Affording IVF

  • Home
  • What is IVF?
    • The IVF Process Explained
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact

February 27, 2013 by Aaron

IVF in the News Feb 27

Today, I don’t have the time to write up a full post so I thought I would share a few infertility news stories I found interesting. I also threw in a IVF blog at the bottom for a little variety. Happy Humpday!

Multiple live births not strikingly high after IVF | Modern Medicine

www.modernmedicine.com11/19/12

Epidemiology. Last Updated: 2012-11-19 16:20:01 -0400 (Reuters Health). By David Douglas. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Following in vitro fertilization (IVF) the risk of multiple live births is relatively low, according to …

 

Cost of IVF — Fertility Treatments – Parenting.com

www.parenting.com2/4/13

With the average cost of IVF around $12,000, fertility treatments can drain your savings, even putting parenthood out of financial reach for many. But now some couples are asking friends and family to pitch in. Deposit a Gift …

(I wrote a post talking about this service and a few other similar ones)

Human-rights court orders world’s last IVF ban to be lifted : Nature …

blogs.nature.com12/28/12

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ordered the only country in the world that completely prohibits in vitro fertilization (IVF) to lift its ban. (the country is Costa Rica, and good for them for reforming!)

 

Our IVF Journey: All the fun of living life with twins: B’s Egg Sharing …

www.twinmummyanddaddy.com2/20/13

B’s Egg Sharing IVF Journey. Part 3. Hitting a brick wall. Following on from last weeks post, B is back to share with us her egg sharing IVF journey. To read last weeks post, please click here. Well, today has been a pretty bad …

 

Well that is all I have time for today. Happy Wednesday!!

Cheers!

Filed Under: Infertility News Tagged With: ivf, news

January 23, 2013 by Aaron Leave a Comment

Available treatments of Infertility

infertility doctor
There are a wide range of treatments available to help couples concieve

I want to start off with a hypothetical story about a Jim and Sandy. They are successful business professionals living a happy and prosperous life with just one discrepancy. They wanted a child really badly but despite conscious attempts and unprotected intercourse for years, Sandy never conceived. It was pretty devastating for both of them but somehow they made peace with themselves thinking that they can never have a child of their own.

But was she really infertile?

Infertility is a fairly common issue and according to research statistics, more than 12 to 15% of all couples face some difficulty in getting pregnant naturally and almost 7% of all the couples are infertile and cannot conceive without some kind of medical intervention.

Thousands of couples make peace with themselves, just like Sandy and Jim thinking that there is no treatment for infertility.  That is simply not true. Nowadays there are a wide range of treatments available to help couple conceive ranging from the simple to the complex. The rest of this article will discuss some of the popular treatment modalities and interventions available today for couples fighting infertility.

What are some available treatments of infertility for women?

According to statistics, the primary cause of infertility is a defect in female in 40% of the cases that can be managed by medical or interventional methods of treatment available today.

Medicinal treatment:

In many women who present to fertility clinics, the primary defect is a hormonal imbalance that can be corrected by medications like Clomiphene citrate (Clomid). Irregularities of female reproductive hormones prevent ovulation, which is the primary cause of infertility in such cases. Restoration of ovulation by Clomiphene citrate induction involves increasing the release of female reproductive hormones from the pituitary such as FSH (Follicular Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone); thereby helping women achieve a healthy pregnancy.

cure for infertility
Depending on your issue, medicine may beall that is required to help you get pregnant

Other popular medical treatments include:

  • Metformin is another medication that is employed in women with known history of polycystic ovarian disease.
  •         

  • Human menopausal gonadotropin is a hormonal aid used in women who are unable to conceive because of advancing age or hormonal problems. This directly stimulates the ovaries to produce hormones that are able to support a viable pregnancy by signaling the body to releasing the eggs and preparing the endometrium for implantation.
  •         

  • Hormonal therapy in the form of supplementation with estrogen or progestin during pregnancy that helps women with history of recurrent miscarriages; whereas Luteinizing Hormone is helpful in women who never ovulate because of LH surge failure.
  • Other popular medications include Bromocriptine, Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), Aromatase inhibitors and Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs.

Surgical treatment:

Sometimes long standing pelvic infections lead to scarring of fallopian tubes that becomes a cause of infertility and even with induction, the risk of ectopic pregnancy increases tremendously. In all such cases, the ideal treatment is tubal surgery or laproscopy to remove scarred segments of genital tract. Although, chances of conception are still low after that but it invariably helps a lot of women.

