Exposing the True Cost of In Vitro Fertilization
Because the effects of fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilization, can often be physically, financially, and emotionally taxing, patients report experiencing increased stress, anxiety, and depression levels.
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By - Although roughly 80,000 babies are born each year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), behind every successful birth could be numerous heartbreaks and complications, such as emotional and financial burdens. Although the costs of IVF can vary, the average price of a single cycle of IVF is $12,000, excluding eligibility testing, medications, embryo storage, pregnancy testing and monitoring, and physician consultation. And most patients need anywhere from 2.3–2.7 rounds of IVF.
“In vitro fertilization is a very physically and emotionally draining process,” explained Maria Costantini-Ferrando, MD, clinical director and reproductive endocrinologist with Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey and a licensed clinical psychologist, in an interview with Healthcare Strategies.
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Frequent testing and office visits disrupt daily work, social, and family schedules, creating an added burden for the patient. “IVF is a grueling process — it's physically draining because it often necessitates repetition and then, of course, the process where those embryos are put back, which requires more injections, visits, ultrasounds, and blood draws,” reiterated Costantini-Ferrando.
She pointed out that “the emotional toll this process takes is truly what is most remarkable and mind-boggling. For those who don't have any experience with IVF, it's hard to imagine; but for those who are experiencing it, it is a day-to-day struggle.”
While social norms can lead infertile people to feel like failures, reproductive and mental healthcare providers have the opportunity to help patients foster a positive sense of well-being and seek counseling.
“It is normal to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, like a failure, scared, isolated, powerless, and have a sense of loss of control — these are normal emotional reactions. Treatment providers need to be aware of that and provide some level of support,” Costantini-Ferrando insisted.
Providers that prioritize managing patients’ mental health status and expectations may reduce drop-out rates and the burden of treatment for many, resulting in more significant patient outcomes and treatment adherence.
“Why is it that people give up? People think it is just financial. It's not. The financial component is one, but guess what is the second most common reason why people drop out of treatment? Emotional and psychological burden,” she revealed. “If a patient drops out of treatment, we can't help them.”
