It is not easy for a woman to accept that she is infertile. She might have been trying for months or years to conceive and try all what millions of women do each and every day to conceive, and yet this seem impossible. However, there are treatment options for an infertile woman to conceive. Most women hastily make the decision to go this route when they have issues getting pregnant because they are frustrated, over the age of 40, or feel that the window of opportunity is fast closing. Although, women who are in their 20s get pregnant easily as opposed to those in their 40s, but before you decide to undergo fertility treatments, you should consider all what it entails. Although, these treatments are quite expensive and most couples can’t afford to complete them. In the end, this is something that can actually keep a couple from conceiving and having children at all.
How much are these fertility treatments?
Putting aside the heavy emotional effect that will be experienced by couples, they also need to consider their costs. They may have the feeling that there is nothing that will stop them from raising a child but unfortunately, money determines the direction our lives moves in and fertility treatments are no different.
For these treatments, couple should expect to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 dollars depending on the type of treatment performed. One of the more cost-effective options is artificial insemination. With this procedure, doctors will inject sperm directly into a woman’s uterus when she’s ovulating, the sperm being either be her partner’s own or that of a donor.
Artificial insemination
This treatment is usually the first step for infertile couples. Artificial insemination is usually a fertility treatment that costs on the lower end of the spectrum. But if it requires medical tests such as ultrasounds and sperm washing or the purchase of donor sperm, then it tends to be quite expensive.
However, the average success rates for IUI are lower than the success rates of IVF. Women under 35 years of age have a 10-20% chance of pregnancy. This decreases to 10% in women aged 35-40 and drops to 2-5% in women above age 40. Still, many clinics try IUI a few times before moving on to IVF.
Also, the average success rate for artificial insemination is lower than the IVF success rate. Women under the age of 35 have between 10 to 20 percent chance of getting pregnant using IVF. While women between age 35 to 40 percent have 10 percent chance of conceiving and drops to 2-5% for women above age 40. Still, most fertility clinics try artificial insemination a few times before moving on to IVF.
In-Vitro Fertilization Cycle
IVF is a more complex, costly, and invasive procedure than artificial insemination, and it is found on the higher end of the spectrum. But it has a much higher success rate and is more effective in treating severe forms of infertility. For young, healthy women, IVF success rates are roughly 40%. So, even in the best case scenarios, it can take 2-3 cycles to get pregnant. Also, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is found on the higher end of the spectrum. This is the procedure whereby a woman’s egg is removed from her body and fertilized in the lab. The egg is then placed back in the woman in an attempt to achieve pregnancy. Some of the things that can make this process more expensive include the need to purchase donor eggs and sperm and medical tests.
IVF with ICSI
The injection of a single, good-quality sperm into a mature egg is called ICSI. This fertility treatment is usually done with IVF when the case is of serious concern, basically because of malefactors.
Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis is the testing of the embryo for a genetic disorder. This fertility treatment is usually recommended when one or couples are known to be a carrier of a genetic disorder. Although this treatment is not available in all fertility clinics, the use of PGD has increased overtime. It is usually used for couples over the age of 35, couples who have already failed multiple fertility treatments, and couples with a known genetic disorder.
Why are they so Expensive?
The fact that fertility treatments are typically not covered by insurance policies makes it so expensive. It means that couples are left paying the entire price for the procedure and tests as well as everything else that goes into them out of pocket.
While other medical treatments require only a small portion of the entire costs, fertility treatments require a lot of money. Unfortunately, these treatments are not always successful the first time, which makes couple spend more than theyoriginally planned.
These factors make these treatments more expensive. For couples who do not have enough money, fertility treatments are usually not an option. However, there are some things couples can do to lower the costs. For example, there are clinics who offer a portion of your expenses back if you are not able to become pregnant on the first try.
Couples can also refer another couple to their clinic to purchase donor eggs or embryos at a discounted rate. This means that you will be sharing the eggs or embryos among more than one couple. Although, this might not be ideal, but couples will be able to easily afford the treatments.
Insurance Coverage for Fertility Treatment
Most couples pay for fertility treatments out of their pocket, because they are not covered by insurance or because they don’t have insurance. Another situation is that insurance will pay for the cost of infertility testing but won’t cover the fertility treatments. Not all treatment types are covered by all insurance companies. Some companies put a lifetime cap on how much they can pay for infertility treatment – say, $15,000 to $25,000.
It is important to note that every couple’s situation is different. This article is not meant to dissuade you, but to give you a clear picture of what couples could face in various locations and at various ages. It is advisable for you to talk to your doctor, your insurance, and various fertility clinic to determine your likelihood of success and how much the treatment might cost you.
