# Realistic Budget



## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

I hate talking money and of course there are so many variables, but, what would you say is a realistic budget/amount of savings to have set aside? I know that so much of it depends on whether you have to have IVF etc, but how much do cycles cost (IUI, IVF), how many cycles does it take on average? Do you have to pay for sperm?

Sorry to ask such questions, but I'd like to know what I'm dealing with in advance so that I can plan and save - might help me pass on new shoes and handbags if I have a goal, right?!


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Ooh, this is a difficult one! Seems to vary quite a lot depending on which part of the country you are in. London is definitely more expensive than the clinics up North/in the Midlands.

Roughly speaking, an unmedicated (ie no drugs/no scans) IUI in London is somewhere around £700-800. For a medicated cycle with scans you pay more like £1000 plus the cost of the drugs themselves. 
Sperm costs vary hugely between clinics (especially because of the shortage). £400 a go at LWC - and this is on top of the cost of the IUI. Also at £54 HFEA fee each time - this applies at all clinics. 

IVF is about £3000 a go in London plus the cost of the drugs (depending which ones you are on, can be up to another £1000 per go). Plus the sperm costs of course. LWC does a 3 for 2 offer on IVF which seems like quite good value although I guess if you get pregnant first time you'd lose out financially (although I'm not sure that would matter as it working first time would make up for it  )

Other costs to consider are the travel costs - it costs me around £40 every time I go to the LWC - car parking and train/tube fares etc. So it all adds up when you are having to go 3-4 times per month for scans etc. 

For IVF in particular there are overseas clinics which are significantly cheaper (reprofit in Brno, Czech Republic seems to get very good reviews - a couple of the single girls have been/are looking into going). However, you have to then take into account travel costs etc - although even with these I think you would save money. I personally am hesitant about overseas as you tend not to be able to get ID release sperm donors and I would like my child to have the option to learn the identity of the donor when they turn 18. But if this is not a concern for you, or you can find a way round it, then overseas might be the way to go for IVF at least...

With regard to how long it takes, that's very hard to answer. I've had one unsuccessful IUI so far. Will have 2 more and then review whether to move to IVF. Some of the girls here have had 5+ IUI with no luck yet. Others get first time lucky....
Very very roughly, success rates for IUI are less than 20%. IVF more like 40% - but still no guarantee   Just no way of knowing if you will be lucky first time, or still going 18 months later....probably best to pass on the shoes and handbags for a while at least!!

Hope this has helped somewhat. When I was planning all this, I put together an Excel spreadsheet (I am quite sad it's true...) to calculate how much it would all cost - not just the treatment but things like taking maternity leave, cost of childcare when I go back to work, day to day costs of actually having a child to feed/clothe etc. And that gave me an idea of overall budget and how many goes I could have before the savings ran out and I wouldn't be able to afford the child if I eventually had one - if you see what I mean.

But then again there is such a thing as being over prepared. Lots of people have kids without being completely sure how they will manage financially - and they do fine. I think it's just so much harder for us because we're conscious that we're doing this on our own and the cost of actually conceiving could be so high. I guess all I'm trying to say is if you really want it, you'll find a way financially....

Right, I'll shut up now and let some of the other girls offer their thoughts!

Laura
x


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## Betty-Boo (Oct 14, 2007)

Hi Bluebell,

With regards to sperm, I'm importing mine from Denmark, this is expensive.  If you're having IUI, then it's approx £260 per straw.  For IVF it is approx £200 per straw.  On top of that is the import fees and also what is called a pregnancy slot, basically you're paying up front to be one of the 10 pregnancies for that donor - this is £1000.  It is a lot of money, plus storage at your chosen clinic.  
Good luck with your chosen route..
Rachel x


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Mind you, if it's one straw per IUI/IVF then that's actually not too expensive just for the sperm - when you think that LWC charges £400 per go for the sperm itself. 

I guess it just all adds up when you include import fees, the £1000 for the slot, plus the storage fees. Does the clinic also charge a fee for preparing the sperm? I think some do and some don't.....

There's no denying this is a costly business  

Laura
x


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

It is a hard one, I have a known donor and so the most expensive route (as you have to pay for their tests and storage etc whereas clinic donor costs are absorbed and shared amongst all the ladies).  If you end up getting drawn into all the add on investigations so Hycosy, hysteroscopies £1600 , HSG £600, ICSI £1K, immune bloods very dependent, drugs from the clinic as opposed from other pharmacy suppliers

I spent £12-3K on 2 IVF/ICSI at the Bridge, and then £2K on immune bloods, 
my last ICSI cycle at my other clinic was £12K but the hidden costs are bloods charged every day,scans and drugs bought through the clinic. Immune bloods and IVIG can take an average cycle up to £16K.

I have just paid my annual fee for sperm storage which is £200.

So if you can get bloods etc done by the GP it helps to keep cost down by a few hundred pounds.
I am going to have one more go with my own eggs if possible and then move to donor eggs in Spain.

If you are yong enough- so under 35 egg share has been a way to have free or very reduced IVF- some of the girls on here have egg shared.

L x


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## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks so much guys, I was reading in an article of a single woman that she worked out she could afford 3 rounds of IVF and international adoption if it failed, but knew 3 was her limit - she ended up adopting overseas, so it's good to have a realistic budget and idea of when to start & stop!


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## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Sorry all, more questions
Rachella, what made you import sperm? 

I know in the US you have a lot more choice re sperm, are you allowed to import sperm to UK clinics? Does this add significantly to costs?

Laura, I agree, very expensive business indeed!!


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