IVF could be cause of financial distress for some couples.

About 70% American women who resort to IVF to have a child go into debt. According to a small survey reported in the Wall Street Journal, 44% borrow more than US$10,000.

“Why all this debt? IVF is expensive. Each treatment can cost $15,000 to $20,000, and for most women, health insurance doesn’t cover it. More than 80% of the women in Prosper’s survey underwent at least two IVF treatments, or ‘cycles.’”

The imperative to have a child is so great that women are deferring other important expenditure, including buying a home, to pay for fertility treatment.

“If treatment costs don’t fall, they could become a big source of financial stress for the growing ranks of Americans putting off families to achieve some modicum of security. Before saving for Junior’s college education, couples may need to save up to have Junior himself.”

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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