IVF Costs in Canada Explained
- Kelsi Ribecco
- May 16, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 24
Here it is...The True Cost of IVF in Canada: Breaking Down the Numbers
Why Are People So Afraid to Talk About Money?
💸 Infertility is a real medical condition that affects 1 in 6 Canadians, yet the financial burden of treatment is something that few openly discuss. Maybe if more people talked about money, fewer people would be blindsided by the costs.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), waiting later in life to have children is one of the leading causes of infertility. While there are many other medical reasons for infertility, age-related fertility decline is a growing trend, leading more people to explore options like egg freezing and IVF before it’s too late.
But here’s the harsh reality: If you have this medical condition and can’t afford treatment, you don’t get to have kids. It’s devastating.
👉 Let’s talk about the actual numbers.
The Cost of IVF in Canada
💰 Egg Retrievals: $12K each × 3 rounds = $36K
🧬 PGTA Testing (Genetic Screening) in Round 4: $15K
💊 Medication: Average $4K per round × 4 rounds = $16K
🧊 Frozen Embryo Transfers (FETs): $2K per round + $1-2K for meds × 3 rounds = $8K
🔹 Total Cost Before Coverage: $75,000
If that number seems shocking—it is. And this doesn’t even include additional medical expenses, lost wages, or mental health support needed during the process.
What Coverage Looks Like (For Those Who Have It)
Most people don’t have full IVF coverage for meds. We were fortunate that my husband’s job with Calgary Catholic School Board covered unlimited fertility medications—which is unheard of.
🧮 Our Medication Coverage Reduced Costs By:
💊 Retrieval Meds: -$16K
❄️ Frozen Transfer Meds: -$3K
🏦 Government Tax Return Over Two Years: -$6K
🔹 Total Out-of-Pocket Costs After Coverage: $50,000
But wait… we had to finance the remaining cost with a loan, and loan interest adds up fast.
The Extras PLUS Hidden Costs No One Talks About
Beyond the medical procedures, there are many hidden costs associated with IVF:
✔️ Loan interest: $10K
✔️ Acupuncture, therapy, supplements: $$$
✔️ Lost wages: Multiple days off for appointments
✔️ Travel expenses: If you don’t live near a fertility clinic
✔️ Egg, sperm, or embryo donation: Starts at $30K
✔️ Surrogacy: Even more
🔹 Final Total (Including Interest & Extras): $65,000+
The saddest part? If you can’t afford it, you don’t get to have kids. Meanwhile, people who neglect or abuse their children have them for free. It’s a cruel reality that many of us struggle to accept.
What Needs to Change?
➡️ Infertility Should Be Treated Like Any Other Medical Condition
Infertility is not a lifestyle choice—it’s a disease, as recognized by the WHO. If insurance covers pregnancy complications, birth control, and erectile dysfunction medications, why is fertility treatment still considered an “elective” procedure?
➡️ More Transparency in Fertility Clinics
Did you know that many fertility clinics don’t list their prices online? People go into consultations blind, only to be hit with unexpected costs. Fertility treatment should not be a mystery.
➡️ Better Financial Support
Some provinces, like Ontario, offer limited funding for IVF, but most Canadians have to pay out-of-pocket. Other countries offer better fertility coverage—why doesn’t Canada?
Infertility Doesn’t End When You Have Kids
Even though I’ve had my two babies, infertility trauma doesn’t disappear. Pregnancy announcements still trigger me. We are still paying off our IVF loan. And I still think about all the people who never got to have kids because they couldn’t afford it.
Thank you for reading. 💔 If you know someone struggling with infertility, please share this post. The more we talk about it, the more we push for change.
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