8 important accreditations for IVF centres worldwide
If you are looking for the highest recommended IVF clinics abroad, it may be beneficial to also take a look at the organisations that regulate and accredit IVF centres around the world.
8 important accreditations for IVF centres worldwide
Joint Commission (JCI)
The Joint Commission is a non-profit that sets standards for healthcare facilities worldwide, with the ultimate goal of ensuring patient safety. If your fertility clinic has JCI certification it means they meet the highest international standards of care. Note that JCI does not validate pregnancy rate data.
ISO9001 or International Organization For Standardization (ISO)
Some clinics report this as certification on their website. ISO is an acronym for International Organisation For Standardisation. This is a large international organization that has published 22,383 international standards in a variety of different industries. While ISO does not certify fertility clinics specifically, some clinics use ISO methods to standardize their lab procedures. However, this does not by itself indicate a high-quality fertility practice and does not validate pregnancy data.
Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)
SART is the primary organization of fertility clinics within the United States. To become a member of SART, clinics must adhere to certain standards of quality and have at least 20 egg retrievals in a year. SART was developed to collect and report data regarding IVF outcomes to the CDC due to federal reporting laws established in 1992.
College of American Pathologists (CAP)
CAP is an American certifying body for laboratories and is used by SART to monitor embryo lab quality. CAP is expanding globally and may be a mark of quality for fertility centres worldwide soon.
Human Fertilisation & Embryology Association (HFEA)
The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Association is the U.K’s independent regulator of human embryos and fertility treatment. They monitor, inspect and license fertility clinics in the UK. This is essentially the UK equivalent to SART, however, it does not monitor or accredit fertility centres outside the UK.
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)
The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology was started in Helsinki, where several professors consulted their colleagues about the need for a society that would stimulate the study and research in the field of reproductive medicine.
If your clinic is a member of ESHRE, it’s likely that uphold high standards of care and focus on continued education for its clinic members.
American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
ASRM stands for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and is a professional society, not a regulating body. This organization is mostly for the United States and North America, although members from all over the world attend their annual meetings. Members of ASRM must demonstrate high ethical principles and specialize in infertility.
Local and National Regulating Bodies
Some countries and districts have organizations that collect data and regulate fertility centres.
There are more accrediting bodies to list. So, when considering a fertility clinic confirm they belong to a notable regulating body. Speak with your AwayDoc health concierge to ensure you get connected with a doctor and a clinic that values safety and professionalism.
