IVF Cost

I have received some great information on the European Centre for Motherhood on the IVF cost, IVF success rates and IVF procedure in their centres in Poland.

The European Center of Motherhood has 3 subsidiaries in Poland, in: Warsaw, Wroclaw and Poznan. Their web site can be found at www.invimed.pl (english version: www.invimed.co.uk) and their contact e-mail is invimed@invimed.pl. They offer a complete range of infertility diagnostics and treatment (i.a. ivf, insemination), as well as full range of prenatal tests. The Clinic is equipped with the newest medical and laboratory instruments, meeting every European Union and American standard. The approximate costs of ivf: typical IVF- 5500 zł (about US$ 1720) + medicines 4000zł (US$ 1250) + anaesthetic 350 zł (US$ 109) + often freezing of embryos 540zł (US$ 168). Success rate is about 45,1% (result from 2008).

Here are the answers to the questions that I asked:

1. What is the current success rate for your clinic? (preferably by age as I know that the success rate will be much lower for somebody of my age)

The newest success rate for InviMed – European Center of Motherhood is for the year 2008 – 45,1% generally.

1. How many cycles do you perform per year at the clinic?

We performed 1305 IVF cycles all together in three our clinics (Warsaw – 875, Wroclaw – 280, Poznan – 150) in 2008.

1. What is the maximum age that you treat?

We treat using ivf to the age 43. Egg Donation we use to the age 48/49.

1. Are there any fertility conditions that you will not treat?

Yes, these which require surrogate mother.

1. What is your embryo transfer policy? How many embryos will you replace at one time?

We transfer 1 embryo below the age of 35 and max. 2 embryos above the age of 35. Most often we transfer 1 embryo.

1. What is the basic cost of the IVF treatment?

Basic cost of ivf – 5500 zloty (about 1700 USD), cost of medicines – about 4000 zloty (about 1300 USD), freezing and preservation of embryos –  540 zloty (180 USD), a visit – 140 zloty (40 USD).

1. What additional costs would / could be incurred?

ivf ICSI – 1000 zloty (350 USD) – used when necessary.

1. What happens to the costs if the cycle has to be abandoned?

Patients pay for stimulation in advance. If OPU or ET is abandoned, they won’t pay for it.

1. Who deals with the logistics of flights and accommodation?

If a patient expects some help, our clinic can make a reservation in a hotel or pick up from the airport .

1. How is the pre-treatment carried out?

At first, patients can read our website where is information concerning preparing to different treatment or tests (www.invimed.co.uk). Generally, doctors from our clinic need information about whole process of treatment of their patients, so they need all results of tests and medical examinations, or it can be done also here.

1. How do I get medication?

Doctors prescribe medications when needed. Medicines for ivf are available in our clinic. Eventually the rest can be bought in chemist’s nearby.

1. How will I be monitored?

Monitoring include regular USG and the level of estradiol.

1. How will I know that I am not being under / over stimulated?

Patients (woman) are under frequent control, they have to be examined regularly to avoid under- or over stimulation.

1. If I have a problem whilst in the UK who would I go to?

You should go to your gynaecologist. You will get all medical documentation after treatment in our clinic, so it will be very helpful.

1. Is the clinic registered with any regulatory body?

With ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology).

I have had a request from a magazine for help in finding somebody to do an article. Here are the details:

Here’s a very interesting article about the use of herbs and natural remedies to help the over 40s to concieve.

Fertility After Forty
by Susun S. Weed

The most fertile years of a woman’s life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems.

But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?

The answer to these questions – and others like them – is “no!” for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, ensure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.

INCREASING FERTILITY; ENSURING CONCEPTION

Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.

Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It’s fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your “moon” is full and bright and ready to frolic.

Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman’s orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.

Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can’t – even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scarring, or endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.

PREVENTING BIRTH DEFECTS

Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)

Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man’s vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman’s vitamin E level.

Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.

Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies instead.

