
For every woman or couple embarking on IVF, the roadmap will be unique. From the types of medication to style of treatments and length of the process, no experience is ever the same and many factors will influence the final cost of your IVF journey.
Mamamia spoke with IVF Australia for a list of up-to-date costs, so you can get a feel for the fees and what they cover, at every stage.
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Initial consultation – up to $175*
Before you start your IVF journey, you will need a referral from your GP to see a fertility specialist. This initial consultation includes a full medical history with special attention to fertility factors such as your menstrual history, timing of intercourse, any sexual issues and previous pregnancy history.
The cost of your visit is dependent on your specialist and whether you are going alone or with your partner. Individual appointments cost from $180 to $250 with a Medicare rebate of $75. If both partners attend the initial consult the average appointment fee is $300 with a rebate of $150.
Ovulation Cycle Tracking – up to $395*
Ovulation cycle tracking is a simple process that can help you identify which days you’re most fertile. This is done by tracking your hormone cycle to predict when ovulation is going to take place. By carrying out simple blood and ultrasound tests to detect this hormone surge, your clinic can advise you of the ideal time to have sex to give you the best chance of conception.
There is no out-of-pocket cost for your first ovulation cycle tracking program at IVF Australia. This service is bulk billed for the first cycle for all Medicare cardholders. Any additional ovulation cycle tracking has an out-of-pocket cost of $395.
Ovulation induction – $700*
Ovulation induction involves taking medication such as the drug Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid), to encourage more eggs to develop in your ovaries before being released. This increases the chance of conception through timed intercourse or artificial insemination.
One cycle of ovulation induction costs $700 and includes assessment and regular monitoring of your cycle. The cost does not include your medications.
Artificial Insemination (IUI) – $2,037*
Artificial insemination or intrauterine insemination (IUI) involves inserting the male partner or donor’s prepared semen through the neck of the womb (cervix) and into the uterus, close to the time of ovulation. It is a simpler, less invasive form of fertility treatment and so costs less than IVF. This treatment can work with a woman’s natural menstrual cycle or be paired with ovulation induction.
IVF Treatment – $4,991*
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is the general name for the procedure used to overcome a range of fertility issues. In a nutshell, IVF is when the woman’s egg (her own or a donor egg) and the male sperm (partner or donor) are joined together in a specialised laboratory.
Top Comments
A few years ago, my sister and her husband were about to embark on an IVF program: she'd had severe endemetriosis and her doctors gave her no chance of falling pregnant naturally. On collecting the requried drugs from her clinic, the nurse asked her if she was pregnant, because it was the last chance to return those drugs and get a full refund - once she walks out the door with them, it would be a sunk cost. My sister didn't think she was, but couldn't recall the last time she'd had her period, so took a test in the bathroom there. And yes, she was pregnant! My niece is now approaching 5. Some subsequent brief rounds of IVF were unsuccessful, so she's going to be an only child.