This couple couldn't get pregnant. One TikTok video changed their fate.
After three years of trying and a miscarriage, Amanda Lacommare was desperate to become a mom.
She and her husband Leonardo had first sought treatment in their home state of Florida. At an Orlando clinic, she underwent three rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) and two cycles of IVF with no success, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt. The tremendous cost and continuous defeat were nearly enough for them to give up.
Then, a viral TikTok landed on Lacommare's "For You Page," where one woman shared her story of doing IVF overseas. She discovered the Barbados Fertility Clinic and after extensive research, found only positive reviews. The couple never planned to go abroad in their journey to become parents, but they decided to take a risk, and finally found success, welcoming their son Mateo in 2023.
The total cost for two trips to Barbados, including the procedures, flights, hotels, groceries and other living expenses, was approximately $30,000 — half the price of just two rounds of IVF at home in Orlando.
Medical tourism is not new, but as of late, the dissemination of success stories on social media is inspiring couples like the Laccomares to take a step they'd never have otherwise considered.
"I'm grateful for the young lady who spoke about her situation," Lacommare says. "If I had never downloaded TikTok, I would have never found out to go (to Barbados), and I wouldn't have a baby now."
What is medical tourism?
Medical tourism is traveling to another country to get medical care. According to the CDC, millions of U.S. residents partake in medical tourism each year, most commonly venturing to Mexico or Canada, as well as Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
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Medical tourism can be used to get cheaper medical care, receive care that shares the patient's language and culture, or obtain a procedure or therapy that is unavailable or unapproved in the US. However, the CDC cautions that this can be risky, as air travel and communication challenges can cause complications, and you are more likely to get an antibiotic-resistant infection in some countries.
In 2022, three Americans became infected by mycobacterium abscessus, a distant relative of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy, after obtaining stem cell treatments in Mexico. The procedure is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the incident raised concerns about receiving medical care abroad.
Yet, Lacommare says, even with some inherent risk, it was the right move for her. "It's half the cost, and we went on vacation twice."
Their trip to Barbados came with new tests
After Lacommare's initial outreach to the Barbados Fertility Centre, she had a free phone consultation with a doctor who suggested she had high natural killer cells, which was causing her body to reject her husband's sperm.
Lacommare had not heard of this before, but flew to Chicago to have specialized blood work done, which confirmed the doctor's suspicion. The doctor recommended suppressing Lacommare's immune system to improve her chances of carrying a baby.
"(The doctor in Barbados) thought out of the box. She cared to look through all the documents we sent her from both doctors," Lacommare says.
At 40, Lacommare ended up receiving an egg donation from her sister. After two cycles of IVF at Barbados Fertility Centre, the Lacommares finally welcomed their son, Mateo, in 2023.
Her care was comprehensive and cheaper
Lacommare feels the care in Barbados was more comprehensive and personalized than back home in the U.S. "My fear was going out of the country, and I wish I was never afraid to go out of the country," she says.
In Barbados, she was offered acupuncture before and after embryo transfers, Reiki and stress management practices. Her visits were longer, allowing her to take more time with the doctors to ask questions and go over her care.
Lacommare hopes by sharing her story, she can empower others, as long as they too take the proper precautions: "Do your research," she says. "We came back with a baby."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: IVF medical tourism is gaining traction thanks to TikTok
