Egg-onomics 101: Costs related to fertility

Egg freezing costs between $12,000 and $30,000 in the United States, and with Milvia, egg freezing will cost you somewhere between $4,400 and $7,400. In this article, we’ll take a look at the breakdown of this cost, taking into account annual storage costs.

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The biggest cost drivers for egg freezing

The biggest expenses are new patient fees, doctors, blood tests, ultrasound scans, medication, the actual egg freezing procedure, and finally, storage – and these are all for one cycle of egg freezing.

Unfortunately, if you’re unable to retrieve enough eggs (which may be due to several reasons, including but not limited to endometriosis or diminished ovarian reserves), you may choose to go through more than one cycle.

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New patient fee

Most clinics charge a new patient fee. This helps clinics cover their overhead charges of enrolling new patients.

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Initial consultation

Once a patient has enrolled, they schedule an initial consultation with a doctor. This consultation is when the doctor walks them through the egg freezing process and the next steps.

The next steps include performing certain blood tests and ultrasound scans based on your personal circumstances and medical history.

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Blood tests

The blood tests performed help doctors understand your hormone levels and ovarian reserve. Some of the most common blood tests are listed below:

• Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) – An AMH test measures levels of anti-Mullerian hormone, which corresponds to a person's egg count
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) – FSH is tested to assess ovarian reserve, predict response to ovarian stimulation, tailor treatment protocols, guide counseling on fertility potential, and determine the optimal timing for the procedure
• Estradiol Hormone (E2) – Estradiol (E2) is tested to provide insight into the maturity and number of ovarian follicles

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of tests your doctor will require you to perform. These are just some of the most common ones you may have encountered.

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Ultrasound scans

The ultrasound scans help doctors understand your egg count in each ovary and the physiology of your pelvis and organs. These scans include:

• Antral Follicle Count (AFC) scan – An AFC scan measures the number of follicles in the ovary. A transvaginal ultrasound (invasive scan) is done to measure how many follicles are there.
• Pelvic ultrasound – A pelvic ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic exam that produces images used to assess the uterus and ovaries and the normality of the cavity.

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Medication

The stimulation medication prescribed to you by your doctor accounts for a large part of the overall cost.

This cost depends on the dosage prescribed to you, which varies from person to person.

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Procedure

The egg freezing procedure cost includes sedatives, the endocrinologist cost, and overheads for the clinic.

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Storage

Storing your eggs is a yearly cost, and it’s reliant upon when you choose to use them! However, rather than undergoing multiple egg freezing cycles due to being older in age, it is much better to pay for storage for a few more years!

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Geography

Geographical location also plays a role in the overall cost of the procedure. One cycle of egg freezing can cost $12,000 in California and $30,000 in Illinois.