EMOTIONAL ISSUES

Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from “helpful” medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.

Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one’s forties. Our mother’s, mother’s, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn’t done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great-great-great-great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.

Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.

Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:

• Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.
• Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.
• Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.
• Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.
• Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.

Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that’s resistant to being pushed around by other people’s opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.

SPECIAL ALLIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN OVER FORTY The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help ensure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus’s developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother’s tissues become stretchy and elastic.

Aging can lead to increased stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina), the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.

Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by:

• strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well
• strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing
• strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse
• strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection
• strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection
• providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications
• helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth
• increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.

I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey, which stays rather small even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.

Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy (as do all parts of the wild plant). In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.

Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone – the hormone of pregnancy – and luteinizing hormone – which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinued during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.

Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ash-tree-publishing.com. For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America’s best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women’s health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com. Susun’s books include Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Healing Wise, Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way, and Breast Cancer? Breast Health!

There is a great site called the Asian Parent that gives a lot of information on, as you might have guessed, becoming and being a parent. The site I have seen is a Singapore addition and there is an article about ART co-finding in Singapore – http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/assisted_reproductive_technology_art_cofunding_singapore. The co-funding comes from the Singapore government and is for the costs of a fresh ART cycle for a maximum of three cycles per patient. Depending on the citizenship of the couple 50% or up to $3,000 is co-funded – check out their article for more details.

And while you are on their site you must check out their brilliant cartoon at http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/baby_making_101 – I loved it!

I have had a request from Renegade Pictures for help in making a television programme for the BBC. So if any of you have had IVF success please do contact Paula and let’s put our opinions across. Here are the details:

Hi there,

If you’re interested in finding out more you can call me on: 07548 948 995 or email: baby@renegadepictures.co.uk.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Paula

I became so excited when I received the reply from Dr. Alejandro Chavez-Badiola of the New Hope Fertility Centre in Mexico. I must admit that the feeling that I got was that I had found the place I want to go to! And I thought I had narrowed my choices down to two, one close to home in Hungary (Kaali Inst IVF Centre) and one on the continent I love, Africa (Nairobi IVF Centre) – but this has really put a spanner in the works!

A quick reply to my letter requesting the IVF cost, IVF success rate and IVF procedure – the very next day, and a very thorough reply. Not only that but Dr. Chavez-Badiola is offering something that nobody else has mentioned – Mini-IVF – less drugs, less cost – what more could a gal want!!! I need to get on with the savings – but then again he has also pointed me in a direction where I may be able to make some money to be able to afford this!! I am buzzing!

This reply is a MUST READ, especially if, like me, age is not on your side.

Prices are already in US$. If you want to contact Dr. Chavez-Badiola the email address is a.chavez@badiolaconsultores.com. They don’t appear to have a website though.

I’ll stop rambling now and let you read this superb reply.

Dear Sue,

I will answer your questions ?on the go?. I visited your blog and I was deeply impressed. I found it very comprehensive and therefore I will make a couple of observations at the end of this letter.

Let me start by introducing myself.  My name is Alejandro Chavez-Badiola, I am a gynaecologist with training in reproductive medicine at the largest IVF centre in the UK (the Hewitt Centre for Reproductive Medicine, at the Liverpool Women?s Hospital).  Following this two-year training I pursued further training in NY and Tokyo, where I learned my area of special interest: Minimal stimulation and Natural Cycle IVF.

Since you have done quite a lot of research I will use a more technical language, although feel free to ask for any clarifications if you feel the need. Now, to answer your questions:

1. What is the current success rate for your clinic? (preferably by age as I know that the success rate will be much lower for somebody of my age)

Pregnancy rate per started cycle is 46% (60% per embryo transfer) for traditional IVF and 32% for Minimal stimulation IVF.

