The Financial and Emotional Cost of IVF

If not for the cost of IVF, or in-vitro fertilization, even more women and couples who are having difficulty conceiving, would be looking at this as the ideal way to get pregnant.

Many women who are desperately trying to become pregnant, throw the cost of IVF to the winds as they take out loans or dip into their savings to pay for the expensive fertility treatments and drugs. A lucky few live in states, such as Massachusetts, that require insurance companies to cover fertility treatments. Some states require that insurers cover some of the IVF diagnostic and treatment services, but not the full cost of IVF procedure itself.

Other well off people simply have great insurance policies that will cover the full cost of IVF. But the vast majority of women who want IVF will have to pay out of their own pocket.

However, even if you have insurance, if you need to use egg donation (instead of the woman's own eggs) to achieve conception, the insurance company will normally not pay for it and you will be forced to bear the full cost of the IVF cycle yourself.

The costs for intrauterine insemination - which is less invasive the IVF -  can run into the hundreds of dollars. And just a single cycle of IVF can easily run between $10,000 to $20,000 with the average cost in the $12,500 range. And several cycles may be needed for success.

In addition to the costs of the IVF, however, there's also the additional costs of blood tests, hormone tests, additional visits to the fertility clinics, and so on.

When diagnosed with infertility, the cost of IVF triggers financial stress in those who see it as possibly the last chance they may have of bearing a child. That's why IVF is usually the last resort, after the couple has exhausted all other options.

The cost of IVF is also why, before seeking IVF, many couples flock to fertility alternatives such as acupuncture. It's much more affordable to pay a couple of hundred dollars for an acupuncture session instead of the thousands for an IVF treatment.

Before signing on for IVF treatment make sure that you receive more than a generalized price list and that you understand all of the cost issues. You want to know how much the entire procedure will cost, how much of it your insurance will cover, what other costs are involved, etc. Also search through the online forums for people that have dealt with that particular clinic to determine if they have a habit of tacking on additional and unexpected fees. For example some clinics will charge additional for embryo freezing and some will include it in the basic cost.

Many think of cost of IVF in financial terms only. But it also has a steep emotional cost. The stress that in-vitro fertilization puts on a relationship . IVF is not a miracle cure or a sure thing. You could end up spend thousands of dollars and still have nothing to show for it. The emotional strain of going into the clinic and waiting for the test results to determine if you're pregnant, especially after years of trying and failing to conceive, can be tremendous.

Psychological Issues Of Infertility
Discovering that you or your spouse is infertile and cannot have children is an emotional and many times traumatic event. The psychological issues that accompany the state of infertility should not be minimized.

Signs Of Infertility
For couples trying to have a child, ignoring the signs of infertility can make it more difficult for them to become pregnant.

Infertility Site Menu