What factors affect the cost of IVF?
IVF is an assisted reproductive technology that can help couples who cannot conceive naturally realize their reproductive dreams. However, the cost of IVF is not cheap and will be affected by many factors. This article will elaborate from four aspects: hospital selection, medical expenses, auxiliary technology and drug expenses.
1. Hospital selection
The choice of hospital is one of the key factors affecting the cost of IVF. The cost level of different hospitals varies greatly, mainly depending on the reputation of the hospital, the advanced level of equipment, and the experience and popularity of the expert team. Generally speaking, the cost of first-class hospitals is relatively high, while that of some small hospitals is relatively low. Taking Beijing as an example, the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital affiliated to Fudan University is a first-class hospital, and the cost of IVF service provided by it is high, while the cost of some local small hospitals is relatively low.
In addition, the cost of hospitals in different regions will vary. Generally speaking, the hospital costs in large cities are high, while those in some small and medium-sized cities are relatively low. Therefore, when choosing a hospital, we need to consider our own situation and economic affordability comprehensively.
2. Medical expenses
The medical expenses of IVF include gynecological examination fees, male semen examination fees, IVF auxiliary technology fees, surgery fees, hospital fees and other aspects. Among them, the cost of auxiliary technology is usually the most expensive part. Common auxiliary technologies include in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer and sperm injection, which are relatively expensive. In addition, if multiple attempts are required, medical expenses will further accumulate.
In addition, if you choose to use donated eggs or sperm, the cost will also increase. The need for cryopreservation and matching medical conditions increases the complexity and cost of the entire process.
Finally, if complications occur during IVF, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or pregnancy complications, the cost of treating these complications should also be taken into account.
3. Auxiliary technology
Assisted technology is an important part of the cost of IVF. In addition to in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, sperm injection and other technologies mentioned, there are some auxiliary technologies that can improve the success rate of IVF, but also increase costs.
For example, ICSI (single sperm injection) is a technology that can help fertilization, and is applicable to the situation where the number or quality of male sperm is low. This technique is expensive because each sperm needs to be selected and injected separately.
In addition, PGD (Embryo Gene Diagnosis) and PGS (Embryo Chromosome Screening) are advanced auxiliary technologies that can help screen whether embryos carry certain disease genes or chromosome abnormalities. These technologies require genetic testing and embryo selection, which increases the cost of IVF.
4. Drug expenses
IVF needs to use some drugs to promote the development of eggs and control the ovulation cycle to increase the probability of pregnancy. These drugs include ovulation promoting drugs, anticoagulants, etc. Drug costs are necessary in the process of IVF, and because of different individual physiques and treatment plans, drug costs will also vary.
In addition, if embryo cryopreservation is required, additional expenses for embryo cryopreservation and storage are also required.
Summary
The cost of IVF is affected by many factors, including hospital selection, medical costs, auxiliary technology and drug costs. The cost of selecting first-class hospitals and large cities is relatively high, the cost of auxiliary technology is relatively high, and the cost of using donated eggs or sperm is increased. In addition, the cost of assistive technology and drugs will also vary according to individual conditions and treatment plans. Therefore, when selecting IVF infants, it is necessary to consider their own conditions and economic affordability comprehensively.
