IVF

IVF: Is it Worth Getting it Abroad?

After trying different forms of infertility treatment, a couple desperate for a baby is still wanting a child. The reasons may be, you or your partner has:

  • Low sperm count
  • Problems with ovulation due to conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Problems with the fallopian tubes
  • If either of you has been sterilized
  • Endometriosis
  • Avoid passing on inherited genetic disorders to your children

IVF and Medical Tourism

Your doctor refers you to a fertility specialist for IVF treatment. In vitro fertilization (IVF) joins a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm in a laboratory dish. It is a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) wherein medical treatments are applied to help a woman conceive.

In the United States, the average cost of one IVF cycle is between $12,000 to $15,000, and you have to include the cost of medication per cycle which is in the range of $1,500 to $3,000 per cycle.

In recent years, medical tourism for infertility treatments overseas has become an increasingly popular option, other countries are offering a lower price for the same medical service.

Cost of IVF in Popular Destination Countries

What drives Americans to seek IVF treatment abroad is the cost. Depending on your country of choice, the price of infertility treatment can go as low as half the price back home, even when you factor in the airfare and accommodation.

COUNTRY

IVF CYCLE COST

Brazil

$4,000

Czech

$2,965

Greece

$3,900-$4,300

Hungary

$2,350

India

$2,000-$3,000

Lithuania

$1,982

Russia

$3,150

Spain

$5,500-$6,500

Turkey

$2,000

Ukraine

$1,825

United States

$12,0000-$15,000

Savings can be as high as over 100 percent compared to the United States. However, practice caution when comparing prices, the likelihood that it changed is great. During pandemic times, hospitals or clinics need additional equipment and supplies to avoid COVID-19 contamination. It’s best to use this as a guide to select a country, then research the medical facilities that provide IVF treatment, and call them before you make a schedule.

Cost of IVF in Popular Destination Countries

Why People Are Seeking IVF Treatment Abroad

Facing high prices at home, a steady stream of Americans is joining reproduction tourism setting foot in countries for the first time in the pursuit of parenthood.

But it’s not always cost for fertility tourists, some countries don’t permit infertility treatment for same couples or single women. A would-be parent might be looking for better care, avoiding long waiting times, or searching for medical treatments that aren’t available in their home country.

The destination country is associated with the medical procedure you are seeking. For instance, in the U.S. same-sex couples are allowed fertility treatment, Spain and other European countries are great finds for egg donation.

The Czech Republic

This country has a lot to offer Americans. Aside from the low cost, you get to choose from around 47 fertility clinics, a bit like picking a McDonald’s store near you. The country has liberal laws allowing genetic screening and egg donation, in case a patient’s egg failed they can use an egg donated by another person. If you are looking for a matching eye and hair color, you can use genetic screening.

High success rates and positive feedback from other patients who had treatment abroad are also driving factors.

There’s a psychological benefit from having IVF treatment abroad. You have the luxury of keeping away from snoopy people. There’s no need to cover up for your medical trip, you can just say you’re off on a vacation in sunny Brazil. The absence of the daily routine is a welcome relief making you feel relaxed and anxiously waiting for the stork to arrive while enjoying the amenities of the host country.

Additional Costs for IVF Options

The basic IVF cost starts at least $12,000, and the cost will go up if you’ll need additional ART treatment.

ICSI treatment

Cost: $1,000 – $2,500

A single sperm is directly injected into the egg. Commonly used in cases of severe male infertility after several failed fertilization attempts with the usual IVF, or after egg freezing.

Genetic testing

Cost: $1800 – $7,500

These kinds of tests are done after IVF. They’re done to check for a genetic disorder in an embryo before it’s implanted into the mother’s womb.

Embryo freezing

Cost: $200 – $800

Includes initial freezing and storage of embryos on a yearly basis.

Embryo freezing

Frozen embryo transfer (FET)

Cost: $3,000 – $5,000

In case you have frozen embryos from a past IVF cycle, you can use them. FET is less expensive than doing a total IVF with new embryos.

Egg donor

Cost: $25,000 – $30,000

The cost is relatively higher than a non-donor IVF for one cycle. A sperm donor is cheaper, an extra $200 – $3,000 or between $13,000 – $17,000 per IVF cycle.

Using a gestational carrier

Cost: $30,000 – $100,000

When you or your partner is unable to carry a pregnancy they contact another person to carry the pregnancy. This person is called a gestational carrier, when the baby is born the name of the intended parents is placed on the birth certificate.

The most expensive IVF option includes the payment to the gestational carrier, IVF costs, legal fees, agency fees, and lab tests.

Embryo donation

Cost: $5,000 – $7,000

It is the cheapest of the donor options, less expensive than a conventional IVF cycle.

A Word

An IVF can get a woman pregnant, but it does not guarantee that she will have a singleton live birth.

Women younger than 35 have 21.3 percent chance of having a full term, normal birth weight, and singleton live birth. Those aged 35-37 have a 17 percent likelihood. The rate drops as women age; 38-40 years old have 11.1 percent, 41-42 with a 5.7 percent chance, 43-44 have 2.3 percent chance and those older than 44 have 0.6 percent possibility.

A doctor’s advice for IVF procedure is quite disturbing. On top of that you have the financial strain to think about which is the main barrier to most families. There’s also your chances of succeeding to consider.

Take your time in making a decision, it’s a matter of life and debt.

A Word

The idea of becoming a mother and having a family might be too tempting and you’ll just figure out how to cover for the expenses afterward. Make a plan determine your money compare this with the hospital bills ahead. How much do you need to save, cut back on your lifestyle, or repay the debt.

Keep in mind that you can always back out from IVF. There are many reasons not to pursue fertility treatment and avoiding getting buried in debt is one of them.


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