Standard IVF pregnancy rates:
<35 yrs:  56%
35 to 38: 48%

38:      36%

Depending on your FSH levels, someone your age will probably have a poor response to stimulation drugs and, no matter how high the hormones? dose we use, you will probably end-up producing fewer eggs than the ?ideal? number (according to traditional IVF standards).  This is where Mini-IVF becomes your allied.

With Mini-IVF, you will be stimulated with oral medication and maybe with some injectable hormones (gonadotrophins), but usually no more than three injections overall.  This stimulation will allow your ovaries to produce only the best quality eggs your body can produce in that specific cycle.  In fewer words, I focus on egg quality rather than quantity.

2. How many cycles do you perform per year at the clinic?

In Mexico only we perform around 500 cycles a year.

3. What is the maximum age that you treat?

As long as you still have regular periods we can offer you IVF with your eggs (no age limit).  As mentioned above, to focus on egg quality rather than total egg number, allow us to offer woman our ?one egg- one embryo- one baby? philosophy.

If willing (or in need) to undergo donor IVF, we have a donors? egg bank where women can choose from (there is no waiting list). For women over 50 years old, their particular cases would have to undergo internal ethics committee approval.

Donors? eggs are cryopreserved with the latest technology called vitrification (Cryotop method), which has shown egg survival rates >98% with fertilisation, implantation and pregnancy rates comparable to those from fresh eggs.  These results have been widely published in reputable journals and results are consistent throughout fertility centres in Italy, Spain, Japan, USA and Mexico.
This is our key to offer eggs from a large database  and without waiting.

4. Are there any fertility conditions that you will not treat?

At the moment we still don?t offer PGD (we will from summer 2009), and therefore gender selection.  We also avoid surrogacy.

5. What is your embryo transfer policy? How many embryos will you replace at one time?

A positive pregnancy test is not what I?m after, but for you to take home a HEALTHY baby.  This is:  to avoid twin pregnancies… triplets or higher order multiple pregnancies are out of the question and are considered by me as a treatment failure.

One of the reasons why IVF centres transfer so many embryos is because their cryopreserving (freezing) techniques are unreliable and they know that only half of those frozen embryos will survive thawing.   With our vitrification technology we know  frozen embryos will survive (>96%), which allow us to transfer fewer embryos but to offer more embryo transfers per started cycle, which at the end make no difference in live-birth rates but they do in multiple pregnancy rates and associated complications.

Having said all of the above, there are no regulations in Mexico regarding embryo transfer and after proper counselling couples decide on final number of embryos to be transferred.

6. What is the basic cost of the IVF treatment?

Based on today?s exchange rate:

– Standard IVF $3,ooo USD (plus medication and blood tests?around $1,ooo to 1,5oo USD)
– Mini-IVF     $2,2oo USD (plus medication and blood test?around $150 USD)
– 3- Month treatment package with Mini-IVF $5,ooo USD (plus medication and blood tests)

Cryopreservation is not included in costs (except in the 3-Month package), which is around 3oo USD

7. What additional costs would / could be incurred?

– Medications
– Initial consultation and tests (which can be performed at home?HIV, hep B&C, etc)
– Bloods during follow-up
– Cryopreservation
– Treatment/ management of IVF related complications (e.g. OHSS- hyperstimulation syndrome)

8. What happens to the costs if the cycle has to be abandoned?

You only pay for what you get; rest of money goes towards your next cycle.  As a very general guide you can divide treatment cost in this way:

– 1/3 for stimulation follow-up
– 1/3 for egg collection and lab expenses
– 1/3 for embryo transfer

So, for example, if a cycle is cancelled before egg collection you will have 2/3 of your money back towards your next IVF cycle. Costs related to drugs are not reimbursed in any situation.

9. How long would I need to be in Mexico for?

If you manage to get your own medication and to have a baseline ultrasound performed at home, then it?s a minimum of 10 days for standard IVF and Mini-IVF; and 6 days for natural cycles.

If you want to have initial consultation/ tests, baseline scan and drugs from us, then we?re talking about 12 to 15 days.

