IVF is one of the most expensive fertility treatments in the world. The costs depend on the clinic you choose, the treatment method you opt for, and your insurance coverage.
The average cost of a complete IVF cycle in the UK is between £2000-£8000, although it can rise to upwards of £30,000 if you have problems conceiving due to age or other issues.
IVF prices vary from country to country. For example, a full IVF cycle in Australia costs anywhere between $5,000-12,000. In the US, IVF can cost anywhere between $12,500-$25,000 depending on where you live and whether or not you have coverage through your insurance provider.
Several factors affect how much IVF costs; your age and whether you need help getting pregnant after having had cancer treatment or an ectopic pregnancy.
Why is IVF so expensive?
IVF is so expensive because it requires a lot of complex and costly equipment to be set up, as well as highly trained staff to run it.
It is not an easy procedure to perform, nor does it come cheap. Most fertility clinics will only charge you for the treatment when they have successfully produced a pregnancy.
And in case you’re wondering what exactly makes IVF so expensive, here’s the basic cost breakdown;
- The actual procedure costs
- The drugs used to stimulate ovulation cost
- The drugs used to trigger ovulation (HCG) cost
- The medication used to grow the embryo (FSH)
- You may need multiple cycles of IVF treatment to get pregnant, which means you’ll be paying thousands more for each cycle.
What the pricing includes
When it comes to the price of IVF, there are a few things to consider. First, the price of IVF includes the initial consultation, blood tests, hormone injections, and egg collection.
It does not include donor sperm or eggs, that is if you choose to use them.
Secondly, if you decide not to have embryos frozen for later use and one or more embryos result from your treatment cycle then these will be kept in storage for up to three years at no extra cost.
After this time has elapsed then each embryo costs £125 per year for storage until they reach its legal limit at which point it will be destroyed.
Finally, if you are a woman over 40 years old then it is likely that you will need to pay for egg storage to be covered by your insurance.
This means that if your insurer does not cover the cost of freezing eggs then you will have to pay for this yourself. It is important to check if your policy covers this before going ahead with treatment so that you are not left out of pocket.
If you have a specific type of policy that doesn’t cover egg storage then it is worth contacting your provider to see if this can be added as an add-on.
The cost of this will vary depending on the insurer but it can be quite expensive so it may be best to look for another provider who does cover the costs.
You might be wondering how successful your IVF procedure would be. After all, you’ll be paying so much for the procedure.
Success rates of IVF procedures
The success rate of your procedure will depend on several factors, including your age, the quality of your eggs, and whether you have any other medical conditions.
Generally speaking, IVF success rates are higher for younger women and lower for older women.
For example, one study found that the average pregnancy rate per cycle was 40% at 40 years old and 70% at 30 years old. Another study found that the live birth rate per cycle was 51% at 35 years old but only 28% at 43 years old.
However, age isn’t the only factor that affects IVF success rates. Other factors include:
The quality of your eggs: The older you are, the more likely it is that one or both of your ovaries will have started producing damaged eggs. These eggs may not be able to develop into healthy embryos and may even die before they’re harvested for in vitro fertilization.
Your partner’s sperm: Sperm quality can decrease as men age, and low sperm count or sperm motility can lead to lower IVF success rates.
The number of eggs retrieved: In vitro fertilization is typically associated with high success rates because it allows doctors to select which embryos are the most viable. But this isn’t always the case, especially if a woman has her eggs frozen before starting treatment.
Your fertility clinic: Some clinics are better than others at helping patients achieve pregnancy.
How do NHS and private IVF prices vary?
The good news is that NHS IVF treatment is free, but the bad news is that waiting lists can be lengthy. Couples have to wait for as long as 6 months before they can even start treatment and there’s no guarantee of success.
Private IVF costs money, but it means you can get started sooner and increase your chances of becoming pregnant faster.
Prices vary widely and some clinics offer discounts for paying in advance or undergoing multiple cycles at once.
Will I get a refund if IVF treatment is unsuccessful?
If you’re having fertility treatment, it’s important to know that you may be able to get your money back if the treatment is unsuccessful. This may also apply if you are not satisfied with the service.
If your clinic has a refund policy, check what it says before starting treatment. Some clinics offer guarantees on their IVF success rate and will offer refunds if they don’t meet this target.
However, if your clinic doesn’t offer a refund, you can ask for one.
Some clinics will give you a full or partial refund if they don’t meet their success rate within a certain time frame.
If not, it’s often worth asking if there is any way to reduce the cost of treatment as this may be less than what you’re spending now on failed attempts.
Conclusion
IVF treatment is a very personal decision, and there are many factors to consider when deciding whether it’s right for you.
Some people don’t want to spend the money on fertility treatment and prefer to adopt, while others feel that IVF offers them better odds of conceiving their child.
Whatever your reasons may be, we hope this article has helped you understand what IVF costs and how much it can save your family from heartache later down the line!
