The road to parenthood can be challenging and costly for everyone. At times, freezing eggs for future conception is a good way to go, provided you have the money to fund it. It is, after all, quite an expensive endeavor.
There are various reasons for freezing your eggs, and they may range from a career move, finding the right partner, or maybe even a big change taking place in your life. Either way, freezing your eggs is a big decision, and there are several things to take into consideration.
Here, we have noted some of the big things to consider before freezing your eggs.
Costs Involved
The average cost of freezing your eggs is about $15,000 -$30,000 per cycle. This includes treatment, medications, and storage. Many women choose to go through more than one cycle as there’s no guarantee that they will be successful with the first cycle.
On average, you may need two cycles. To store your eggs, you will need to pay around $350- $1000 annually, depending on where you live. To save on this, you could move your eggs to a long-term facility, or you may even get a discount if you pay for multiple years ahead of time.
Open a Separate Account for Egg Freezing
If you are dead set on freezing your eggs, then it could be a good idea to look into opening another savings account dedicated to this goal. After all, it’s not a cheap or easy treatment to undergo.
It could also be a good idea to find a fertility clinic ahead of time to gather information about their costs so you have an amount you need to save in mind. By having a separate savings account for this, you will know exactly how far away you are from your goals at any given time.
Investigate Your Insurance Plan
If you have an insurance plan, then it could help to chat with the company overseeing your plan to see if they will cover any of the costs involved with your fertility treatments. In the United States, there are around 20 states that require private medical insurance companies to cover at least a fraction of fertility therapies.
Search for Discounts on Fertility Medication (Or Even Treatments)
Fertility medicine is never cheap. Most times, there are, luckily, programs that offer some sort of discount. There is, for example, the Compassionate Care Program from biopharmaceutical company EMD Serono that offers income-based discounts to patients.
Find a Clinic That Has Payment Plans
It’s always a great idea to chat with clinics regarding their payment plans if you don’t want to or can’t pay for everything in one go. There is always at least a handful of clinics that will offer financing options. Furthermore, there are also companies out there that offer personal loans for fertility treatments, such as Fertility Finance.
Freezing your eggs is a sure investment if you need time to focus on career goals or other areas of your life without needing to sacrifice bringing children into this world. Be sure to take a lot of time researching this topic, as this is no walk in the park.
There are a lot of medical and financial decisions to make, so be sure to educate yourself on this topic so that you can make the best decisions you possibly can.