Is IVF more expensive?
Test tube baby is a kind of assisted reproduction technology. By combining eggs and sperm in the laboratory, it can cultivate embryos, and then transfer the embryos to women, so as to help couples who cannot conceive naturally achieve their fertility aspirations. The emergence of IVF technology is a blessing for infertile couples, but it also faces certain economic pressure. This article will elaborate on the reasons for the high cost of IVF from several aspects.
Medical equipment and surgery expenses
IVF technology requires many advanced medical equipment, such as IVF incubator, embryo transfer machine, etc. The purchase and maintenance costs of these equipment are very high. In addition, IVF surgery requires the participation of professional doctors and nurses, whose professional skills and labor costs are not small. Therefore, medical equipment and surgery costs are an important reason for the high cost of IVF.
Taking Peking Union Medical College Hospital as an example, the cost of IVF surgery is about 30000 to 50000 yuan, including the cost of medical equipment and surgical team.
Drug expenses
IVF surgery requires the use of various drugs to promote egg development and control ovulation, and increase the success rate of pregnancy. These drugs usually need to be used for a long time, and some drugs are expensive. Depending on the type and amount of drugs used, the cost of IVF drugs can range from thousands to tens of thousands of yuan.
For example, the cost of IVF drugs in Shanghai Huashan Hospital is about 20000 yuan.
Inspection and testing expenses
IVF surgery requires a series of examinations and tests to assess the suitability of couples for pregnancy and the health of new embryos. These examinations and tests include but are not limited to blood examination, ultrasonic examination, genetic examination, etc. Different examination items will affect the cost. In addition, in some special cases, other auxiliary tests, such as chromosome analysis, are also required, and these tests often require additional payment.
Take the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat sen University in Guangzhou as an example, the cost of IVF examination and testing is about 10000 yuan.
Psychological counseling and follow-up costs
In the process of IVF, both husband and wife will experience a lot of physical and mental pressure, especially when the pregnancy is not successful, which may lead to depression, anxiety and other negative emotions. Therefore, psychological counseling is particularly important in IVF. The cost of psychological counselors and professional psychological counseling teams will also increase the overall cost of IVF.
After IVF surgery, certain follow-up is needed to ensure the successful implantation of embryos and the healthy development of the fetus. These follow-up visits usually require multiple visits, and the cost will increase.
To sum up, the high cost of IVF is mainly due to the cost of medical equipment and surgery, drug costs, inspection and testing costs, as well as psychological counseling and follow-up costs. However, with the continuous development of technology and the gradual decline of medical costs, the cost of IVF is expected to gradually reduce, so that more couples can afford this assisted reproductive technology.
