Our Infertility Journey - Amateur Nester

infertility-story

Long Story Short

We got married in July 2011 and started trying to conceive in March 2012. In February, 2013 my husband was diagnosed with low sperm volume and poor motility. I received a diagnosis of luteal phase defect, and I also suspect mild endometriosis (though that has never been confirmed because the test is invasive and expensive and only covered by insurance if I do indeed have the disease). In April 2013, we had our first of 3 failed medicated intra-uterine inseminations (IUIs), and one canceled medicated IUI. In March 2014, our first round of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) resulted in a chemical pregnancy (early miscarriage). Next, we did a frozen embryo transfer cycle which ended up negative. Then we did a 2nd fresh IVF cycle which turned out negative. Our 3rd and most recent IVF resulted in a pregnancy and our daughter was born in December 2015. We spent over $51,000 on procedures and medications. We have multiple frozen embryos in storage. In June 2018, I gave birth to another baby girl– this one was a naturally-conceived, total surprise miracle!

Long Story Long – Detailed Breakdown of Our Costs

We have no insurance coverage for infertility diagnosis or treatment, so we’ve paid everything out-of-pocket. I’ve included the amounts we paid here because I want to educate people about the financial aspects of infertility. Please keep in mind that we do live in one of the costliest areas in the U.S. in terms of healthcare, so the prices we’ve paid may not accurately reflect what other pay people in different parts of the country.

March 2012 – December 2012.

Tried on our own for 9 months, with ideal timing. My general practitioner did some blood work in April and told me I should have no trouble conceiving. I read at least ten books on conception and fertility, from both Western and Chinese medical viewpoints and started tracking my cycles using the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) method and Ovulation Prediction Kits. I realized I had a short luteal phase and this was probably affecting my fertility. I started acupuncture in hopes of improving my fertility ($25/visit)

January 2013: Started Infertility Testing

Went to OB/GYN for a “fertility consult” ($234.78). She ordered a sperm analysis for my husband ($211), which revealed low sperm volume and poor motility.
Made our first appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) ($160). He ordered several tests for me and a repeat of the sperm analysis ($190). The second sperm analysis confirmed the initial diagnosis.
I continued going to acupuncture on a weekly basis ($25/visit).
Total doctor visits: 3 for me, 1 for hubby
Total out-of-pocket costs this month: $920.78

February 2013

Cycle Day (CD) 3 blood work results came back normal ($246).
CD 21 progesterone blood work results came back normal ($130).
CD 26 blood work results came back normal ($239.40).
CD 26 endometrial biopsy reveal luteal phase defect ($465.30).
Hysterosalpinogram (HSG) showed that my tubes are normal and open ($555.57).
2 acupuncture visits ($50)
Total doctor visits: 7 for me ($72), 1 for hubby
Total out-of-pocket costs this month: $1,758.27

March 2013: Started Treatment

We’re supposed to have our first medicated IUI, but our RE has to go out of town unexpectedly.
3 acupuncture visits ($75)
Total doctor visits: 1
Total out-of-pocket costs this month: $75

April/May 2013 : Failed Medicated IUI Cycle

Baseline ultrasound ($100)
100mcg Clomid, Cycle Days 5-9 ($18)
1 monitoring ultrasound ($270)
OvidrelHCG “trigger” injection, Cycle Day 11 ($140.99)
Double IUI, Cycle Days 11 & 12 ($780)
Crinone progesterone suppositories, Cycle Days 13-28 (donated from RE)
Estrace inserts, Cycle Days 10-28 ($8)
Pregnancy blood test, Cycle Day 29. Results are negative. ($130)
5 acupuncture visits: $125
Total injections: 1
Total doctor visits: 5
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $1,571.99

May/June 2013: Natural Cycle

3 acupuncture visits ($75)

June/July 2013: Failed Medicated IUI Cycle

Baseline ultrasound ($350)
100 mcg Clomid, Cycle Days 5-9 ($25.17)
2 monitoring ultrasounds ($480)
Ovidrel HCG “trigger” shot, Cycle Day 11 ($62.17)
Double IUI, Cycle Days 12 & 13 ($780)
Estrace inserts, Cycle Days 9-28 ($8)
Crinone progesterone suppositories, Cycle Day 14-28 ($260.24)
3 acupuncture visits ($75)
Pregnancy blood test, Cycle Day 29. Results are negative. ($130)
Total injections: 1
Total doctor visits: 5
Total out-of-pocket cost for the month: $2,170.58

July/August 2013: Failed Medicated IUI Cycle

Baseline ultrasound ($310)
Femara, Cycle Days 5-9 ($4.49)
2 monitoring ultrasounds ($480)
Ovidrel HCG “trigger” shot, Cycle Day 13 ($104.37)
Double IUI, Cycle Days 14 & 15 ($1,020)
Crinone progesterone suppositories, Cycle Day 16-31 ($244.99)
Pregnancy blood test, Cycle Day 31. Results are negative. ($130)
No acupuncture this cycle
Total injections: 1
Total doctor visits: 7
Total out-of-pocket costs this month: $2,293.85

