How Much Does IVF Cost?
Find Cheap Health Insurance in Your Area
In vitro fertilization (IVF) costs $12,400 per cycle on average. Keep in mind that most women require multiple cycles to get pregnant. The final cost you pay will also depend on your insurance, where you live and other factors.
A growing number of states require some private insurance companies to pay for IVF. But, state-level rules differ, and people who live in areas without this requirement often don't have IVF coverage.
How much is IVF?
A single IVF cycle costs $12,400 on average. You may require multiple cycles to get pregnant.
In some cases, it can cost over $61,000 to achieve a live birth. That's for multiple IVF cycles, plus other medical costs, such as injectable medications and genetic testing. Keep in mind that this is an average figure and the price you pay for IVF depends on your specific medical needs and your insurance. Someone with good insurance may only pay a few thousand dollars.
If you don't have IVF coverage, the number of cycles you do will usually be the biggest factor in how much you pay. Only one-third of women get pregnant on their first cycle. After six cycles that figure rises to two-thirds.
How much is IVF with insurance?
The cost of IVF treatment with insurance varies depending on your coverage, but your out-of-pocket maximum should limit your annual costs. For example, imagine your insurance has a $2,000 deductible and $5,000 out-of-pocket maximum and you undergo a single round of IVF that costs $12,000. After you pay your deductible, then you split the remaining $10,000 bill with your insurance. If your insurance pays 80%, you'll pay the remaining 20%, called coinsurance, which comes out to you paying $2,000 and your insurance paying the remaining $8,000. In total, you pay $4,000.
But, if you need two or more cycles to get pregnant, then you would only pay up to $5,000 to reach your out-of-pocket maximum. Keep in mind that your out-of-pocket max only pays for services your insurance actually covers. For example, if genetic testing isn't covered by your insurance, you'll have to pay the full price yourself.
Your insurance will be a big part of what you pay for in vitro fertilization. Only some states require insurance companies to pay for IVF.
Roughly one-quarter of large companies offer insurance with IVF coverage.
Costs of different IVF procedures
The base cost for an IVF cycle is $12,400, on average. However, many IVF clinics charge for a range of other related services. Some of these costs may be optional. For example, you don't have to pay for embryo storage or cryopreservation if you don't plan on freezing your eggs.
Other costs are unavoidable, like the injectable medications that are a part of the IVF treatment. There are also optional services such as genetic testing. You can use genetic testing to reduce the likelihood that your future children will get certain diseases. However, it'll cost between $4,800 and $6,000.
IVF procedure costs
- Base fee: $12,400
- Base fee with donor eggs: $28,000
- Genetic screening: $4,800 to $6,000
- Injectable medications: $1,500 to $6,000
- Sperm: $440 to $2,420
- Egg freezing cycle: $7,500
- Fertility test: $200 to $400
- Mock embryo transfer: $240 to $500
- Embryo storage: $500 per year
- Semen analysis: $50 to $300
Mini-IVF vs. full IVF
You can save money by choosing an IVF cycle with less medication, also known as mini-IVF. With mini-IVF, you'll either take cheaper oral medications or your doctor will prescribe fewer injectable medications. Mini-IVF typically costs roughly half as much as a regular IVF cycle.
You'll retrieve fewer eggs with mini-IVF compared to a full-IVF cycle. That could potentially make mini-IVF more expensive and time-consuming compared to full-IVF since you may have to undergo more cycles with mini-IVF to become pregnant.
But, this might not matter because some studies have shown that the number of high-quality eggs is the same for both mini-IVF and regular IVF. Since the quality of the eggs is more important than how many there are, there may not be much of a difference between the two procedures when it comes to getting pregnant.
Which states require IVF insurance coverage?
Currently, 14 states and Washington, D.C., require insurance companies to pay for IVF.
It's important to remember that coverage requirements differ dramatically by state. In some places, your out-of-pocket costs will be minimal, while in others, you may be responsible for thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in costs not covered by your insurance.
In addition, some states only require IVF coverage for employees of large companies or state governments. Five states require insurance companies to pay for fertility procedures other than IVF.
Find Cheap Health Insurance in Your Area
States with IVF coverage required
Both Texas and California require insurance companies to offer IVF coverage. However, not all plans are required to pay for IVF.
Montana, Louisiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia require insurance companies to have fertility coverage other than IVF.
You may still have IVF coverage through your insurance even if you live in a state that doesn't require it. It's a good idea to check with your insurance company to see if it will pay for IVF or related services.
How to pay for IVF
Consider applying for an IVF grant or discount if your insurance won't cover the procedure. Financial assistance for IVF is more common than you might think.
Some discounts and grants are only available to certain groups, such as veterans, cancer survivors or people who earn a low income. Other types of financial assistance require enrolling in a special program or negotiating with your IVF clinic or pharmacy.
- Military discounts and grants: Many IVF clinics offer discounts to current and former members of the armed services and their spouses. In addition, you may qualify for an IVF grant through a nonprofit, such as the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
- Cancer patients and survivors: If you've been diagnosed with cancer, you may qualify for IVF financial assistance through organizations like Livestrong Fertility and Chick Mission.
- Clinical trials: Some organizations like hospitals and universities offer free or reduced-price IVF treatment to those enrolled in clinical studies.
Some clinics also offer the option to enroll in a special program where you pay a higher price up front but get most of your money back if the treatment doesn't work, also called an outcome-based program.
Keep in mind that these programs can be risky since you'll end up paying more if you do have a baby. It's recommended that younger women don't use an outcome-based program since they're more likely to have a baby through IVF compared to older women.
How does IVF work?
IVF works by taking eggs from a woman's ovaries and combining them with sperm in a lab. The fertilized egg, called an embryo, is placed back in the mother's uterus. In some cases, the embryo may be placed in the uterus of a surrogate mother.
IVF is often used as a last resort when a couple can't get pregnant. Before you undergo IVF, your doctor may recommend that you make certain lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, exercising more and eliminating tobacco products. Alternatively, they may recommend a less expensive and less invasive procedure, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Frequently asked questions
How much does IVF cost?
IVF costs $12,400 per cycle on average. However, costs differ quite a bit depending on things like your location, insurance and optional procedures undertaken. In addition, many women require multiple rounds of IVF to get pregnant. In some parts of the U.S., a live birth resulting from IVF costs more than $60,000 on average.
How much does it cost to freeze embryos?
On average, you'll pay between $4,500 and $8,000 to freeze your embryos. You can expect to pay an additional $4,000 to $6,000 for medication and roughly $500 per year in storage fees. Your insurance may cover some or all of your costs.
How do most people afford IVF?
Many people use personal loans or savings to cover the cost of IVF. For a growing number of individuals, health insurance pays for some or all of their IVF costs. Grants and discounts also help some people afford IVF.
Sources and methodology
Cost data for IVF and fertility procedures came from several sources including the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and Planned Parenthood. The National Infertility Association, also known as Resolve, supplied information related to state-specific fertility coverage laws.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.