According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the average cost of aIn vitro fertilization cycle (IVF).is over $12,000.However, prices vary significantly and simple IVF can be as much as $25,000 or $10,000. It is rarely less than that. These numbers may or may not include drug costs or other charges, which can add up quickly.
One study asked couples in afertility clinicto track all your spending over an 18-month period. This included what they themselves paid for IVF, as well as medication and follow-up.
The average couple spent $19,234. For each subsequent cycle, the couples spent an additional average of $6,955. So if a couple went through three cycles, that added up to just over $33,000 in expenses, according to this study.
Before you panic, remember that there are ways to get discounts andPay less for IVF. also has massIVF and reimbursement programs.
While insurance doesn't always cover IVF, your insurance may cover some of its costs. For example, they may cover monitoring or part of the medication. This can significantly reduce the price. Always ask before assuming you can't afford IVF.
Request a quote from your clinic
Let's say your clinic gives you a quote of $13,000. You go online and find another clinic and they tell you they can give you a cycle for $7,000.
Should I change clinic?
You must shop the price if you are looking for IVF treatment. consider bothquality and cost of the clinic.However, before going to a clinic with a cheaper rate, be sure to get a full quote.
If one clinic provides an estimated price for everything, while another clinic only provides the cost of the IVF procedure itself, you won't be able to compare numbers.
If you receive an estimate, ask at the clinic if the price includes:
- Additional assisted reproductive technologies you may need, such asICSI, PGT, assisted hatching, testicular sperm extraction, etc.
- Any pre-IVFfertility testor consultations (the clinic can request the repetition of tests already carried out).
- cryopreservatives of any kindadditional embryos
- fertility drugs
- Transferencia de sham embryos
- Pregnancy test (beta hCG blood count)
- Ultrasound monitoring and blood count
- Annual storage fees for these frozen embryos
If you decide to go to a clinic away from home, be sure to factor in travel, hotel, and missed work expenses.
Mini-FIV vs FIV completa
It's also important not to confuse micro-IVF, right?Mini-FIV, with conventional in vitro fertilization treatment.
Mini-IVF uses lower doses of fertility drugs and requires less monitoring of the growing embryos before transfer.Mini-IVF costs an average of $5,000. However, mini-IVF is more suitable for couples who want to try it.IUI treatment. Also, it's not for everyone. In addition to costs, mini-IVF also has advantages.
For example, it is less likely to cause thisa multiple pregnancycompared to IUI. You can't control it with IUInumber of possible folliclesor resulting embryos. With mini-IVF, you can choose to transfer just one embryo.
However, the success rates of mini-IVF are still unclear. Mini-IVF may be better than IUI, but if you really need full IVF, it may not be the best treatment option for you.
Additional costs for IVF options
While simple IVF costs around $12,000 to $16,000, the cost is higher if you need additional assisted reproductive technologies.
For example, an ICSI treatment (in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg) can cost an additional $1,000 to $2,500. Embryo genetic testing, or PGT, can cost around $3,000 or more. It can go as low as $1,800 or as high as $7,500.
Embryo freezing, including initial freezing and storage, can cost anywhere from a few to several hundred dollars more. Annual storage fees range from $200 to $800 per year.
if you havefrozen embryosfrom a previous cycle and want to use them, this is significantly cheaper than a full IVF cycle with fresh embryos. The average cost of a frozen embryo transfer (FET) is around $3,000 to $5,000.
if you planwith egg donor, the total cost will be significantly higher: $25,000 to $30,000 per cycle. Using a sperm donor is cheaper, costing an additional $200 to $3,000, or $13,000 to $17,000 per IVF cycle.
Using a baby carrierit is the most expensive of all IVF options. When you include all legal fees, agency fees, IVF costs, and payment to the gestation company, the cost can range from $50,000 to $100,000.
Embryo donation is the most cost-effective of the donor options. It is often cheaper than a normal IVF cycle. An embryo donation cycle costs between US$5,000 and US$7,000. This assumes that the embryo has already been created. (Instead of choosing an egg donor and a sperm donor and having the embryo made specifically for your cycle, which would be extremely expensive.)
How can IVF be paid for?
Many fertility clinics offer payment programs to make IVF treatment more affordable. Don't rule out IVF before you talk to your clinic about your options.
While price comparisons are important when choosing a fertility clinic, you should also consider theirs.success rates. If an IVF clinic is very low in price, but its success rates are low and multiple cycles may be required, then it is not worth choosing the cheapest clinic.
There are also cash back programs where you pay a flat fee, usually between $20,000 and $30,000. The clinic will refund part of your money if you do not get pregnant after three or four IVF treatment cycles. Not all couples qualify and requirements vary from clinic to clinic.
Cash back programs have advantages and disadvantages. If you do not get pregnant, you recover at least part of your expenses in favor of the programs. (You won't get a refund for the drug, so it's not a full refund.) If you need all three or four cycles to conceive, you may be able to pay less per cycle than if you paid as needed.
On the other hand, if youget pregnantIn your first cycle you paid much more than necessary. Most reimbursement programs won't accept you if you don't think you'll get pregnant quickly.
Other options to pay for IVF treatment are:
- Credit cards
- collaborative financing
- family loan
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Fund or Health Savings Plan (HSA)
- concessions
- Safe(Some plans cover part or all of IVF, although this is not common)
- Medical, personal or home loans
- Retirement (additional taxes or penalties may apply)
insurance coverage
Cost assumptions for fertility treatments offered by health insurance companies vary widely. Some plans offer generous benefits that significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs, while others offer limited or no coverage for IVF or other fertility treatments.
Several states have laws that require minimum costs for fertility treatments that must be offered or provided by health plans in their states. Check with your health plan to find out what your plan covers and/or look for a plan that offers more coverage if needed.
A word from Verywell
When a doctor recommends IVF treatment, they may have many questions. Add to this the financial burden this places on most and you can feel overwhelmed. The cost of IVF is theBarrier to treatment number onefor most families.
Don't be afraid to decide if IVF treatment is something you can afford, and review all of your payment options. You may be tempted to just "figure out" how you're going to pay later, but that can lead to serious financial problems. Make a plan for how you will save, reduce, or repay the borrowed money.
Also, remember that it is okay to opt out of IVF. You are not required to file bankruptcy before deciding that you have reached your limit. There are many valid reasonsnot continuing with fertility treatments, and avoiding debt (or avoiding getting too much debt) is one of them.
Ways to pay less (and get money) for IVF treatment