As more women choose to have children later in life, and with the increase of same-sex marriages, there has been an rise in the demand for in vitro fertilisation (IVF), but costs vary drastically.
Writing in IOL, Sarene Kloren says
The IVF success rate for patients under 35 is around 60%-70%, however, many women, myself included, only embark on this journey in their 40s, and that’s when it not only becomes more difficult, but the costs rise exponentially, as it may take multiple attempts.
When I started my IVF journey in 2011 at 44, I was told by a private fertility clinic that my chance of conceiving using my own eggs at that age was 9%, which decreases annually: and at my age, it was less than 5%, with a single treatment costing around R60 000.
Those figures hit me like a ton of bricks. I had heard that fertility declines after the age of 35, but had no idea how rapid that decline is. I had believed I would make an appointment with a fertility specialist, have a few injections and wham – I would be pregnant.
As most couples undergo two to three IVF cycles before conceiving, and considering that only five medical aids in South Africa cover any costs for IVF, it is beyond most peoples’ financial ability.
That’s when I started to calculate the cost of private IVF clinics versus state hospitals – and was shocked by the differences.
The cost of IVF treatments private fertility clinics in the Western Cape:
Aevitas Ferticility Clinic: approximately R50 000 per cycle
Cape Fertility: Approximately R70 000 per cycle
The cost of IVF treatments at public hospitals in the Western Cape with Endocrinology and Infertility Units:
Tygerberg and Groote Schuur: Depending on the couple’s income and other factors, around R6 700 per cycle.
My journey began with a fertility specialist at UCT Private Hospital as a private patient. Many of the specialists who work at UCT Private Hospital charge medical aid rates for their consultations and have access to Groote Schuur’s laboratories and facilities.
I was told at the time (2013) that a few of the private fertility clinics in the province used Groote Schuur’s Endocrinology facilities.
This begs the question: why are fertility clinics taking advantage of couples who are desperate to have children, and is this morally acceptable to the South African public?
Today, 10 years later, at a cost of around R6 000, thanks to the amazing team at Groote Schuur Endocrinology unit, I have twin daughters.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Frozen eggs more efficient than IVF for older women – US study
A fifth of IVF cases in UK are now over-40s women
IVF mis-selling concerns brings fertility treatment guidelines for UK consumers