The Cost of IVF vs. Natural Fertility Treatments

Infertility is no doubt one of the most difficult issues a couple can experience. It can be devastating emotionally and physically.  In recent years, new and advanced fertility technologies have come to the forefront that can help infertile couples have a biological child of their own.

But new technologies often come with very high price tags. And the cost of modern infertility solutions like IVF and surrogacy can be prohibitively expensive for most families.

In this article, Austin, TX fertility doctor Ruthie Harper, MD explores the high costs of today’s fertility treatments – and discusses the effective and viable natural alternatives that may help couples avoid spending tens of thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) on expensive “high tech” infertility solutions.

Fertility Treatments: The Cost of IVF

IVF stands for in vitro fertilization. During this modern fertility treatment, a woman’s eggs are fertilized by sperm outside of her body in a laboratory. Then one (or more) of the fertilized eggs are transferred into her uterus with the hope of implantation and a full-term pregnancy.

IVF may be performed with the couple’s own eggs and sperm – or with donor eggs or sperm if the couple’s eggs and/or sperm are not deemed viable.

IVF success rates vary with many factors, but the age of the woman is the most important if she is using her own eggs.

According to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) there is a greater than 20% chance of pregnancy for women younger than 35, per IVF cycle. And women 35 to 37 years old have a 17% chance of pregnancy per IVF cycle. But the success rate drops off substantially with age.

Women 38 to 40 years old have only an 11% rate of successful pregnancy per IVF cycle; women 41 to 42 have a 5.7% chance; and women aged 43 to 44 have just a 2.3% success rate.

The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) reports that the average cost of a single IVF cycle in the U.S. is between $10,000 and $15,000. And with at best only 1 in 5 odds, most women will require at least 5 IVF cycles ($50,000 to $75,000).

And older mothers, and couples with certain medical issues, may require many more IVF cycles for successful pregnancy – raising the cost even higher.

In fact, The Journal of The American Medical Association, looked at 157,000 British women from 2003 to 2012. Those researchers determined about two thirds (65.3%) of patients achieved successful pregnancy after six or more cycles of IVF.

The total cost of IVF is dependent upon insurance coverage, the couple’s medical issues, and the treatment center. Many insurance plans do not cover fertility care, meaning the couple has to pay for their entire fertility treatment out-of-pocket.

Fertility Treatments: The Cost of IVF Surrogacy

For some women, medical issues mean that they are unable to carry a pregnancy to term themselves – even with IVF. For these women surrogacy – IVF using a “gestational carrier” – is often a chosen option. A surrogate, or gestational carrier, is a woman who is impregnated through IVF to carry and deliver a child for a couple or individual.

While working with a gestational carrier can help aspiring parents build a family, surrogacy raises the cost of IVF exponentially.

According to experts, the cost to use a surrogate can range from $100,000 to $150,000. And that amount can grow to $300,000 (or more) if multiple attempts at fertilization are required – or if the parents decide to proceed with multiple pregnancies.

Parents who elect to use surrogacy must pay the expenses of IVF, plus fees for the surrogate’s time and services, in addition to legal fees, agency fees, and the insurance and medical fees associated with the pregnancy, delivery and post-partum care.

While the success rate of surrogacy varies, according to the CDC IVF clinics in the US have a surrogacy success rate of about 75%.

Natural Fertility vs. IVF

Many women are led to believe that they are infertile, when in reality they are not. Natural fertility approaches conception from the different perspective of helping a woman understand her own body. In many cases, when a woman becomes an active participant in rebalancing the fundamental aspects of her health, she can naturally increase her chances of pregnancy.

The basis of natural fertility treatments is fostering a healthy, balanced environment where sperm and egg can meet at the appropriate time for fertilization and the subsequent implantation of the embryo. Natural fertility can prevent unnecessary medical procedures and the associated outrageous expenses, by allowing women to understand their bodies’ ability to get pregnant naturally.

Ruthie Harper MD, specializes in using integrative, holistic and natural fertility treatments to help women get pregnant. Natural fertility begins by teaching women their body’s fertility signs that can be used to determine in the most accurate way when conception is most likely to occur.

Scientifically developed health protocols including fertility diets, supplements, lifestyle changes, mindfulness, stress reduction, and hormonal balancing, are just some of the many other aspects of rebalancing the body to naturally facilitate conception.

While IVF and surrogacy can be an excellent option for some couples, these technologies can be extremely stressful and financially out of reach for many people. Natural fertility protocols are comfortable, relaxed, and well within financial reach for virtually every couple who wished to conceive.

Natural Fertility Instead of IVF | Austin, TX

If you have tried to become pregnant without success, consider investigating Natural Fertility before spending tens of thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars on IVF or surrogacy.

Dr. Harper in Austin, TX opens her practice doors to you with compassion, and more than twenty years of natural fertility experience. Discover your personal path to total health, wellness and balance that may help you conceive without incurring years of debt and financial hardship. Through the science of personalized integrative medicine, Dr. Harper has helped hundreds of women become pregnant. Schedule a consultation over the phone – or at our Austin, TX office – to see how Dr. Harper can help you achieve your dream of growing your family naturally.