Uterine polyps and fibroids are two other common ailments in many women that will interfere with the proper implantation of a fertilized egg into the lining of the uterus. Depending on the severity of the condition different surgical interventions may be suggested. Operative hysteroscopy is the preferred method of treatment for polyps, and smaller fibroids as it is quicker and safer than older methodologies.

What are some available treatments of infertility in men?

Defects of sperm motility and morphology or a low count may all affect the ability of a man to impregnate his female partner. Sometimes, healthy lifestyle changes, dietary modification, abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and drugs may help but in majority of the cases, other treatments must be employed to treat infertility in men. These include:

           

  • Vitamin E therapy that helps in preventing oxidative damage to sperms and improves quality of semen.
  •      

  • Selenium is one of the popular remedies that are employed in treatment of infertility due to poor quality sperms.
  •         

  • Electric or vibratory stimulation is a technique used in males who are unable to ejaculate because of a spinal surgery, spinal injury or direct injury in the pelvic region that is interfering with the ejaculation. It is also helpful in males with history of pre-mature ejaculation.

What to do when nothing works?

In many cases, despite medicinal and interventional therapies, no fruitful results are seen. However, due to advancements in science and technology, there are a number of other interventions that can help infertile couples. Some of these treatments are:

Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI)

IUI is a procedure where processed sperm in injected directly into the uterus when the female partner is ovulating. The goal is to increase the number of viable sperm reaching the ovulated eggs. The procedure can help couples experiencing unexplained fertility, cervical issues, or other issues. This procedure is much less invasive and expensive than more complex treatments such as IVF and is often recommended to couples as a first line of treatment when there is not a solid reason to jump directly to more aggressive treatments.

In-vitro fertilization (IVF):

IVF or in-vitro fertilization is employed in women who are unable to conceive naturally because of a positive history of pelvic surgery, tubal pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and other causes. The IVF procedure is made up of several key steps. First the stimulation phase, where the female partner takes medication to induce her ovaries to produce more mature eggs than she normally would. During this time she is carefully monitored to make sure the proper level of stimulation and that the eggs are properly mature for when they are retrieved. The doctor then surgically removes the mature eggs from the ovaries during the egg retrieval. These eggs are then fertilized in the embryology laboratory with the partner’s sperm (or donor sperm in some cases). The resulting embryos are carefully monitored and when the time is right(usually three or five days after the retrieval) are directly implanted back into the uterine cavity so they can develop normally.

In some cases, women are unable to produce healthy mature eggs at all despite stimulation or induction. In all such cases, IVF can be successful performed by using donor eggs.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection:

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is another well-known technique used in conjunction with IVF that is employed in cases where either male sperm count is deficient or most of the sperms are morphologically abnormal.  In this procedure, a normal sperm is directly injected into each mature egg obtained through an IVF cycle.

Surgical sperm aspiration:

This procedure is employed in males who cannot ejaculate successfully due to inflammation or infection induced blockade of male reproductive tract. Surgical sperm aspiration can be performed by aspirating the sperm directly from testicles, vas deferens or epididymis.

How to make use of Assisted Fertilization Techniques?

Although, assisted fertilization techniques carry a ray of hope for infertile couples, the chances of having a successful IVF or ICSI can be low. Research studies conducted by medical researchers in Harvard Medical School in Boston and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center identified that out of 14,248 IVF performed from 2000 to 2005 only 3,126 were successful and resulted in live-birth of full-term babies. In order to optimize your chances of conception, it is very important to consider following things and speak to your fertility doctor about it.

  • Maternal age: is a huge factor when determining your likely success rate. For example, the average couple under 35 can expect a success rate of around 60%, that rate drops to around 10% for the average couple over 42
  • Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis: In some cases when one or both genetic parents have a known medical condition, it becomes important to determine the the genetic combination of the embryos by Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis before implantation in order to increase the chances of producing an offspring free of the genetic disorder. This will likely reduce your chances as there is no way of determining if or how many your embryos will meet the requirements.

Speak to your healthcare provider in detail about the possible techniques or procedures that may be helpful for you and maintain a healthy and stress-free lifestyle to avoid gestational problems.

Filed Under: Living with infertility Tagged With: ICSI, infertility, ivf, PGD

December 26, 2012 by Aaron 2 Comments

How Much Does IVF Cost?

average cost of IVF
Read on to find out what the average cost of IVF and additional procedures
Whether you are just curious, or are considering IVF as a treatment to help you get pregnant this post will help explain what the costs of IVF are. IVF prices vary clinic to clinic, and also by state. However, the average price of treatment is relatively constant throughout the United States.