10.Who deals with the logistics of flights and accommodation?

We can help you to get very good deals for accommodation.  We can personally take care for airport-hotel-clinic transportation, but you will have to deal with flights and final reservations (hotel) yourselves.

11. How is the pre-treatment carried out?

Once you ask for treatment I will send you a list of tests you need to up-date (or have done with us if you rather to), and a basic medical history format to fill-out.  Once this is in place, you only have to let us know when you are planning for treatment and call with your menstrual period one month ahead of treatment. This, since depending on your age (probably not in your case), we?d like to prepare your ovaries with a short course of oral contraceptives.

If you?re having baseline scan and drugs at home let us know so we can find a friend doctor to help you out.  We?d like to be in touch with you both (your doctor and you), so we can let you know on the best time to come to us for further surveillance and time of egg collection.

12. How do I get medication?

If you decide to have all done over here, you can get it from us.  If not just let me know where you live and I can get a doctor to hand you a prescription after you have been properly scanned and appropriate dosage established.

13. How will I be monitored?

– Baseline transvaginal scan + day 3 FSH, LH, progesterone (P4), and oestradiol (E2)
– Day 8 follow-up scan + E2, FSH
– Day 10-11 scan + E2, LH, P4
– Day 12-13 scan + E2, LH, P4

More frequent or extended monitoring is required in some cases.

14. How will I know that I am not being under / over stimulated?

According to findings during monitoring, mainly ultrasound examinations and oestradiol levels and FSH levels on initial stimulation bloods.

15. If I have a problem whilst in the UK who would I go to?

– North West England and Wales:  Mr. Andrew Drakeley
– London:  Mr. Luciano Nardo
– Scotland (Aberdeen):  Prof. Mark Hamilton

If none of these are convenient for you I could recommend you some other doctors within these regions or maybe even closer to you.  Remember, I wa trained in the UK and I got to know a lot of very good and reliable IVF doctors over there.

16. Is the clinic registered with any regulatory body?

No for the moment, although we are working towards being eligible to send our data to the ASRM in the USA and to get an NY State certificate for our IVF lab.

17. How long is the waiting list for IVF treatment?

We have an overwhelming capacity, and since IVF is private medicine in Mexico, there is no waiting list for any of our treatments.

Finally, after so much research you have found that statistics are rather easy to manipulate and success rates, most of times only say an incomplete true.  Look for pregnancy rates per started cycle (HFEA statistics are very reliable), and most important to women your age:  pregnancy rates within a time frame… Mini-IVF will offer you the best chances of pregnancy within 6 months as well as the most cost-effective form of treatment.  For more detailed information visit www.newhopefertility.com

Costs in NY are higher than in Mexico, but you can get hold on a lot of info within our website (Mexican website is still on-going work).

Your blog should be sponsored by pharmaceutical companies (keep avoiding adverts from individual doctors or clinics), and if you want to I could get you in touch with a non profit organisation in Mexico called AMI (Mexican Association of Infertility), run by patients as yourself who would very much appreciate all of your hard work.

Congratulations, my best wishes on your enterprise of becoming a mom yourself.

Kind regards,

Dr. Alejandro Chavez-Badiola
Medical Director, New Hope Fertility Centre Mexico

I received a very fast response to my letter requesting information on the IVF cost, IVF success rate and IVF procedure from the Centro de Fertilidad del Prado in Tijuana, Mexico – the reply came the same day!

Their website can be found at http://www.clinicadelafertilidad.com/, however I could not find a button to translate it into English.

The information is direct, which is good, and prices were given in US$.

Hello Sue

 

1. What is the current success rate for your clinic? (preferably by age as I know that the success rate will be much lower for somebody of my age)

General succes is arpound 40-45

les than 35..50%

egg donor 50%

35-37……35%

38-40…..25-30%

more than 40..20% or less

 

1. How many cycles do you perform per year at the clinic?

aroun 100 cycles

1. What is the maximum age that you treat?

45

1. Are there any fertility conditions that you will not treat?

no gestacional surrogacy, no homo sex

 

1. What is your embryo transfer policy? How many embryos will you replace

at one time?

