Both IVF and ICSI are excellent fertility treatment procedures that couples prefer to achieve pregnancy. Both these treatments have the highest success rate among other fertility treatments and have helped millions of infertile couples give birth to a healthy baby.
Though it is popular, the main factor that prevents many couples from undergoing these treatments is their cost. These two treatments are expensive and require great expertise to successfully conduct the procedure.
In this article, we will look into both treatments and understand their procedure costs and medication costs. This can help you understand which treatment is the best option for your financial situation.
Comparison Cost Of IVF Or ICSI
An average IVF cycle costs around Rs. 1,20,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 in most fertility centers. The price differs based on your individual needs and additional procedures.
An ICSI, on the other hand, may cost around Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 (typically Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 more expensive than IVF).
Apart from your condition, the cost of your fertility treatments also depends on the fertility doctor you choose. So, if you have decided to undergo these procedures, ensure you choose the best fertility doctor for it.
Cost Factors In IVF
As you must already know, IVF is a complicated procedure that involves several small but very important steps to get pregnant successfully.
The procedures and the medications you need to take to facilitate a successful pregnancy are the main factors that affect the cost of your IVF treatment.
Procedure Cost
Each step of the IVF treatment is a separate procedure and involves different medical professionals.
For example, an ultrasound specialist is required for an ultrasound, a lab technician is required for lab-related procedures, and an embryologist is required to manage embryo development. In that case, each procedure will cost you a significant amount.
IVF involves undergoing five procedures to get pregnant:
- Ovulation induction
- Egg & sperm retrieval
- Fertilization
- Embryo culture
- Embryo transfer
Each of these steps is important, and each of them costs differently for people. Apart from these, there are also additional procedures like lab tests, ultrasounds, etc. All these will add to your IVF cost.
Medication Cost
IVF naturally involves taking a lot of medications to increase your chances of a higher IVF success rate. This might include oral and injectable medications that you take before, during, and after the procedure.
This includes the hormonal medications you take during ovulation induction and other health supplements (iron or multivitamin) your doctor might prescribe.
Note: Your fertility doctor will only prescribe these medications. You have to buy them from a pharmacy. So, the cost depends mainly on the pharmacy and the brand.
Cost Factors In ICSI
First, before discussing ICSI costs, understand what an ICSI procedure is. ICSI is an advanced method of IVF that follows exactly the same procedure as IVF, the only difference being the fertilization method.
This additional procedure makes ICSI a little more expensive than IVF. We’ll look into it in detail below.
Procedure Cost
As discussed above, ICSI follows the same procedures as IVF, except for the fertilization method. In traditional IVF, the egg and sperm are placed in a lab dish together overnight for fertilization.
In an ICSI, on the other hand, a single, high-quality and healthy sperm is selected among all the other sperm, collected in a needle and is injected directly into the egg’s cytoplasm for fertilization.
This procedure is preferred in cases of male-factor infertility. It also gives fertility doctors more control over which sperm is used for fertilization, thus increasing the price of ICSI.
Medication Cost
Most times, IVF and ICSI follow the same medications. There are no specific medications that are used for ICSI alone. However, if your partner has any male-factor infertility issues, your fertility doctor might prescribe medications for it. It might increase the cost of ICSI a little.
Conclusion
Whether you undergo IVF or ICSI, your ultimate goal is to get pregnant successfully. So, don’t worry and place your hopes on yourself and your fertility doctor. They will help you realize your dreams.
Remember, the cost of your fertility treatment varies based on your fertility and health condition. So, consult your fertility doctor if you wish to understand the cost of your IVF or ICSI treatments.
IVF involves undergoing five procedures to get pregnant:
- Ovulation induction
- Egg & sperm retrieval
- Fertilization
- Embryo culture
- Embryo transfer
ICSI follows the same procedures as IVF, except for the fertilization method. In traditional IVF, the egg and sperm are placed in a lab dish together overnight for fertilization.
In an ICSI, on the other hand, a single, high-quality is selected among all the other sperm, collected in a needle, and injected directly into the egg’s cytoplasm for fertilization.
Some medications involved in IVF are
- Hormonal medications (during ovulation induction)
- Ovulation trigger shot
- Progesterone supplement
- Iron and multi-vitamin supplements (if necessary)
