How much does it cost

How much does artificial insemination cost in the United States?

Almost any couple can request artificial insemination and in the United States artificial insemination is one of the most affordable and effective fertility treatments in case you have complications with getting pregnant.

Even health insurance can cover some of the artificial insemination costs so it would be a good idea to ask your insurance.

Contents
hide 1 How much does artificial insemination cost? 1.1 Types and prices of artificial insemination 2 What does artificial insemination involve? 2.1 Consultation 2.2 Ovulation test 2.3 Fertility drugs 2.4 Laboratory processing of semen 3 What is IUI? 4 How does IUI help fertility? 5 Why combine IUI With fertility drug treatment? 6 How does ovulation induction help during IUI? 7 What happens during the intrauterine insemination procedure?

How much does artificial insemination cost?

Depending on the state you are in, the average cost of artificial insemination in the USA is $ 300 to $ 500.

It is technically possible to choose the gender of the baby and if it is an option, it will generally cost $ 1600.

In addition, several injections of drugs to increase the chance of fertility, the cost of each of them is $ 50.

Before performing artificial insemination, it is advisable to know the state of your ovaries and uterus so you can request a pelvic ultrasound which will cost from $ 150 to $ 450 depending on the laboratory.

Types and prices of artificial insemination

It is possible to carry out insemination in different ways which are:

  • Home insemination: It has an approximate cost of $ 150 and it is a kit mainly for same-sex couples who do not have fertility problems.
  • Intracervical insemination (ICI): It costs $ 200 to $ 300 and is the most widely used type of insemination and is performed in a doctor’s office. Sperm is placed near the cervix to increase the chance of reaching the uterus and fertilizing an egg.
  • Intrauterine insemination (IUI): It has a cost of $ 500 to $ 800 and in this case, the best sperm sample is chosen and deposited directly into the uterus through a sterile catheter.

What does artificial insemination involve?

Each couple can pay a different price but this is mainly due to the situation of each one, here is a list of how the price of artificial insemination is broken down.

Consultation

The first thing will be to go to a consultation to talk about the treatment, in this first step you will be asked for some diagnostic tests.

Ovulation test

After you will have to track ovulation to schedule the procedure, the doctor can also help you monitor the best moment through blood tests and ultrasounds.

Fertility drugs

You will be advised to take fertility medications in case you have complications with ovulation.

Semen laboratory processing

The man will have to give a semen sample on the day of the insemination procedure as it will be used immediately.

It is also possible to use donor sperm or frozen sperm.

What is the IUI?

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) can help a woman become pregnant by placing sperm into the uterus through a thin tube or catheter that passes through the vagina and past the cervix. Sperm can come from a male partner or from a donor. The procedure takes place in our office and you go home the same day. Once inside the uterus, the sperm fertilizes the ovum in the woman’s body as in natural conception.

How does IUI help fertility?

IUI increases the chances of pregnancy in two ways:

  • Avoid any problems in the cervical mucus or cervix, which can sometimes be the cause of infertility.
  • It greatly increases the amount of sperm that reaches the egg. When we process a sperm sample in our laboratory, it can increase the sperm concentration up to 20 times. This can help overcome a low sperm count to increase the chances of fertilization.

IUI is a good option for women whose male partner has:

  • Azoospermia (the absence of sperm)
  • Low sperm count
  • A genetic condition that you choose to avoid passing on to your child.

For many couples, the specific cause of infertility cannot be determined, and IUI may be a good option for them.

Why combine IUI with fertility drug treatment?

We recommend that IUI be combined with medications that stimulate ovulation, called ovulation induction (OI). While some patients prefer to take oral medications or have IUI, our research shows that using both treatments in combination, IUI with OI, is the most cost-effective.

Our studies have shown that a single cycle of oral medication to induce ovulation combined with IUI is more likely to result in the birth of a baby than two cycles of oral medication with ultrasound or two cycles of IUI (without OI), at a comparable cost .

Rather than starting with medications that stimulate ovulation, and then trying IUI, we proceed directly to oral medications in combination with IUI when natural conception has not been successful.

How does induction of ovulation help during IUI?

These OI drugs, often called fertility drugs, improve a woman’s oocyte (egg) production. A woman takes the medication a week or two before the IUI procedure. The drug can increase the number of eggs released by the ovaries from one (or none) to a maximum of three.

In some situations, the woman may also receive an injection of hCG to further increase the number of oocytes. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) also helps the egg to mature, making it more likely to be fertilized by a sperm.

With more eggs available at the time of the IUI procedure, the chance of pregnancy increases. We carefully balance maximizing the chance of pregnancy with the risk of multiple pregnancies by using ultrasound to determine how many oocytes are developing and the best time for IUI. We also control ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) , which is a relatively rare risk with IUI.

What happens during the intrauterine insemination procedure?

There are several steps involved on the day of your IUI procedure.

  • The patient’s partner arrives at the office at a scheduled time (approximately 90 minutes before insemination) to produce a sperm sample in a private collection room. The sample could be produced at home and brought in, but the faster the lab can process the fresh sample, the better it will be for the sperm. Ideally, sperm should be processed within 30 minutes to an hour of collection.
  • If the sperm sample is from a donor, the sample will be thawed and then processed.
  • Our laboratory processes the sperm sample to increase the available sperm and the possibility of conception.
  • The insemination setup is similar to a Pap smear. The doctor cleans the cervix with a cotton swab and places a small catheter (the diameter of a coffee straw) into the vagina and past the cervix to allow sperm to enter the uterus. The procedure causes little to no pain and only takes a few minutes.
  • After removing the catheter and speculum, you recline on the exam table for 10-15 minutes. This period of lying down actually improves pregnancy rates. However, research shows no additional benefit from resting longer than that time. You will return to your normal activities once you leave the office. The total time you will spend in our office will range from 30 minutes to two hours.
  • You may experience some cramping and slight vaginal bleeding after the procedure. Most women do not experience any additional symptoms.
  • After two weeks, you take a home pregnancy test. Hopefully it’s positive!

Source of information: https://www.uwhealth.org/infertility/intrauterine-insemination-iui/26136

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