Most people want to have a family eventually, but for some, it’s a bit more difficult than for others. IVF (in vitro fertilization) is nobody’s first choice. However, when it comes to that, it’s good to have all the information available. The price is one of the important factors you need to account for when you start considering IVF. It determines how many times you can try, or if you can try it all. So, how much does IVF cost? Here’s an overview to get you started.
1. Basics
The price for one cycle ranges from $10,000 to $15,000, but on average, you’ll need to pay about $12,000. This does not include the medications, the price of which ranges from $1,500 to $3,000.
According to research, the average couple needs to cough up $19,234, plus an additional $6,955 for every next cycle they may need. The price depends on the clinic and your insurance.
Health insurance plans often don’t cover IVF, but there are still ways for them to cover at least part of your expenses. See if they can cover monitoring and medications, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to lessen the blow to your budget.
2. Ask the Clinic
Don’t just randomly choose a clinic. Price shop for as long as you need, because you want to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money. Consider the quality and past success as well as the cost before you decide which clinic you want to give your trust to.
Be careful, though – confirm that the price offered is all inclusive. The complete expenses are much higher than the cost of the IVF procedure alone, so you should take that into account as well.
The price should include the following:
- Fertility testing and consultations before the IVF itself. You may have to repeat some tests and you might be able to skip the others, but it should all be included in the price;
- Mock embryo transfer;
- Ultrasound monitoring and pregnancy testing;
- Fertility drugs and other medication;
- Preservation of extra embryos and the storage fee;
- Anything else you may need.
If you’ll have to take days off work to travel to the clinic, stay in hotels, etc, don’t forget to factor that into the final price.
3. The Difference in Types
There are two types of IVF – the conventional IVF procedure and mini-IVF. Mini-IVF is much less expensive, and on average you’d have to pay about $5,000 to have it done.
Mini-IVF requires much less monitoring and fewer fertility drugs, which is part of the reason behind the lower price. Couples who want to try IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment may opt for mini-IVF instead. It is far less likely to end up with a multiple pregnancy if you choose mini-IVF. You can opt to transfer just one embryo, which is not possible with IUI.
Still, mini-IVF is probably better than IUI, but sometimes you need the conventional IVF. Make sure you know what you need so that you’ll know what you’re getting into.
4. Additional Costs
In case you need additional assisted reproductive technologies, the price is going to go up. PGD or preimplantation genetic diagnosis, a procedure for checking if there are any genetic defects with the embryo, varies greatly in price. It goes from $1,800 to a whopping $7,500. On average, it’s around $3,000. ICSI or intracytoplasmic sperm injection can cost you $1,000 to $2,500. Storage fees for frozen embryos range from $200 to $800 a year and you’ll need about $3,000 to $5,000 for a frozen embryo transfer.
Using an egg donor will increase the price of the procedure to $25,000 to $30,000 per cycle. Using a sperm donor is less expensive and in this case, the price per cycle ranges from $13,000 to $17,000. Surrogacy will cost you an arm and a leg – with all the fees included, you’ll have to pay between $50,000 and $100,000. For an embryo donor cycle, you’ll have to part with a sum between $5,000 and $7,000.
Always make sure you fully understand everything that is and isn’t included in the price that the clinic offers you. As you can see, the additional expenses can really make your head spin.
5. How to Make Do
First of all, choose a clinic based on their success rates. Don’t waste money on cheap but inefficient attempts. Price needs to be a factor, but don’t forget to factor in quality as well.
Ask around and find out which fertility clinics offer good payment plans. A good plan can make everything more affordable. Also, it is a good idea to look into the refund policy. Some clinics may charge a set fee, but they’ll refund part of it after three or four unsuccessful cycles. There are terms and conditions to this option as well and they differ from one clinic to another, so make sure you do your homework.
The price in this case ranges from $20,000 to $30,000, and there are upsides and downsides to this option. If you need three or four attempts to get pregnant, it pays off. If you get pregnant on the first attempt, you’ll have spent much more than you had to.
Another cost reduction option is by looking into your insurance and seeing what you can get. Sometimes health insurance plans may cover IVF, but mostly they don’t. Still, they probably cover the expenses of medications and monitoring at least partially, if not completely.
Taking out a loan, or dipping into your retirement savings, can help you afford IVF too. Applying for a grant and crowdfunding are also options to get enough money to pay for the procedure.
The Last Push
How much does IVF cost? Quite a lot. But don’t despair – you’re not without options. There are several ways to reduce the expenses and to gather the funds you need. Arm yourself with patience and cold logic, and good luck!
References:
https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(09)00873-5/pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043157/#targetText=Median%20per%2Dperson%20costs%20ranged,%2Ddonor%20egg%20groups%2C%20respectively.
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