The average cost of IVF in the USA is $12,000 per fresh cycle and is commonly as high as $15,000 or as low as $10,000 depending on the clinic. It is pretty rare that the costs will be lower than $10k, and if you come across a clinic promising rates in that ball park, be very wary of hidden costs and/or lots of services that are not included. Ask them if the quote covers things such as monitoring ultrasounds and bloodwork, fertility meds (rarely covered by quote as you will likely be purchasing them separately from a pharmacy), additional services like ICSI or PGD, or, more importantly, what services they consider “extra”.

Additional Costs

It is unlikely that most IVF price quotes will include services like ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (implanting a single sperm into each egg for fertilization) or PGD, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (genetic testing of the embryos for either genetic disorders or sex selection.

ICSI can add an additional $1-2k in fees, often depending on the amount of eggs retrieved.

PGD can easily add another $2-5k with fees for both the biopsy, done at the clinic, and the actual genetic testing at an outside lab.

Fertility medications can be a large additional fee and you should plan from anywhere from $4-10k depending on factors such as your age, egg supply, and what protocol the doctors put you on.

Embryo freezing and storage fees can run anywhere from about 1k to 2k depending on what is covered.

Lastly, donor fees can add a hefty amount to your cycle costs. An egg donor will usually add between 10-15k on top of your regular IVf cycle fees. Using a sperm donor is much less expensive and can add anywhere from a few hundred to a couple of thousand when all is said an done.

So there you have it, average costs for IVF and the common additional services that are tacked on. The costs above are all ballparks and will vary depending on where you are in the world and which clinic you go to. For example the cost of IVF in California will be different from the cost of IVF in Texas. Hopefully, you can use these figures to help you plan for the costs of your upcoming infertility treatment. Remember, you often get what you pay for in life, and going with the cheapest option may not be the best idea. Alternatively, going with the most expensive option may not be the best route either. I will touch on how to choose the best fertility clinic in a future post.

Please post your comments or questions below.

Cheers!

Filed Under: paying for fertility Tagged With: cost of IVF, ivf, paying for IVF

December 15, 2012 by Aaron 3 Comments

IVF Grants and Financial Aid Programs for Infertility Treatment

IVF Grants
IVF Grants are free money for IVF – sort of…

Paying for IVF can be a daunting task, especially when combined with the common plight of inadequate insurance coverage for infertility treatments. There are many ways to earn money for your IVF cycles, including crowd sourced fund raising and IVF grants. There are more than a few non-profits that offer grants for IVF cycles these days. Don’t expect something for nothing, however, if you are lucky enough to win one of these grants expect to be used for publicity purposes. If you have no problems with this then apply away. Factoring the probable amount of time you will asked to give in return for the grant – it makes one hell of an hourly rate  :)  As in most giveaways your chances of receiving one these grants is low, but as they say, “you cant win if you don’t play.” So without further ado below you will find a list of IVF grants with descriptions and application instructions for each. Good Luck!

Current IVF Grants

INCIID (InterNational Council for Infertility Information Dissemination)

They provide IVF scholarships to couples with financial and medical need. You must be a member of INCIID to apply ($55/annually) and . You must be medically and financially in need, and they ask for pays tubs, tax returns, and doctor’s notes  to verify your eligibility.

 

Fertile Dreams – The Embracing Hope Grant

This org selects  two to three couples each year to receive up to $10,000 that can be used for fertility treatments at any fertility clinic in the country. The couples must have medical insurance but lack coverage for infertility.They ask for proof of income through paystubs, and recent tax returns. If selected you will be asked to sign away full media release giving Fertile Dreams full rights to publish and photograph your story throughout your fertility treatments.

Contact info: Fertiledreams **UPDATE – THEIR WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY DOWN**

 

Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation

This non-profit offers a range of grants from partial to full coverage. They used to only offer grants to NC residents but have recently opened up their grants to all states and they state the money can be used at any fertility clinic as long as they are a member of SART (dont worry, most fertility clinics are members of SART or the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies). They award several grants throughout the year to couples where the women is under 40 and they have no income requirements.

Contact: www.payitforwardfertility.org/

 

Gift of Life Foundation

The Madeleine Gordan Gift of Life Foundation offers grants up to $10,000 to eligible couples in the greater Cincinnati area. Their requirements include: no children, have never undergone through IVF, combined income of less than $70k, and documented medical need for IVF.

Contact info: www.gordongiftoflife.org

 

The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation

This foundations Building Family grant provides up to $10,000/ family to fertility treatments or adoption costs. The number of grants varies depending on the amount of available funds. The only restrictions are: 1) medically diagnosed as infertile, and 2) Legal US resident. They also have a “Savannah Grant” available only to Shady Grove Fertility patients. Applications are currently open for the 2014 grant. Be aware there is also a non-refundable $50 grant processing fee.

