IVF and ICSI Costs In South Africa
If you are interested in the cost of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) fertility treatments in South Africa, you will be glad to discover that these proven, safe and highly effective assisted reproductive therapies are available at world class facilities at Cape Fertility, situated in the heart of Cape Town, where we also ensure that quality fertility treatments, including IVF and ICSI, are affordable.
Since it is not possible to provide a simple, one-size-fits-all answer about what the cost of your fertility treatment will be, we provide a better insight about the cost of IVF with ICSI in this article by explaining what IVF and ICSI treatment entails; what the cost of a cycle of IVF treatment with ICSI is; what factors could influence the cost; and how to get affordable treatment here in South Africa.
What IVF treatment entails
IVF is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that has been practiced for more than three decades across the world. It is a safe and trusted medical treatment, and its success rate is impressive.
Very simply stated, during in vitro fertilization the female partner’s eggs are collected and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The embryo is then implanted into the uterus.
While this sounds relatively simple, it is important to understand that IVF is not a single medical procedure or event, but a series of procedures completed over several weeks. From the first day of the cycle to the pregnancy test completed 14 days after the egg retrieval, the entire IVF process spans around 28 days, as briefly explained below.
Treatment usually commences on the Day 1, 2 or 3 of the female partner’s cycle. The first step is taking medications to stimulate the growth of the eggs, and to suppress ovulation. Patients are carefully monitored using blood tests and ultrasound scans, usually starting on Day 8 of the cycle.
The next step in the process is the egg collection. It begins with an HCG injection 36 hours prior to the egg collection procedure, which takes about two hours and is performed under sedation.
On the same day as the egg collection, using a sperm sample from the male partner or donated sperm, and the eggs are fertilized in the lab to form embryos. This is where ICSI comes in, as explained below.
The resulting embryos are grown in the laboratory for three to five days, before they are transferred into the uterine cavity. Depending on your specific circumstances, certain medications may be required. An embryo can take between six and seven days to implant.
After 14 days, a blood test will be performed to check for pregnancy.
What ICSI treatment entails
ICSI is a medical procedure used during the fertilization of the eggs in the lab during IVF treatment, and it is very effective.
As explained above, during conventional IVF treatment the fertilization of the eggs is achieved in an advanced laboratory by mixing the eggs ‘in vitro’ (in glass) with tens of thousands of washed sperm to fertilise the eggs. ICSI replaces this procedure.
Instead of the eggs and sperm being mixed and left to fertilise as with traditional IVF treatment, during ICSI, one sperm is selected and injected directly into the egg using a micromanipulation microscope. This tratment circumvents any possible problems with the sperm penetrating the egg and therefore increases fertilization rates.
Practised safely around the world, ICSI has helped thousands of couples to have their own biological offspring, even in the case of severe sperm problems.
What is the cost of a cycle of IVF treatment with ICSI?
Here at our beautiful purpose-built premises in Cape Town, South Africa, the cost of a cycle of IVF is approximately R65,000 – R75,000 at the time of writing. At Cape Fertility, we do not charge extra for ICSI treatment.
For the current cost estimates, please visit our Costs of Treatment page…
However, knowing these numbers do not always provide a full picture of the costs. The only way to know exactly what your IVF and ICSI treatment will cost is to establish exactly what treatment– or combination of treatments – you will need. This is because the actual cost will depend on the type and amount of medication required and whether additional procedures are necessary.
What factors could influence the cost
Proper fertility treatment is highly individualised; and there are many possible causes of infertility; and many possible treatments and different types of medication that may be required – all of which influences the costs.
As such, the costs can vary considerably from patient to patient. Furthermore, no two couples will need the same combination of treatments or medications. The cost will depend on the amount of medication required and whether additional procedures are necessary.
There are also other factors to consider, such as whether your medical aid will cover some of the costs. Medical aid schemes in South Africa in general do not cover assisted reproduction technologies or treatments like IVF, although some may cover procedures such as surgery required. Members of Discovery Health’s top medical plans now have cover for assisted reproductive therapies including IVF, but subject to many terms and conditions.
There are also options such as finance for fertility treatment and your fertility specialist will be able to provide you with more information.
How to get affordable treatment in South Africa
At Cape Fertility, we ensure quality fertility treatment is affordable, by valuing each individual patient, delivering individualised and personalised care, and always striving for higher success rates.
Every patient’s case is unique and your Cape Fertility treatment plan is a combination of treatments and medications custom-made for you and your partner by your fertility specialist in order to give you the very best chance of a successful pregnancy. Therefore, the costs for your fertility treatment may vary considerably from that of another couple.
Because we value each patient, we spare no effort bringing into play the expertise and experience of our entire team, along with our advanced equipment and facilities, to establish exactly what your unique infertility challenges are and which specific combination of treatments and medications are required for you. In this way, we ensure the costs at our fertility clinic include only the treatments and medications that will give you the very best chance of a healthy pregnancy. We will also assist you with advice regarding medical aid cover and finance.
Importantly, at Cape Fertility, we also always strive for higher success rates, so our patients have a superior chance of success for every treatment cycle they invest in.
To make sure you get IVF and ICSI treatments at the best possible cost, you need an initial consultation with a fertility specialist to determine what the exact cause of your fertility challenges as a couple are – and thus what treatment is the best given your unique circumstances.
Setting up your initial consultation is as simple as contacting us here…
We look forward to providing you with affordable quality fertility treatment, based on individualised and personalised care and higher success rates, at our purpose-built premises in Cape Town, South Africa.