Changing lifestyles have contributed significantly to the common phenomenon of infertility today. Patients are seeking alternatives to the advancement of assisted reproductive technology that can help them start their families. In Vitro Fertilization, or an IVF cycle, is an emerging option for fertility treatments among couples today.
An IVF includes the procedure of receiving eggs and then fertilizing with sperm in a laboratory setup. The doctor then transfers the fertilized egg to the uterus as an embryo. Usually, couples have to undergo multiple rounds of the IVF process, and the treatment cost depends on that. Even though the accurate IVF treatment cost is high, these charges are reflective of its success rate.
Why Do Doctors Recommend IVF Treatment?
IVF is a common treatment that doctors recommend as an alternative to address infertility and genetic disorders. Often, your expert will suggest IVF if you are over 40 years of age or have certain health conditions. Like-
- An ovulation disorder or having fewer eggs
- Damaged fallopian tube
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Low sperm count
- Genetic disorder
How Much Do These IVF Cycles Cost?
The treatment of each IVF cycle and its subsequent charges vary due to multiple factors. Here’s an estimated breakdown of the costs associated with the IVF process in distinct stages-
Diagnostic Tests
The fertility specialist carries out a routine physical examination before proceeding with the IVF treatment. The doctor may ask you to go through certain diagnostic tests, like semen analysis, blood tests, ultrasounds, and many others. Depending on the prescribed test, it will cost you between INR 15,000 to INR 25,000.
Stimulating the Ovaries
The purpose of stimulating the ovaries is to develop and mature the follicles containing eggs within the ovary. The doctors retrieve as many as 10-15 mature eggs with the help of a minor procedure. The stimulation phase typically takes two weeks, during which you may have to visit the doctor frequently to check hormone levels and measure the growth of the follicles. These visits may cost you nearly INR 45,000 to INR 60,000.
Retrieving the Eggs and Sperm Collection
The third phase of the IVF cycle, which is retrieving eggs, is brief and does not require any major incisions or stitches. The doctor collects the sperm either on the same day or later on. The procedure has a typical base fee ranging from INR 25,000 to INR 30,000.
Fertilization
The process of fertilization takes place in a controlled lab environment. This stage emulates natural fertilization, where the fertility specialist combines the sperm and ovum in a petri dish. Fertilization can either be done with conventional insemination or by intracytoplasmic sperm injection, known as ICSI. Depending on that, the IVF treatment cost also varies. The ICSI method costs nearly INR 50,000 to INR 60,000, which is more than the conventional one.
Embryo Transfer
The specialist then transfers the embryo to the uterus after a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven days, using a soft tube catheter. The embryo transfer costs INR 45,000 to INR 50,000, which can be more for frozen embryo transfers.
Other than these, your IVF treatment cost depends on different medications, injections, doctor consultations, luteal support, storage fees, and other factors.
How Long Does a Single IVF Cycle Take?
One complete IVF cycle takes nearly four to five weeks. Once the six steps involved in these IVF cycles are fulfilled, the expecting mother has to perform a pregnancy test. Doctors would recommend this conception test after one or two weeks of the successful cycle. For successful fertilization results, the couples may have to undergo two to three IVF cycles. In those cases, the IVF treatment cost will differ accordingly.
FAQ
Are multiple pregnancies a possibility for IVF treatment?
Based on medical records, multiple conceptions are a strong possibility for assisted reproductive techniques like IVF. This kind of pregnancy happens with the transfer of multiple embryos to the uterus. Doctors suggest single embryo transfer during an IVF cycle to avoid multiple pregnancies and other gestational risks.
Final Words
IVF is a complex process to address the common cause of infertility. The treatment cost for each IVF cycle solely depends on the patient’s medical history, age criteria, genetic disorder, or advanced methods chosen, like ICSI, donor eggs, etc. The treatment packages also vary based on the number of IVF cycles taken by the couples.
