnancy scans, miscarriage support, or liaising with NHS primary care teams, we don’t hand off our responsibility. We stay with the patient for the full journey.

IVF is not a transaction; it’s a life-altering decision

There’s a misconception that seeking treatment abroad is somehow riskier or lower quality. But when done ethically, collaboratively, and with the right clinical governance, it can be life-changing.

And in many cases, it’s the only viable option for patients left behind by overstretched UK health services and limited donor pools.

At TMTC, we’re here to serve those who the NHS is unable to support.

Our approach isn’t just about lowering costs; it’s about raising standards, increasing choice, and offering dignity to patients who are often asked to wait, compromise, or give up.

The service we offer is a response to a need that is growing louder and more urgent every year. Patients deserve more than limited options and long waits.

They deserve informed choices, respectful care, and the right to build a family in a way that honours both their biology and their beliefs.

For many, fertility care with The Medical Travel Company is becoming that choice.