1st attempt…..day 2-3…..3 embryos….day 5…. 2 embrios

Other depends on the clinical situation

 

2. What is the basic cost of the IVF treatment?

IVF and ICSI is same cost 4500 usd plus meds.

1. What additional costs would / could be incurred?

initgial consultations, initial lab workshop is arouind 600 USD

1. What happens to the costs if the cycle has to be abandoned?

we make acharge aroud 1000 usd

1. How long would I need to be in Mexico for?
   

   around 2 weeks

Who deals with the logistics of flights and accommodation?

People fligtj to san diego usa, we are located 20 minutes from the border

 

1. How is the pre-treatment carried out?

Normally by email que can order the tests that we need, as ultrasounds, hormones, semen analysis, infectious tests

 

1. How do I get medication?

we can send you an prescription, or if patient came to our clinic we can take for a less price, and we are using Gonal F or Puregon or follistin

1. How will I be monitored?

we make all monitorings in site

1. How will I know that I am not being under / over stimulated?

we check it personally

1. If I have a problem whilst in the UK who would I go to?

You have to have an Gynecologist with basic knowledge on Infertility

1. Is the clinic registered with any regulatory body?

Or course we are registered in the main sanitary regulations in the state of baja california and federal requiriments from Mexico

1. How long is the waiting list for IVF treatment?

depends on the tests, ir you are ready and we dond have compromises, you can go straigth

 

I apologise for the long list, the more I look into having IVF treatment the more complex it seems to get!

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Dr Ortega

Three days after sending my letter requesting the IVF cost, IVF success rate and IVF procedure to the Kinderwunschzentrum Privatspital Goldenes Kreuz in Austria I received the reply below. Unfortunately my first six questions were not addressed in this reply and to date I have not received any additional information.

The approximate US$ equivalents are given in red.

If you wish to contact this clinic directly their email address is office@kinderwunschzentrum.at

The costs for IVF are 2600€ (approx. US$3,440), IVF with ICSI 3000€ (approx. US$3.970)

The costs for medicine are additional costs (about 1000€ (approx. US$1,323))

You pay less if the cycle has to be abandoned.

You have to arrange your flight and hotel.

You will get a prescription for the medicine or sometimes The Kinderwunschzentrum we can give you the medicine and you do not have to go to the pharmacy.

You have to stay about 2 weeks (after pre treatment) in Vienna.

The pre treatment you can make in your homecountry with your gynecologist.

If you have a problem during the treatment you can give us a call and speak with the doctor, or if you have an urgent problem you can go to a hospital.

The waiting time for the first consultation is 4 to 6 weeks. First we need a few medical records from both partners and then we arange an appointment.

During the first consultation the doctor will explain everything to you, also the case of overstimulation. You will have one hour time to discuss everything.

Kinderwunschzentrum is a private institution.

I will send you later more answers to questions 1 to 6!

Best regards,

Mag. Tanja Otte

Patientenbetreuung

Kinderwunschzentrum  

Goldenes Kreuz Privatklinik

A-1090 Wien, Lazarettgasse 16-18

Tel:  +43-(0)1 – 40 111 – 1400

Fax: +43-(0)1 – 40 111 – 1401                                 

www.kinderwunschzentrum.at

www.ferticent.com

office@kinderwunschzentrum.at

I have just stumbled across a site that is providing scholarships to those in need for IVF treatment in the USA – and the good news is that they have twice as many available this year!

Quoting from thier site:

The InterNational Council for Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID — pronounced “inside”) has a program designed to help individuals and couples — From INCIID the Heart — It provides an  In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Scholarship to those in need.   

