Trying to work out exactly how much IVF may cost isn’t easy. IVF expenses don’t just include treatment itself, but also pre-treatment tests and scans, potential add-ons, and any post-treatment costs.
While some patients will have the opportunity to have NHS funded IVF, NHS-funded IVF cycles are at an all-time low, decreasing to 27% in 2022. NHS funding for IVF varies across the UK depending on national funding criteria and local funding across Integrated Care Boards in England. This means most patients opt for private treatment and must cover IVF expenses themselves.
With IVF prices varying from clinic-to-clinic across the country and determining how many cycles you might need or what treatment pathway you will need taking time, your journey may at times feel overwhelming.
Here, we’ll explore the IVF expenses you may be face with at every stage of your journey.
In this article:
Pre-treatment IVF expenses
IVF consultation
Your initial IVF consultation, will be the first chance you have to really chat to a fertility specialist, so don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to. Take this opportunity to not only ask about the IVF process but also IVF add-ons, medication, tests, physical and mental wellbeing support, admin details, and more.
An initial IVF consultation cost around £250.
Ultrasound scans (AFC)
The AFC (antral follicle count) trans-vaginal ultrasound scan measures the number of antral follicles, which contain eggs, inside the ovaries. It also checks your uterus for any abnormalities. The AFC scan helps to estimate your egg supply and predict how many eggs will be collected during fertility treatment.
An AFC ultrasound scan costs around £240.
Semen analysis
A semen analysis looks at the volume, activity, shape, and quality of your sperm. It’s one of the first steps to identify any fertility issues.
You’ll have to provide a sperm sample, which can be either done at home or your fertility clinic. This will then be sent to a for examination.
A semen analysis costs around £190.
AMH test
An AMH (Anti-mullerian hormone) test measures the amount of the hormone in your blood. Your AMH levels relate to the number of eggs you have, with higher AMH levels meaning more eggs.
An in-clinic AMH test costs around £130-£200.
Virology Screening
You’ll have to have certain health checks to prevent some conditions from potentially being passed onto your child, these checks screen for: HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
If you’re going through IVF as a couple, then both you and your partner will have to go through these checks.
Virology screening costs around £200.
IVF counselling
All HFEA licensed clinics must offer patients an opportunity to talk to a counsellor before starting treatment. If you need to, you can continue seeing a counsellor throughout or after treatment.
Some clinics may offer counselling sessions, or at least a set number of them, for free whilst others will charge.
IVF treatment expenses
IVF cycle
IVF is one of the most forms of fertility treatment. Medicines stimulate the ovaries to produce several eggs. The eggs are collected and mixed with sperm in a laboratory. An embryo is then chosen to be transferred to the womb.
Once cycle of IVF costs around £4000.
ICSI cycle
ICSI treatment is almost the same as IVF, the only difference being that instead of mixing the sperm with the eggs and leaving them to fertilise, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg.
One ICSI cycle costs around £5200.
Medication
The IVF process involves a carefully planned course of medications to regulate the menstrual cycle, encourage egg production, and support embryo implantation.
IVF medication costs around £1400.
Blastocyst transfer
Blastocysts are embryos that develop in a laboratory for 5 or 6 days, letting embryos reach this stage before transfer, means they will have the best of successfully implanting.
Blastocyst transfer costs around £590.
Embryo Glue
Embryo Glue is not an actual glue but acts like a bridge between the embryo and the womb, helping them stick together to improve implementation.
Embryo glue costs around £220.
Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A)
PGT-A, formerly known as preimplantation genetic screening or PGT-A, involves checking embryos for abnormalities in the number of chromosomes.
PGT-A costs around £3800.
Post-IVF expenses
Embryo freezing and storage
Embryo freezing involves freezing and storing your embryos to use in the future. You may choose to freeze some of your embryos after IVF or ICSI.
Embryo freezing and storage costs around £700.
Frozen embryo transfer
During Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) frozen embryos from a previous cycle of IVF are thawed and transferred.
Frozen embryo transfer costs around £2400.