How Much Does In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Cost

An in-vitro fertilization, also called an IVF, is when a man’s sperm and a woman’s egg is taken and combined in a laboratory. Once fertilization occurs, the egg is implanted into the woman’s womb where it develops naturally. In the United States, the average cost of in-vitro fertilization is around $12,500 per cycle. Many patients require more than one cycle to achieve pregnancy. Thankfully, most IVF Doctors give a considerable discount for multiple cycle IVF.  In the United States of America the cost of IVF can be as low as $5000 to as high as $30,000 depending on how many cycles are needed and if a donor is needed for the egg or the sperm. The cost of IVF varies on locale, Doctor and what is included. Most IVF costs include pre blood tests, ultrasounds and retrieval cycle monitoring, and egg retrieval and embryo transfer. Most IVF costs do not include prescription medications, pre-testing and diagnoses of patient’s partner, anaesthesia and medical care needed due to the IVF procedure. In addition, IVF costs do not typically include extra tests and procedures such as Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, Assisted zona hatching, Preimplantation genetic diagnosis, gender selection and the freezing of embryos and/or sperm. IVF does not always work; some Doctors offer a partial money back guarantee on multiple cycle IVF, many do not. Some Doctors also offer money back when multiple cycle IVF is purchased in advance and a baby is born successfully before all the pre-paid for cycles are used, others do not. Shopping around and talking to several Doctors can save prospective parents hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

IVF Cost Breakdown

The cost of in-vitro fertilization includes many things; blood work and other tests prior to the procedure, medications, and the IVF procedure itself and everything that goes with it. The average cost of the pre-tests such as blood work, ultrasounds, consultations is around $5000. The medications needed before, during and after the procedure typically costs around $5000. The IVF procedure itself costs around $14,000; this includes everything from blood work, ultrasounds, ovarian stimulation, retrieval, transfer and surgical room fees. There is also around a $400 anaesthesia fee. In addition, if Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is needed it will raises costs by about $2800 and if embryo freezing/storage is needed it will raise costs by about another $900.

IVF Insurance Coverage

In the United States, insurance coverage for in-vitro fertilization varies per State. Some States have made it mandatory that insurance companies offer some sort of infertility coverage, while other States have not. There are  fifteen States that have made insurance companies include at least some sort of insurance coverage for infertility treatments. The fifteen States are: Arkansas, Illinois, Montana, Rhode Island, California, Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, West Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Ohio. The amount covered and what is covered varies per insurance company. Some insurance companies in States not mandated to cover infertility treatments many still cover IVF. Prospective parents should contact their insurance company to find out if they are covered or not. No insurance company pays the total cost of IVF procedures; patients will need to be prepared to cover at least some of the costs. For those without insurance or with insurance that does not cover in-vitro fertilization, many Doctors offer financing and there are some charities that help low income people.

In Vitro Fertilization Cost in Canada

In-vitro fertilization in Canada costs around $8000 per cycle. However, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have recently started covering IVF on government health insurance, so residents of the two provinces can have up to three cycles done for free with a Doctor recommendation. Quebec and Ontario free health insurance does not cover medications, so the patient will have to pay out of pocket for that. If there are any medical complications from the IVF procedure, all Canadian citizens, no matter what province they live in, are eligible for free health care. Citizens of other countries can expect to pay around $8000 for one in-vitro fertilization cycle in Canada. The province of Ontario is the most expensive province for IVF, while the provinces on the West coast of the country are the least expensive; they are $1000-$3000 cheaper than Ontario is.

Low Cost IVF

The cost of in-vitro fertilization varies per State. Typically States with lots of Fertility Clinics cost less than States with minimal Fertility Clinic do. Low cost IVF States are Illinois with the average IVF cost of around $10,500 per cycle, and Washington DC has an average price of $9500 per cycle. The most expensive States are Colorado with an average cost of $17,000 per in-vitro fertilization cycle and Texas with with an average of $15,000 per cycle. One of the cheapest Infertility clinics in the United States is ARC Fertility. ARC Fertility has clinics in 33 out of the 50 States, and offers affordable financing plans. For those who cannot afford in-vitro fertilization procedures in the United States, may find travelling to a different country for a low cost IVF worthwhile.

IVF Treatment Cost in Other Countries

The United States tends to be very expensive for medical procedures. Many people on limited budgets find it considerably less expensive to travel to one of the countries that specializes in medical tourism. The average cost of an in-vitro fertilization cycle in Hong Kong is around $10,000, in Canada it is around $8000, and in Australia is around $6000. In Hungary an in-vitro fertilization cycle costs around $3700, and South Africa and Turkey costs around $3000. In Mexico and India an IVF cycle costs around $2500-$4000. Even with travelling expenses such as air fare, hotel and food costs, and taxi or car rental costs, travelling to a different country to have in-vitro fertilization done can save thousands of dollars. Countries like Mexico and India specialize in medical tourism so typically offer excellent quality Doctors and services; however, it is best to be extra careful picking a reputable Doctor.