Prices of hormonal medication in assisted reproduction

When we are given an initial budget for an assisted reproduction treatment, the hormonal medication necessary for the whole process is not usually included. In the end, this makes the whole treatment more expensive and patients find themselves with the surprise of a large outlay of money.

Whether it is an artificial insemination (AI) or an in vitro fertilization (IVF), each stage of the process requires a different type of medication. In addition, the hormonal dose of each drug can vary according to the response of each woman.

For this reason, there is a great variety in terms of the costs of the medication depending on each type of patient.

In this article, we will differentiate each stage of a process of assisted reproduction in order to give an approximate cost. Finally, we will discuss the price differences that exist in the medication between an AI and an IVF.

Below you have an index with all the points that we will discuss in this article.

Index

Prices of hormonal medication in assisted reproduction

1. Ovarian suppression
2. Controlled ovarian stimulation (EOC)
2.1. EOC in AI
2.2. EOC in IVF
3. Induction of ovulation
4. Support of the luteal phase
5. Total price of the AI
6. Total cost of IVF
7. Real case
8. Questions from users
8.1. What is the price of the medication for an artificial insemination or an IVF by the Social Security?
8.2. What is the cost of medication for an IVF with frozen embryos?
9. Recommended reading

Ovarian suppression

The first step before starting a process of assisted reproduction is to inhibit the internal hormonal flow that regulates the menstrual cycle of women. In this way, it is achieved that the ovaries remain at rest to stimulate them with exogenous hormones.

The drugs that achieve this effect are those that contain the GnRH agonist hormone and are listed below:

Cetrotide: approximate price of ? 60 for a vial and ? 250 for 7 vials.
Synarel: approximate price of ? 122.
Procrin: approximate price of ? 31 for a multidose vial.
Decapeptyl: approximate price of ? 24 for 7 ampoules of daily administration.
Orgalutran: approximate price of ? 50 per container of a syringe.

There are more formats of these drugs with higher hormonal dose and, therefore, more expensive. In addition, there are some that are used for short cycles and others for long cycles.

In a long cycle of ovarian stimulation, the medication for ovarian suppression begins to be injected on day 21 of the previous cycle, that is, approximately one week before menstruation. In contrast, in a short cycle the injections are administered on day 6 of the cycle, after the fall of menstruation.

The specialist will be in charge of prescribing the most suitable type of medication for each woman according to their characteristics.

Controlled ovarian stimulation (EOC)

Ovarian stimulation consists of the administration of exogenous gonadotropins to cause a multiple follicular development in the ovary. Gonadotropins are the hormones FSH and LH secreted by the pituitary gland and involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle.

The price difference in the medication of an AI and an IVF treatment lies in this step. The stimulation protocols in an IVF require higher hormonal doses than in AI and, for this reason, the costs of the drugs are higher in in vitro fertilization.

EOC in AI

In an artificial insemination, a gentle stimulation is made so that the ovary develops only one or two follicles. Therefore, to be able to give an approximate price of these drugs, we will be based on the lowest hormonal dose formats:

Gonal: 75 IU dose with an approximate price of ? 32.
HMG lepori: 75 IU dose with an approximate price of ? 16 per vial.
Menopur: dose of 75 IU with an approximate price of ? 132 for 5 vials.
Puregon: the low doses have an approximate price of ? 50 per container.

The patient must bear in mind that, depending on each case, the doctor can prescribe a higher dose of the drug and / or change it during treatment to adapt the ovarian response.

EOC in IVF

Ovarian stimulation in IVF is more aggressive than in AI since several mature follicles are required for follicular puncture. Therefore, the hormonal doses of the drugs are higher and the cost also:

Gonal: 170 ? the dose of 450 IU and 300 ? the dose of 900 IU.
HMG lepori: 75 IU dose with an approximate price of ? 67 for 10 vials.
Menopur: ? 188 for a dose of 600 IU and ? 333 for a dose of 1200 IU.
Puregon: 250 ? the dose of 600 IU and 350 ? the dose of 900 IU.

As happened in artificial insemination, the hormonal doses in IVF can be adapted to the ovarian response during treatment.

