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The Price of Parenthood

4 Steps to Financing Fertility

By Laura Christianson

With a typical IVF cycle averaging $12,400, it's no wonder that many couples who seek fertility treatment exhaust their life savings in a matter of months. So how should people who suspect they may have fertility problems budget for medical treatment? The same way they would budget for their education, home or retirement, says Dr. G. David Adamson, founder of Advanced Reproductive Care (ARC), a network of 256 infertility specialists in over 98 locations across the United States and Puerto Rico.

"One of the biggest problems is that people don't financially plan for infertility," Dr. Adamson says. Couples under age 35 who have been trying to get pregnant for a year very likely have fertility challenges and should consult a specialist, he says. Couples over age 35 who have been trying for six months and anyone over age 40 should also visit a specialist.

"The single biggest way people can help themselves is to get to a specialist early on," Dr. Adamson says. "It saves time, money and emotional trauma."

A fertility specialist will thoroughly discuss treatment options, costs and financing plans with the couple and will likely refer them to a financial counselor, says Dr. Adamson.

Diane Aronson, past executive director of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, recommends that people ask their primary care physicianor OB/GYN for a referral to a fertility specialist.

Want to see more?

• The Infertility Marketplace: How Success Rates Are Advertised
• Dollars & Sense: Affording Infertility Treatment
• The Infertility Marketplace: Terms You Need to Know
• Talk about it!