Nancy Hemenway, INCIID Founder and Executive Director says that “infertility care is sometimes portrayed as ‘wealthy couples creating designer babies.’  That’s because only about 10% of insurance carriers cover IVF.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  The From INCIID the Heart is an important step in helping to eliminate the barrier preventing many couples from having children.

There are at least five million infertile couples in the U.S., and of those, approximately
two million are unable to conceive without IVF treatment.  The majority have no insurance coverage for IVF and its associated medications, which can range in cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per couple.

INCIID has arranged for a number of respected IVF clinics in the U.S. to donate their expertise and state-of-the-art facilities so that patients who do not have the financial resources may have the opportunity to build a family. The program will cover most of the basic IVF expenses.

Couples with financial and medical need may be eligible for participation in the program. Final committee selections and decisions take cost-of-living in different regions of the country into account  Applicants will be required to provide copies of their most recent tax returns and paystubs and supply a letter from their doctor recommending IVF as medically necessary.  Those selected will also partner with INCIID and have a small fund raising requirement.

“Our goal,” says Hemenway, “is to give those without insurance coverage an opportunity to fulfill their dream of becoming parents.

Click here to go to the website and see if you qualify.

Best of luck!

The same day as I sent my letter requesting information on the IVF cost, IVF success rate and IVF procedure to the Sims International Fertility Clinic in Ireland I had a reply requesting my address so that they could send me an information pack. Shorty a very informative information pack arrived in the post.

Much of the information in the pack is also available on their website which can be found here. I must admit that I have spent quite some time going through the wealth of information that they have there – I also found that I liked their style of presenting much of the information, certainly worth a look.

The success rates for Sims can also be found on the website, I have reproduced them at the bottom of this post for your convenience.

The pack included a full price list for their treatments. Below are the prices, with approximate US$ equivalents in red, for the principal treatment procedures. Their treatment procedure charges include planning and co-ordination, ultrasound scans (carried out as part of the procedure), administration, anaesthesia, doctors / nursing fees and laboratory fees. Embryo freezing and storage for one year is also included if required. Medications, blood tests and counsellors fees are not included.

IVF                                          4,150 Euro (approx. US$5,654)

ICSI                                        4,450 Euro (approx. US$6,061)

IVF with Donor Sperm                4,720 Euro (approx. US$6,428) (inc. cost of donor sperm 550 Euro (approx. US$750) per cycle)

IVF with egg donation                8,400 Euro (approx. US$11,440) (includes donors; screening; counselling fees; consultation and compensation)

ICSI with egg donation              8,710 Euro (approx. US$11,863) (includes donors; screening; counselling fees; consultation and compensation)

Sims IVF Cycles using Fresh Embryos (Non-Donor Eggs)

Reference Group Comparison:

 * Based on the most recent IVF data reported from the European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology, published in ‘Human Reproduction’ 2008; 23: 756-771, Oxford University Press.

Sims Cycles using Donor Eggs (Pregnancies per Transfer):

Reference Group Comparison:

* Based on the most recent IVF data reported from the European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology, published in ‘Human Reproduction’ 2008; 23: 756-771, Oxford University Press.

** Sims Clinic is the only institution in Ireland offering published information on this service in Ireland, so no external reference group is available for comparison

Sims IUI’s (Intrauterine Inseminations):

Understanding Success Rates

IVF programmes do not always use the same criteria to report results. It is important to understand exactly what the numbers mean when looking at percentages. In our hands the following terms apply:

Biochemical Pregnancy: Positive home pregnancy (urine hCG) on Day 16

Clinical Pregnancy: An ultrasound confirmed pregnancy with a fetal heart beat detected.

Results are usually quoted per embryo transfer (ET) and on some occasions per cycle, where cycles refer to egg recoveries.

Rates quoted per embryo transfer and per cycle differ in that the later includes those patients who had egg recoveries but did not subsequently have an embryo transfer. This may have been due to a failed fertilisation, elective freeze or failure to reach the blastocyst stage in a blastocyst cycle.