Average price of medication in assisted reproduction

Induction of ovulation

Once the follicles have reached the proper size in the ovaries (16-18 mm), it is necessary to inject the hormone hCG about 34 hours before artificial insemination or follicular puncture. This results in the final maturation of the ovules and triggering ovulation.

In the AI, the ovum will be expelled to the fallopian tubes and there will be an encounter with the sperm deposited in the uterus. In contrast, IVF should be scheduled before the puncture to recover the ovules and fertilize them in the laboratory.

The medications used to induce ovulation are the following:

Ovitrelle: approximate price of ? 56.
HCG lepori: approximate price of ? 11 for 4 vials of 2500 IU.

Currently, there is a generalized tendency to establish the Ovitrelle in all the stimulation protocols, since it has a great efficiency.

In Assisted Reproduction ORG we have agreements with Spanish clinics to offer you special prices in fertility treatments, in addition to a first free visit. You can get all the information in the following link: See discounts on assisted reproduction.

Support of the luteal phase

This is the last phase of all the treatments in which we must continue to administer hormonal medication. It is progesterone, a hormone secreted by the ovary after ovulation takes place and which serves as a support for pregnancy.

Progesterone prepares the endometrium to have optimal conditions at the time of embryo implantation. Therefore, it is so beneficial to administer it exogenously, especially when a transfer of frozen embryos takes place or in an oocyte donation.

An example of a drug with active progesterone is Utrogestan, a vaginal ovule that should be administered daily and whose price is ? 10.50 for 15 capsules and ? 42 for 60 capsules.

The duration of treatment with progesterone can last up to 2 or 3 months if the positive in beta-hCG is achieved, according to the indications of each specialist.

Support of the luteal phase

Total price of the AI

In Spain, an artificial insemination can cost around ? 600-1,400 depending on the private clinic. At this initial price, the drugs used and other aspects such as the analysis and freezing of semen should be added later if they are not included.

Regarding medication, the sum of all drugs used as seen throughout this article can vary between ? 60 and ? 480.

This treatment also costs about ? 400 more if donor semen is used.

Total cost of IVF

The cost of IVF in Spain can vary between 3,000 and 5,000 ? without including the medication. This price is independent whether conventional IVF is used or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

If we add the price of the total medication, we find the additional cost of about ? 122 and ? 666.

In addition to this, the cost increases considerably if complementary techniques such as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) are included. In the same way, the price is much higher if semen donation or ovodonation is required.

If you need to resort to egg donation to have a child, we recommend using our custom price calculator. Here you will find the costs and clinics that best suit your situation.

Real case

We know how complicated it is to get an idea of ??the price of medication in assisted reproduction due to the wide variety of types of drugs, medical protocols and price ranges that exist.

Therefore, we want to present the example of one of our patients in a long cycle of IVF, during which he followed the following guidelines:

Ovarian suppression: Procrin from day 21 of the previous cycle and for 19 days. Price: ? 31.
Ovarian stimulation: Puregon 900 from day 2 of the cycle and for 10 days. Price: ? 350.
Induction of ovulation: Ovitrelle 36 hours before the follicular puncture. Price: ? 50
Progesterone: 2 large boxes of Utrogestan for 2 months. Price: ? 84.
Others: contraceptive box during the previous cycle and Zitromax antibiotic to avoid infections on the day of the puncture. Price: ? 20 and ? 8, respectively.

In total, our patient spent about ? 543 on her medication for an IVF treatment that was finally positive.

Hormone medication calendar

Questions from users

The people who carry out a fertility treatment in the Social Security only have to assume part of the cost of the medication or nothing depending on the Autonomous Community. However, waiting lists in the Social Security are very long and, in addition, not all women meet the requirements to access it.

What is the cost of medication for an IVF with frozen embryos?

This would be the case of a substituted IVF cycle, in which it is necessary to do an endometrial preparation before the transfer of the frozen embryos. For this, it is necessary to make an ovarian suppression and administer exogenous estrogens and progesterone. The prices of these drugs are the following:

Ovarian suppression (GnRH analogues): ? 24-250.
Evopad (estrogen patches): 2.50-4., ? 60.
Utrogestan (progesterone ovules): ? 10.50-42.

This would be the same medication that is used in the recipients of an IVF with ovodonation.

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