August / September 2013: Natural Cycle

No acupuncture this month

September / October 2013: Canceled Medicated IUI Cycle

Baseline ultrasound ($240)
150mcg Clomid, Cycle Days 5-9 ($24)
Monitoring ultrasound ($200). The ultrasounds showed that I was responding poorly to the Clomid. We decided the odds weren’t good enough to do the IUI this cycle. We decided to still use the Ovidrel trigger shot on Cycle Day 10 ($138.99) to force ovulation, but we would “try” on our own.
Estrace inserts, Cycle Days 10-24 ($14)
Crinone suppositories, Cycle Days 15-24 ($200)
Pregnancy blood test, Cycle Day 24. Results were negative ($130).
No acupuncture this cycle.
Total injections: 1
Total doctor’s visits: 3
Total out-of-pocket cost this month: $946.99

October – December 2013: 2 Failed Natural Cycles

We took some time off to give ourselves a break and enjoy the holidays.
We had an IVF consultation with the RE in December ($120).
Total doctor’s visits: 1
3 acupuncture visits ($75)
Total out-of-pocket costs for Oct-Dec 2013: $195

January 2014: Initial IVF Testing & Preparation

We purchased a package of 2 fresh IVF cycles with ICSI and up to 2 frozen embryo transfers (FET) resulting from each fresh cycle. ($16,260)
Baseline ultrasound ($240)
2 acupuncture visits ($50)
Birth control pills ($0- insurance covers this- how ironic)
Total doctor’s visits: 1
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $16,550

February 2014: Prepping for IVF

Hysteroscopy ($1,800)
Mock IVF transfer ($200)
4 acupuncture visits ($100)
IVF Medications (Follistim, Gonal-F, Menopur, Medrol, Baby Aspirin, Ganirelix, estrogen patch, progesterone-in-oil, prescription-strength pre-natal vitamins) ($3,800)
Total injections: 1 (something to relax me during mock transfer)
Total doctor visits: 2
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $5,900

March 2014: IVF #1 – Chemical pregnancy

Did one fresh IVF cycle & transferred two embryos (already paid for)
4 acupuncture visits ($100)
3 beta blood tests ($455.50)
6 estradiol blood tests ($944.64)
Prescription refills ($249.92)
3 acupuncture visits ($75)
Total injections: 45
Total doctor visits: 12 (6 doctor visits + 6 lab visits)
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $1,695.06

April / May 2014: Failed FET #1

Transferred one frozen embryo (already paid for)
6 acupuncture visits ($235)
2 monitoring blood draws ($318.84)
2 pregnancy blood tests ($327.73)
Medication (Lupron, Heparin, Progesterone-in-Oil, aspirin, pre-natal vitamins, prednisone , estrogen patch, estradiol ($747.46)
Total injections: 77
Total doctor / lab visits: 9
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $1,628.53

June / July 2014: Failed 2nd Fresh IVF Cycle

Transferred 3 fresh embryos (already paid for)
5 acupuncture visits ($125)
7 monitoring blood draws ($746.21)
2 pregnancy blood tests ($260)
Medication (Follistim, Menopur, Medrol, Baby Aspirin, Heparin, Ganirelix, estrogen patch, progesterone-in-oil, prescription-strength pre-natal vitamins) ($2,673.88)
We also pre-paid a 3rd, future IVF cycle ($7,600)
Total injections: 90
Total doctor / lab visits: 17
Total out-of-pocket costs for the month: $11,405.09

August-December 2014: 5 Failed natural cycles

2 follow-up visits with our RE (free!)
1 phone consultation with reproductive immunologist ($300)
1 urology visit for husband ($55.49)
OTC Supplements: CoQ10, baby aspirin (around $80)
Proxeed Male Fertility Supplement ($282.99)
Ovulation Kit ($19.45)
7 acupuncture visits ($175)
Total doctor / lab visits: 3
Total out-of-pocket costs: $912.93

January -February 2015: On birth control pills in preparation for March 2015 IVF.

Birth control pills ($0)
OTC supplements: CoQ10 (around $70)
Proxeed Male Fertility Supplement (around $140)
5 acupuncture visits ($125)
Purchased our meds for March IVF ($2,894). Check out my IVF Meds Unboxing video for a full run-down of the meds and costs.
Total out-of-pocket costs: $3,229

March 2015: 3rd IVF cycle

I’ve decided to stop adding up the costs of each cycle because it makes me too upset! This cycle resulted in a pregnancy!

Totals As of March 1, 2015