Contact info: www.cadefoundation.org

 

B.U.M.P.S Inc by Bringing U Maternal Paternal Success

This Florida based non-profit gives out grants to couples who are in need both medical and financial, with preference given to those without children. Couples must be medically diagnosed as infertile . The grants can be used for a variety of infertility treatments. ***They are not currently accepting applications. Their website states they are currently fundraising***

Contact info: www.yourbump.org

Angels of Hope Foundation

This foundation provides two grants a year to locals within 24 miles of Morris, IL. Couples must be married, have little or no insurance, and be a medically appropriate for treatment. They favor couples with higher chances of success, as evidenced by your doctor’s notes.  If you are interested, you must complete an application and include a letter from their doctor, a medical records release, and a financial statement. Application deadlines are March 31 and August 31.

Contact info: www.angelsofhopeinc.org

 

BabyQuest Foundation

This foundation offers three grants a year to couples who cannot afford infertility treatments. They accept applications from heterosexual couples, same-sex couples and singles. Once awarded you may use the funds at the clinic of your choosing. Funds are dispersed soon after their March, July, and November deadlines.

Contact info: www.babyquestfoundation.org

 

Sparkles of Life

This non-profit dedicates itself to helping couples become parents. They offer one grant a year in the amount of 33% of 1 IVF cycle. The cycle must be undergone at the Houston Fertility Institute. Applicants must submit a short statement of need, a complete application and a $100 non-refundable processing fee (Paypal).

Contact info: http://sparklesoflife.org

 

Sharing Hope Financial Assistance Program

This programs offers financial assistance to couples in need of fertility preservation before undergoing treatment for cancer. They are a part of the Fertile Hope organization and do not offer grants to applicants directly. Instead, they work with fertility clinics and companies to provide discounted treatment and medications. To be eligible patients must make under $75k single/ $100k  combined income, have an eligible cancer diagnosis and must not have already started fertility-reducing cancer treatments.

Contact info: www.fertilehope.org

 

New York DOH IVF grants

NY state created a series of grants to help reduce the cost of fertility treatments to residents of the state. This program works with a series of fertility clinics throughout the New York state to help defray the costs off treatment. Patients will receive from 2.5% to 97.5% off their treatment costs, depending on household income. Since the grants are made available to patients of the fertility clinics that signed up for this program you will have to apply through the clinic of your choice. Eligibility might vary a little from clinic to clinic, but patients must be residents of the state, between ages 21-44, have a private health insurance (not medicare..etc), and fall below a certain income threshold. Some patients will need to undergo IUI treatments first to be eligible, and patients with a very low likelihood for success will not be accepted.

Here is a list of clinics that participate in the program.

 

FertileHope

is a a national LIVESTRONG initiative dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients and survivors whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.

For more information
 

Fertile Action

is a cancer charity working to ensure fertile women touched by the disease have he option to preserve their fertility prior to receiving cancer treament that can cause infertility. Fertile Action’s Parenthood After Cancer Treatment (PACT) Grant was established to provide financial support for female cancer surviors. It is not a cash award but is aimed at significantly reducing the cost of IVF, egg donation and surrogacy for cancer survivors through fertility specialists that have been recruited to offer their services at a discount or donate their services to the grantee.

For more information

Did I miss any IVF grants or scholarships or get the details wrong on something? If so please let me know in the comments so I can add them to the list. For those of you thinking about applying for any of the above grants I wish you the best of luck. Remember, you can win if you don’t try.

Cheers!

Filed Under: paying for fertility Tagged With: financial aid, ivf, IVf grants

Recent Posts

  • MDR Savings Programs
  • Fertility Help for Non-IVF Patients
  • IVF 100% Refund Program – Take Home a Baby or Your Money Back
  • Choosing the best fertility clinic, not the cheapest, will save you money in the long run.
  • Affording IVF Step By Step
  • Bye Bye Fresh IVF Cycles, and Why This is a Good Thing for Your Pocketbook
  • How much is your care going to cost? It depends on where you live…
  • IUI Discount Programs
  • Using Medical Bill Negotiation Services to Lower Your Bills
  • Actually Using The HealthCare Blue Book

Categories

  • Health care costs
  • Infertility Basics
  • Infertility News
  • insurance
  • Living with infertility
  • paying for fertility
  • Saving Money
  • Uncategorized

Copyright © 2022 · Executive Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in