In-vitro fertilization, or IVF for short, falls within the category of infertility treatment. The process begins when an egg and sperm are combined in a laboratory. Either the egg, the sperm, or both can be from donors, or they can be from the parents themselves.
IVF is used in gestational surrogacy cases, because it results in a child who is biologically related to the parents and/or donor, not the surrogate herself. Before the invention and successful application of IVF, traditional surrogacy meant that the child was always biologically related to the surrogate mother.
The first successful case of IVF was in the late 1970s, so the technology is still relatively new. However, in this short amount of time, millions of babies have been born as a direct result of IVF innovation. It is even common for some or all of the procedure to be covered by insurance now.
(However, this does not mean that surrogacy is covered by common insurance policies. For more information on this, please read Why Do I Need Surrogacy Insurance?)
IVF Costs Near Me
As with all medical treatments, the price tag on any given procedure can vary widely depending on the individual needs of the person. Price differences are also a result of different insurance policies, different geographic locations, and different recommendations from individual doctors or medical clinics.
However, it is safe to say that IVF costs will be on the expensive side, especially for surrogacy purposes. The costs cover the services provided by a doctor who went to medical school for this specific purpose, and performs his services at a medical clinic made specifically for this purpose.
Los Angeles Surrogacy strives to use “fresh” eggs, meaning the eggs have just been collected from the donor or intended mother, rather than frozen eggs. Of course, the decision is up to the intended parents, especially in cases where the intended mother already froze her eggs.
An IVF cycle in California that utilizes fresh eggs typically costs between $12,000-$20,000. Many surrogacy agency packages include an additional round of IVF in case the first one does not result in pregnancy. However, some fertility clinics break the price up by each round of IVF required. This can be a more cost-effective route if the first round results in pregnancy, but can become more expensive if two or three rounds are required.
Though every situation is personal and your expenses are tailored to your specific needs, you can still get an idea of the price of your overall surrogacy journey by reading How Much Does Surrogacy Cost?
Continuous Failed Attempts
There are many factors that need to go right for a person to become pregnant. Even if the surrogate is completely qualified and passes all of the physical and mental tests with flying colors, the embryo may not last long once transferred into her womb. This may be because either the sperm or the egg given by the intended parents is nonoptimal. Or perhaps the medication is not working well enough for the surrogate’s womb to accept the embryo as its own.
Continuous failed attempts at transferring the fertilized egg into the surrogate’s womb during the IVF process is the part of the surrogacy journey that can take the longest. It can also add more of a financial burden for the intended parents, who will most likely be paying for each procedure.
Though it is not usually necessary to do the egg collection procedure a second time because many eggs are collected in a single procedure, some intended parents discover that the inability to get pregnant is the fault of the intended mother’s eggs. In this case, the intended parents may want to seek out a donor and use her eggs. This will require a separate egg collection procedure, for which the intended parents will need to pay.
Once the embryo is transferred into the surrogate’s womb, there is a “two week wait” period before she takes a pregnancy test. Though this time is usually one of joy and excitement, it also prolongs the surrogacy experience if the IVF process is performed multiple times. During this time, your case manager is by your side when you want him or her to be. Many surrogacy agencies offer mental health counseling specific for handling anxiety in this phase.
Egg Donor
As stated above, an egg donor may be needed to complete a successful surrogacy IVF process that results in pregnancy.
Los Angeles Surrogacy only engages in gestational surrogacy, meaning that we do not allow our surrogates to use their own eggs. The eggs must be provided by either the intended mother or a donor. This ensures that the surrogate is not biologically related to the baby and makes the legal and emotional sides of becoming a surrogate mother a little less complicated.
Adding in this third party donor can add time and additional IVF costs to the process.
Fertility Medications
Both the egg donor and the surrogate will need to take fertility medications. These are hormones that are naturally produced in the body, but will be administered in higher quantities.
They can include:
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- This stimulates the ovaries to produce more eggs.
- Progesterone
- This helps the uterine lining prepare for the embryo transfer.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
- This triggers ovulation.
Depending on your body and what it needs, you may take medications to trigger ovulation, to stop ovulation, and/or to prepare the body to be pregnant. Your specific medication needs will be evaluated by a fertility specialist.
Transportation Costs
As intended parents, you may be responsible for your surrogate’s transportation costs to and from medical appointments, meet-ups with you, and to the hospital for delivery. Take note of this if you are choosing to work with an out-of-state surrogate.
You are, of course, also responsible for your own transportation costs for these situations.
If you are using an egg or a sperm donor, you will need to pay for the transportation of those materials as well, unless you are going through the same fertility clinic.
Genetic Testing
Though genetic testing is optional, surrogacy agencies will recommend it for two reasons.
- You could discover a genetic defect within the sperm or eggs that might prevent pregnancy. This could save a lot of time and money in the long run.
- You could discover any genetic predispositions that will be passed onto your child, potentially giving him or her the chance to take caution earlier in life.
PGS or PGD testing will most likely cost somewhere between $6,000-$8,000. The varying factor is the number of embryos being tested.
Financing Plans
Most fertility clinics offer financing or installment plans to help intended parents afford the IVF costs. If you choose to partner with a surrogacy agency, your case manager will help you negotiate a plan to make it affordable for you. They will review any interest rates on a financing plan that may cost you more at the end of the day, and they will assist you in reviewing your medical files and insurance plan to see if any part of the IVF procedure can be covered.
Los Angeles Surrogacy
Pursuing surrogacy is an expensive decision – that we will not deny. But the exchange at the other end of the price tag is a lifetime of happiness with your child. Our agency’s purpose is to make this journey ideal for you. We will negotiate on your behalf and make recommendations based on what we’ve seen be successful in the past. We are your partners at your side as you await the arrival of your baby.
If you are interested in pursuing surrogacy to grow your family, please contact us at Los Angeles Surrogacy here.