Fertility Fact Friday – “Hey Doc, how much is it?”
Fertility Fact Friday
______
“Hey Doc! how much is it?”
As I was in the doctor’s office yesterday awaiting a pelvic ultrasound I was scrolling through Pinterest on my phone. I came across a pin from an article titled “How High Tech Baby Making is Fueling the Infertility Market Boom.” (from Money.com). Naturally it piqued my interest.
I know many women like myself suddenly find themselves standing in the valley of decision. First of all, whether to seek out a professional, (a reproductive endocrinologist, i.e., fertility doctor), secondly, to begin fertility treatments, thirdly, to try another fertility treatment the doctor is prescribing because the previous one failed. All of this to consider with your emotions raging wildly and your heart is hurting longing for a child. I know how that feels. I know.
Listed below are the costs associated with the fertility treatment. Please note the costs listed are an average and vary from doctor to doctor, state to state and the country in which you reside. In the U.S. only 25% of health care plans provide coverage for fertility treatments according to Resolve, the National Infertility Association.
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) $1,000-$2,000
- Donor Sperm $300-$400
- In Vitro Fertiltization: $12,000 (multitple cycles typically needed)
- Medications for each cycle: $3,000 to $5,000
- Donor Eggs: $15,000 to $20,000 (included 1 IVF cycle)
- Surrogacy: $50,000 to $100,000 (including agency fees and compensation for the surrogate mom)
I list these costs not to discourage you in any way. I just want you to know the truth. Most doctors will be apt to make a treatment plan according to protocol and hopefully, tailored to your specific needs, but most doctors do not always give you the costs up front.
Here are some suggestions, just food for thought from my own experience and in learning from other women within my infertility support groups:
- Take your spouse or a friend along with you to the doctor. Another one listening alongside you is best to have. They may remember something you’ve forgotten or bring to light a certain point you’ve missed.
- Make a list of questions to ask the doctor and/or finance department.
- If the doctor gives a statement about his/her success rate with IVF ask him/her if the person receiving treatment were using their own eggs or donor eggs. Most success rates of fertility clinics, do not list within their statistics (IVF treatments) if the woman was using her own eggs or donor eggs, therefore giving unintentional false hope.
- Listen to all the options your doctor is recommending. Write them down. Take your information home and sit on it. What I mean by that is don’t make a rash decision. Think about it some more. Research it. Talk to others. Trust me, this is so important.
- From a spiritual standpoint take each option presented to you from your doctor and pray about each one. Ask God to give you the peace that passes all understanding as you process this information, remember this is a joint decision. It is most important to create a space within your marriage where you can openly and honestly communicate and discuss the options before you. I encourage both you and your spouse to be at peace about the treatment and be in agreement with one another.
I know some of you are standing in the valley of decision right now. Wandering and wondering what to do next. I’m praying for you today. I’m asking God to settle your heart and emotions, to provide the necessary resources you need and to give you His peace that passes all understanding.
“Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7
God’s Word Translation
Love y’all,
Lesli