Private Fertility Treatment Costs

Couples struggling to conceive are often tempted by fertility treatments at a private clinic. Sometimes these clinics can offer treatment more quickly (i.e. without waiting lists), or are prepared to treat women who are older than the cut-off age for NHS-funded IVF. Given that many women need as many as three cycles of IVF treatment to conceive, and that the NHS can sometimes offer only one or two, many couples, if they can afford it, think they might as well pay for private treatment from the outset.

Costs In The UK

Private fertility treatment clinics are located throughout the United Kingdom. There are websites online dedicated to helping you find a private clinic in your area. In-Vitro Fertilisation is by no means the only fertility treatment offered by these medical companies, but for the sake of providing a clear example, we're focusing here on IVF prices at one London-based clinic.

Be aware that all the prices listed below are subject to change. To ensure that your information is up-to-date, you should consult the homepage of this clinic.

The London Women's Clinic

The London Women's Clinic, or LWC, has been treating infertility since 1984. It has previously achieved conception success rates of 50% per month in women under the age of 34. The LWC is keen to emphasise that its IVF prices are very competitive when compared to those in the United States.

IVF Price Packages

The LWC offers IVF "packages" of three treatment cycles for the price of £5,450. This is to encourage couples to pay for all three cycles. One cycle alone costs £2,750 (so you stand to save money by paying for the three together).

HFEA Fees

However, these package costs do not include the £104.50 fee imposed on EACH cycle of treatment by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). If you take all three cycles, that comes to an additional £313.50.

Drug Costs

But that is not all. Fertility drugs are not included in the treatment cycle package price. The LWC will sell you drugs, also in packages, tailored to your particular fertility treatment needs. One package costs £1,200. If you need to make use of all three treatment cycles, you may have to pay for three of these drug packages too.

Drugs not included in the packages are sold individually. The prices of each drug vary greatly. An aspirin is listed as costing £8, whereas a cheap antibiotic called Doxycycline is £5. The most expensive drug sold is the strongest concentration of a fertility drug called Gonal F - this costs £1,080.

Totals

So, if you take a three-cycle package, and pay the £104.50 fee for each one, your costs will be at least £5763.5. Your final costs will be much higher, as this figure doesn't include your drug-related costs - these vary from treatment to treatment, patient to patient.

Unforeseen Expenses

It's important to bear in mind that fertility treatments make a serious impact on a woman's body and, as a result, it's possible that unforeseen medical expenses may be incurred. If you are determined to take the private treatment route (perhaps because you've exhausted your entitlement to NHS-funded cycles) you should make sure you've put aside enough not just for the treatment costs, but a little bit extra too.