The Cost of ICSI Treatment In South Africa

 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer about what the cost of fertility treatment such as IVF or ICSI will be for a specific couple. This is because the fertility treatment or combination of fertility treatments required by each couple depends on the unique fertility challenges faced by the couple, and the type and amount of medication required and additional procedures that are necessary.

However, understanding where ICSI fits into a fertility treatment plan, as well as the factors that can influence the cost of treatment, will provide better insight into the potential costs for your ICSI treatment and how you can ensure you get the most affordable treatment available.

What is ICSI?

ICSI is a revolutionary medical process that makes it possible for nearly every man to have his own biological child, even in the case of severe sperm problems. Practised safely around the world for decades, ICSI has helped thousands of couples to have their own biological offspring.

However, it is important to understand that ICSI is not a stand-alone treatment, but rather a medical procedure used during a cycle of In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF treatment, and it is very effective.

Like ICSI, IVF is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART). It is also a safe and trusted medical treatment, and its success rate is impressive.

In the simplest terms, during IVF, the female partner’s eggs are collected and are then fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The resulting fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then implanted into the woman’s uterus, where it will hopefully become a pregnancy. This sounds quick and simple, but in reality, IVF treatment actually takes places over several weeks, during which a number of medical procedures are completed.

In certain cases, such as severe sperm abnormalities, ICSI is used during the fertilization of the eggs in the lab during IVF treatment.

During conventional IVF treatment, fertilization is achieved in an advanced laboratory by mixing the eggs with tens of thousands of washed sperm ‘in vitro’ (in glass).

ICSI replaces this procedure. So, instead of simply mixing the eggs and sperm and allowing fertilisation to take place naturally as in traditional IVF treatment, during ICSI, one sperm is selected by an experienced embryologist using state-of-the-art equipment, and is injected directly into the egg using a micromanipulation microscope. This prevents any possible problems with the sperm penetrating the egg and therefore increases fertilization rates.

Factors that will influence the cost of ICSI

At Cape Fertility, we believe in making quality fertility treatment affordable, so we do not charge extra for ICSI treatment. However, many other clinics may have a separate cost for IVF without ICSI, and another for IVF with ICSI.

As ICSI forms part of the IVF process, among the most important factors when understanding the cost of ICSI is the cost of the IVF treatment. At our purpose-built premises in Cape Town, South Africa, the cost of a cycle of IVF is approximately R70,000 – R80,000 at the time of writing (2023). (For the current cost estimates, please visit our Costs of Treatment page…

While this provides an indication of the potential costs, it is still not a full picture of the costs for any specific couple.

This is because proper fertility treatment is highly individualised. No two couples will need the same combination of treatments or medications. 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 a result, the costs of fertility treatment can vary considerably from one couple to the next.

The actual cost will depend on the type and amount of medication required and whether additional procedures are necessary. As a result, 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.

How to get ICSI at the best possible cost

To make sure you get IVF and ICSI treatments at the best possible cost, you need an initial consultation with a fertility specialist, who will be able to determine what the exact cause of your fertility challenges as a couple are – and what treatment is the best given your unique circumstances.

Another factor that will play a large role in the cost of ICSI treatment is 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 or ICSI, 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 and ICSI, but this is subject to many terms and conditions. The only way to be certain what your medical aid scheme will cover is to ask the company to confirm in writing which costs related to the treatments required will be covered.

Fertility treatments can also be funded within the private sector. This may be, for example, a personal loan, or finance available for fertility treatment through companies such as MediFin, which works with registered doctors, dentists, plastic surgeons and fertility specialists registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and also offers finance specifically for pregnancy and fertility. Your fertility specialist will be able to provide you with more information.

Where to get ICSI treatment

At Cape Fertility, we make sure that quality fertility treatment is also affordable. We do this by valuing each individual patient, delivering individualised and personalised care, and always striving for higher success rates.

Because we value each patient, we spare no resources – from the expertise and experience of our entire team to our advanced equipment and facilities – to establish exactly which specific combination of treatments and medications are required for you.

We know that every couple’s case is unique. For this reason, your Cape Fertility specialist will customise for you a unique fertility treatment plan that includes a combination of treatments and medications specifically for you and your partner, to give you the very best chance of a successful pregnancy.

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.

To make sure you get ICSI and IVF treatments at the best possible cost, we invite you to contact 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.