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The Financial Side of Fertility

by | Fertility Blog, Katie's Journey

Couple speaking with financial advisor

Aside from the physical and emotional difficulties surrounding my diagnosis of infertility in my 20s, my husband and I were also confronted with the daunting financial costs associated with seeking medical assistance to form our family. This is something that no one prepares you for. Even though people might have a big concept of fertility treatments being “expensive”, before you go through the journey you have no idea what you are in for.

The tricky part about planning for the financial aspect of infertility is that it’s impossible to calculate just how much money you need to achieve a live birth through fertility treatments. Sure, you can get pricing for the different treatments or look into some awesome package options through organizations like ARC Fertility, but there is no way to know what it will take or how long it will take to achieve a pregnancy resulting in a live birth.

If budget is a concern, I would suggest that you be upfront with your clinic right away and tell them you have allocated X dollars for this year and see what they recommend based on your situation. It could look very different than it would for someone who has more expendable dollars available.

When first entering your journey and seeking help, don’t expect to jump in and start with treatments right away. Do things right and get the recommended testing done. Sometimes your general health insurance will cover preliminary fertility tests. Ask your clinic what the full scope of costs are from testing to treatments to medications – and through the first trimester of pregnancy. A lot of clinics will offer discounts for subsequent same treatments (if the previous treatment didn’t work) so be sure to factor that in when coming up with your financial plan.

You should also be aware that there are several grants available that can be an option for some families struggling with the burden of treatment costs. One of the best sources of funding for fertility treatment could be your employer! That’s because more and more companies are including fertility in their benefits packages – this often includes the critical early testing that often dictates what kind of treatments or solutions people might need to form their families. When I was job seeking, I wish I thought to investigate further into benefits packages just in case I were to need fertility benefits down the road, and it turned out I could have greatly benefited from coverage.

There is no single magic solution for fertility issues. It can be emotionally and physically difficult, and the financial side only compounds the stress. But by looking at all of your options, you can create a roadmap that makes sense for your situation that will help you maximize your chances to grow your family.

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