Cost of In Vitro Fertilization

Sometimes the last resort for infertile couples is in vitro fertilization, and the cost of in vitro fertilization is often foremost in most people's minds. Because it is a complex medical procedure, the cost of IVF is high. Some couples would like to find ways to reduce IVF costs, but that could be a mistake if having a child is a high priority for you. Hidden costs can creep into the cost of IVF and tend to make those low estimates higher than you would expect. Health insurance often does not cover IVF expenses, so it is left to the expectant parents to foot the bill. If you are determined to have a child, you will find ways to cover the cost of IVF treatments or utilize alternative fertility treatments you can afford. Cost of In Vitro Fertilization: Just the Basics The average price of IVF in the United States is $12,000, but it can be as high as $15,000 or as low as $10,000. Factors affecting the cost of IVF will primarily depend on your region of the country, how skilled a practitioner you use, and what extras you want to add to the total costs of in vitro fertilization. This IVF “price tag” is for one cycle of IVF, meaning one harvest of sperm and egg and one placement. Sometimes you can use frozen embryos from a previous IVF procedure to reduce your IVF costs considerably. The price to merely transfer an embryo is $3,000 which is significantly less than the expense of a complete IVF procedure. Cost of In Vitro Fertilization: Some Extras In addition to the cost of IVF itself, several accessory procedures are sometimes necessary that can raise the total IVF cost. For instance, if you need the sperm injected directly into the egg, the cost of in vitro fertilization can increase by several thousand dollars. Freezing any additional embryos that were created in the IVF process can also raise the IVF costs by at least a few hundred dollars, or even a thousand dollars. However, embryos can be transferred in the future, cutting the IVF cost of later attempts drastically. Egg and sperm donation bump up the cost of IVF significantly. The cost of an egg donor is $25,000 to $30,000 per cycle, while sperm donation can raise the IVF cost to $13,000 to $17,000 per cycle. You can also get an entire embryo donated, and this raises the cost of in vitro fertilization. The cost for embryo donation is $5,000 to $7,000 for pre-created embryos. If you would like to choose the donors for the embryo, the cost of IVF could be astronomical. Cost of In Vitro Fertilization: Money Considerations In some cases, when IVF doesn’t work for you, certain clinics will give refunds. However, you must carefully read the agreement to understand what a successful cycle means. The cost of IVF may not be refunded if you become pregnant and miscarry later. You also want to consider the agency's success rate when looking at the cost of in vitro fertilization. If you find a clinic with low IVF costs but without high success rates, then you may need to pay for IVF several times to become pregnant. Financially, it may make more sense to go with the more expensive clinic with a demonstrated record of success in helping couples conceive. . Resource Box If you are trying to get pregnant and considering the cost of in vitro fertilization , it may interest you to know that acupuncture can sometimes make IVF more successful. You can cut down on the repeated IVF costs with an investment in fertility acupuncture at Fifth Avenue Fertility Acupuncture. Visit their website at http://www.fifthavenueacupuncture.com for more information on how acupuncture can help with the cost of in vitro fertilization.