Ovom Care insolvency has left dozens of British IVF patients facing heavy losses after the Portuguese clinic abruptly entered court-supervised proceedings, with many mid-treatment and uncertain about refunds.
Patients said the Lisbon provider continued accepting payments and administering care days before shutting its doors. Many had paid by bank transfer to avoid exchange fees and were told they are not eligible for credit card chargebacks. Investors said claims for prepaid treatment can be filed with the insolvency administrator.
One couple estimated their losses exceed £30,000. Another patient paid for three IVF rounds before a new doctor suggested she likely has endometriosis. At least 38 British patients were known to be in treatment when the business became insolvent. People familiar with the operation said the clinic may have had roughly 200 clients, around 60 per cent from the UK.
Ovom Care insolvency draws apology from management
Ovom Care’s chief executive said the clinic was “deeply sorry” for the distress and that anyone who paid for undelivered services should contact the administrators. She also said some public claims about the case were not accurate, without specifying details.
Michelle Haworth, 42, selected the clinic for its advertised expertise but now fears her best chance to have a child has gone. Before starting treatment she was warned at a London scan she might have endometriosis. She said Ovom specialists reassured her further scans were unnecessary. Her first transfer was in December 2025 and failed on Christmas Day. A second transfer in February also failed. After being advised again to proceed, her third and final transfer in August failed the day after the insolvency filing and two days before patients were notified.
A London clinic, Avenues, operated by Ovom co-founder Dr Cristina Hickman, offered to assume care for affected patients. Avenues told Haworth her earlier scans indicated endometriosis, endometrioma and meiosis. Haworth and her husband estimate they are £20,000 out of pocket and have joined a fundraiser with other patients to cover lost costs and future treatment.
Dr Hickman said she left Ovom in 2024 over disagreements about the clinic’s direction, describing a “misalignment between healthcare and venture capital business.” She argued clinics should stop initiating new care and transfer embryos well before funds run out. “You do not just announce an insolvency and walk away,” she said, calling the situation the worst she had seen in the sector.
Embryos and records moved under regulator oversight
Ovom Care’s German parent is also in insolvency proceedings, with restructuring measures and an M&A process underway. Portugal’s assisted reproduction regulator, the CNPMA, and the court-appointed administrator approved the transfer of stored eggs, sperm and embryos, as well as clinical data, to the Ava Clinic in Lisbon. Ovom said the transfers were completed safely with CNPMA authorisation.
Pippa Hogg and her wife Jay Brown, both 39, chose Ovom after researching cross-border options and citing similar donor rules to the UK. After an initial failed round in February, they transferred £10,000 on 15 August for three egg collections, plus £2,800 for donor vials. Stimulation began on 24 August. They were notified of the insolvency on 28 August. Hogg said the shock was severe, compounded by being mid-treatment. They are now with Avenues. After a rejected fraud claim by their bank and the need to source a new donor, they believe the process has cost about £32,000.
A spokesperson for their MP, Miatta Fahnbulleh, encouraged affected constituents to contact her office, saying cases would be treated as high priority.
Rachael and Anthony Jones, 38 and 36, paid more than £8,000 in April for three IVF cycles and transfers after seeing frequent online adverts. Following egg retrieval in Portugal, a July transfer was postponed due to building works and again on 21 August due to uterine lining concerns. One week later an email informed them of the insolvency. They said the delay in receiving their eggs at Ava Clinic was deeply stressful, though the transfer has since been completed. They are now with Avenues, which offered to retrieve their eggs without additional cost. A flare of Rachael’s Graves’ disease is likely to delay any transfer by about six months.
Investors address proceedings and patient claims
Ovom Care chief executive Felicia von Reden said management is working toward a fair outcome for prepaid patients and that matters related to the insolvency, including post-appointment operational decisions, are before courts in Portugal and Germany. She reiterated that those who paid for undelivered treatment hold claims against the insolvent estate and should contact Ava Clinic if they wish to continue care.
An Ava Clinic spokesperson said Portugal has a long track record of safe, high-quality fertility care. The clinic said it acted immediately when requested by the administrator and regulator to safeguard biological material, preserve clinical records and support patients seeking continuity of treatment.
Venture investors Alpha Intelligence Capital, Merantix Capital and Ananda Impact Ventures said they invested in Ovom Care between 2023 and 2024. Two firms held board seats at the German parent and one had an observer role. They said the insolvencies are under court supervision in Portugal and Germany, management acted on legal advice, and both entities are cooperating with administrators and courts. They noted that biological material was transferred to the authorised backup facility at Ava Clinic with health authority approval and that claims for prepaid treatment can be registered with the insolvency administrator. The investors expressed sympathy for affected patients and staff.