If you or you and your partner are thinking about IVF, you probably are curious about what the exact costs entail, especially before you start inquiring about starting the process. So, what should you know? Let’s start with the basics.
What Is IVF?
In vitro fertilization is the process of assistance with fertility treatments to lead to the conception of a child. IVF treatments involve retrieving mature eggs from the ovaries and manually fertilizing them with sperm. The fertilized egg, or embryo, is either frozen for future use or placed into the uterus. A full cycle of IVF treatment can take around three weeks, but each experience is unique and can take longer.
There are a few different methods of performing IVF. It can be done using the couple’s eggs and sperm or a donor for either. It can also be done via surrogacy.
What Is The Price of IVF In the USA?
The cost of IVF can vary from clinic to clinic. When speaking with your clinic, you can set a budget and a specific number of embryo transfers you want to take place in case the first one doesn’t work. Typically, you’re looking at at least $10,000 to $15,000 for IVF treatments in the USA. There may be alternatives in other countries that are slightly lower priced. At ELITE IVF, we have plenty of different options for hopeful parents to achieve their dreams of having a family without it putting strain on their finances.
What Is Mini IVF?
Mini IVF stands for minimal stimulation IVF and can be referred to as gentle IVF. It uses a lower dose of fertility medication during the egg stimulation phase than conventional IVF. Unlike conventional IVF using injections, mini IVF uses oral medication to promote ovulation. The oral medication greatly reduces the need for hormone injections.
Mini IVF has a few essential benefits. Patients typically have fewer side effects due to the lower dose of fertility medications. Those undergoing traditional IVF tend to have cramping, discomfort, mood swings, and bloating.
Mini IVF has a lower likelihood of complications, like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can happen due to the hormones used for egg production. It’s a painful syndrome that causes discomfort in the abdomen, accompanied by vomiting and nausea. OHSS is usually avoided because of the attentive care of the fertility physician, who monitors the cycle of the patient to ensure it does not happen.
It also provides an alternative solution for those who don’t respond well to injections. Mini IVF requires fewer injections, less bloodwork, and less monitoring, which leads to a lower overall cost of treatment.
What Is The Cost Of Mini IVF In the USA?
One round of Mini IVF typically costs between $7,000 and $10,000.
Cost Of Using An Egg Donor
If you require an egg donor, there are several costs involved. There can be a fee to access the agency to get matched with a donor.
Egg donors need to be compensated or reimbursed for their commitment to the donation, the inconvenience of attending regular visits to the fertility clinic. Donor compensation in the USA can vary between $5,000 and $10,000. The recipient (intended mother) has to cover all the medical, legal, and insurance fees, which can range in price. There may also be travel expenses that will need to be covered, so it’s important to have plenty of room in the budget for anything that may come up.
If you’re opting for frozen eggs, you’re looking at spending between $17,000 to $22,000 for five to seven eggs.
Frozen eggs may offer expediency, but you give up on the “quantity” of having a fresh egg donation cycle where all of the eggs of one donor would be allocated for your use. It offers a better value proposition since you would typically get at least twice as many fresh eggs than buying a lot of frozen eggs. Usually, a fresh egg donation cycle can assure you somewhere between 12-18 eggs. ELITE IVF has a hybrid program that offers the best of both worlds, creating frozen embryos from a fresh egg donation cycle and transporting them to your clinic. Coupled with ELITE IVF’s outcome guarantee of at least 4 blastocysts, this program is a special and affordable solution.
IVF Surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy arrangements in the IVF world. Commonly, a surrogate is also known as a gestational carrier. A gestational carrier is someone who has no genetic link to the child, carrying the fertilized egg from the mother and sperm from the father (or donors) for a couple or individual.
A traditional surrogate is when the carrier has a genetic link to the child. Traditional surrogacy is mostly not practiced anymore. However, this type of surrogacy refers to when a woman has her egg fertilized with sperm through artificial insemination. The resulting embryo is then implanted in the surrogate, who then carries the baby for the parents. A traditional surrogate is technically the biological mother of the child born to another family, which is partially why this method isn’t used.
Cost of Using Gestational Carrier
When opting for a gestational carrier, you’ll be required to spend a lot of money. Choosing someone to carry your child is a crucial decision.
There is a high demand for gestational carriers, and experienced surrogates can be more expensive, so you may have to pay a bit more depending on your preferences and selections.
A gestational carrier can be expensive, but the chances for success are also high and may result in the family you’ve dreamed of. You’ll be required to compensate the carrier as well as pay for all fees, bills, medical costs, and travel expenses related to the surrogacy journey she will do with you. You can expect to pay anywhere from $120,000 to $200,000 for a gestational carrier. However, at ELITE IVF, we have programs that range from around $60,000 to $120,000.
Cost Of Using A Traditional Surrogate
A traditional surrogate is artificially inseminated with the father’s sperm, making the traditional surrogate the child’s biological mother by relinquishing it through a legal process after birth. Typically, using a traditional surrogate can start at around $35,000 but can vary by state and the quality of the surrogate. If she has had a successful surrogacy pregnancy in the past, it may be more expensive.
Since traditional surrogacy will require at least one round of IVF treatments, additional costs will be associated, which could be up to $40,000, including all the additional fees, medication, and compensation.
You will be expected to cover compensation, medical costs, travel costs, maternity clothes, and other costs associated with the pregnancy. Much like a gestational carrier, you could be looking to spend up to $200,000 when all is said and done.
Does Insurance Cover IVF In the USA?
Depending on your insurance plan, your provider may or may not cover IVF costs. If you’ve been diagnosed with infertility, you may be covered for some of the treatments involved.
How Can I Afford IVF?
There’s no doubt that IVF can be very expensive. There are a few ways that you can offset the costs or finance the IVF journey.
- IVF loans are an option for hopeful parents. The lender typically works directly with your clinic to cover the costs. These loans typically require a credit check and may include fees and interest.
- Personal loans through a credit union or your financial institution could be an option if you want to take on a monthly payment and can afford the typically high-interest rates. It might be ideal if you don’t have an excellent credit score or other options.
- IVF grants are available for those struggling with infertility. Many people are unaware of the grants available, so apply for as many as you qualify for in your state.
- Many clinics offer discounts if you pay up-front for multiple cycles.
- ELITE IVF offers financing plans as well as a 100% money-back guarantee program.
At ELITE IVF, we know that just struggling with infertility is a challenge, let alone saving up and paying for IVF treatments on top of that. We work hard to provide premium IVF treatments at an affordable cost with plenty of options for hopeful parents. Contact us today to begin your journey toward having the family you’ve always dreamed of.
