IVF Cost in India – A Cost Comparison with the USA

With the cost of IVF being the number one barrier to treatment , some people may be curious about the cost of IVF in India.  India, rightfully so, has become a growing hot spot for medical tourists seeking procedures at discount prices. Everything from plastic surgery to in vitro fertilization (IVF) are available in cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and others. Affordable pricing, improving medical facilities, and English-speaking doctors all make treatment in India attractive. Even factoring in travel expenses, the total cost is still well below pricing in many cities in the U.S. and Western Europe. But, how does it compare to the average cost of treatment in the US and CNY Fertility’s $4,500 IVF which is 1/3 the cost of the national average in the United States?

Fast Facts About IVF and the Cost of IVF in India

• In Vitro Fertilization is the process of removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilizing the eggs with sperm in a laboratory. After allowing the embryos to grow in the lab for 3-7 days, one to two embryos are then transferred back into the carrier’s uterus to develop for the remainder of gestation.
• Fertility clinics in India offer IVF at deeply discounted rates when compared to other markets in the U.S. and Europe. The average IVF cost for one cycle of IVF in India ranges from INR 1,00,000 to 3,50000 (approximately $1,317 to $4,610), but this does not include medications, testing, or additional procedures that may be required.
• When adding other often fees for medications and procedures like ICSI and FETs,  the cost may be closer to closer to Rs 60,00,000 to 80,00,000 (approximately $7,867 to $10,400). This does  not include the cost of travel or lodging expenses.
• At CNY Fertility, you’ll pay between $7-8,000 for IVF at one of our US-based clinics when you factor in everything needed for an IVF cycle at CNY (compared to the $20-25,000 range at most other US-based clinics).  This too doesn’t include travel costs, but because most traveling from inside the US to CNY can drive or fight relatively affordable air fair to one of our clinics, we find that most are still able to save nearly $10,000 per IVF cycle compared to the national average. You can learn more about our travel program here.

Cost of IVF in India:

According to several online sources, the cost of IVF in India varies greatly by city with an average somewhere in the $2,500-3,000 range for the most basic IVF package that does not include monitoring, medications, ICSI, FETs, genetic testing, or other add on services that are either necessary for all (like medications and monitoring) or some (like ICSI, FETs and genetic testing).

Base Cost of In Vitro Fertilization in India by City:

Extra Costs Often Not Included in Clinic’s Quote:

Similar to US-based fertility clinics, when quoting IVF costs to patients, clinics in India offer pricing for a very basic, no-frills IVF cycle that doesn’t include many things that may indeed be required in order to do the IVF treatment.

Most basic IVF packages include egg retrieval, sperm preparation, conventional IVF fertilization, and one fresh IVF transfer. These services alone don’t support a viable IVF cycle for many patients. Fertility medications, monitoring, and retrieval anesthesia are necessary for most if not all patients, and there’s often an extra fee associated with each.

True Cost of an IVF Cycle in India:

Still, it’s very much possible that costs exceed our high estimate. For instance, one reputable clinic in India, mentions $7,500 for IVF with ICSI not including monitoring, medications, or any other add ons. With all those other add ons, one could certainly go over $10,000 for a single cycle of IVF.

Cost to Travel:

Most low-cost IVF programs abroad require you be out of the country and away from your home and job for the entirety of the IVF treatment (roughly 3-7 weeks). So, there is the actual cost of travel (airplane), lodging, and meals, but also the added inconvenience of a longer stay, missed work, and safety during your stay. Some cities in India are not as safe as others, which should also be a consideration when choosing a destination for treatment.

And since IVF isn’t always successful the first go around, it may take more than one trip abroad to bring home a baby.

Depending on where you’re traveling from in the U.S. and to in India, travel costs can range quite a bit.  Whether you’ll be staying in a hotel or renting other longer-term lodging also will affect cost. Medical visas are only around $100 per person.

Odds of Success & The Cost of Bringing Home a Baby with IVF in India

There is no cumulative data on the success rate of IVF treatment in India.  Unlike the U.S., India doesn’t have a country-wide mandate that IVF clinics publish their IVF success rates. And there are still ways to manipulate data. Looking at the top 10 fertility centers in India, advertised IVF success rates range from a low of 52% to a high of 70%, and there appears to be some correlation between the clinic’s average cost of IVF and success rate:  the higher the cost (on average), the more successful the clinic, which may mean that clinics using higher level assisted techniques, which are more expensive and add to the cost of the cycle, achieve higher success rates.  Clinics that boast IVF success rates in the 60s and 70s are taking an average and referring to women under the age of 35.   Rates are in the high-40s when considering only own-egg (non-donor) IVF cycles.  In general, IVF success rates in India appear to be on par with the U.S. and the rest the world.

A woman’s age is the single most influential factor in IVF. The CDC reports that a woman under the age of 35 who undergoes IVF has a 39.6% chance of having a baby. A woman over the age of 40 has an 11.5% chance, but techniques and protocols are improving every day to increase success rates for every age group.

The Average Cost to Bring Home a Baby with IVF in India

Although we’ve been focused on the cost of a single round of IVF in India, the truth is that for most couples, it will require more than one round of IVF to get pregnant. According to one study , the “average” couple will need 2.7 IVF cycles (with a median of 2) to achieve a successful outcome. This is an average. For younger couples with fewer complications, the number may be lower. For older couples, it may require more than 2.7 cycles.

With that in mind, it’s likely that the cost to bring home a baby with IVF in India ranges from approximately $10,000 (2.7 x $3760 – our low estimate) and $23,500 (2.7 x $8,720 – our high estimate) plus the cost of multiple multi week trips to India

Affordable IVF in the U.S

While it’s true that IVF in India is significantly cheaper than the average cost of IVF in the U.S., traveling abroad for IVF is outside the comfort zone for many prospective parents and usually becomes an option of last resort. Even with an affordable sticker price, India has safety concerns for travelers, and there are other things to consider such as the risk of counterfeit medications, legal protection if something goes wrong, and complications due to lengthy travel.

Affordable IVF in the U.S. isn’t the unicorn many purport it to be. CNY Fertility has been offering top quality IVF and fertility care at affordable prices to patients for over twenty years.  At CNY Fertility, you’ll pay between $7-12,000 for IVF at one of our US-based clinics when you factor in everything needed, compared to the $20-25,000 range at most other US fertility clinics.

With IVF cycles priced at nearly one-third to one-half of the national average, hopping a plane to Mumbai isn’t required.  Even with some domestic travel (car/plane/train) to one of CNY’s locations for egg retrieval and embryo transfer, most clients still save around $10,000 per IVF cycle over most U.S. fertility clinics.

With savings of this caliber, most couples opting for treatment at CNY Fertility can afford the two IVF rounds needed to bring home a baby for the same cost as one round at a more expensive US clinic.  And CNY’s affordable payment plans that require no credit check make it easy to spread payments out over a couple years so that monthly payments are more budget-friendly.

Learn more about our travel program here.

The Bottom Line

IVF in India is certainly much more affordable than the average cost of IVF here in the United States. Improving medical technologies in India coupled with this cost, certainly makes India an attractive option, particularly for those with roots in India who can stay with relatives or are otherwise planning on traveling back to India.  However, here at CNY Fertility, we provide the highest quality of fertility care at costs similar to those in India and also have a user friendly travel program that allows those doing IVF living far from our office to have a majority of the treatment done near their home that way they only need to travel to our office for a short 2-7 days.

To learn more about IVF, Donor Egg IVF, Egg Freezing, or other fertility treatments at CNY you can call our office at 844-315-2229 or schedule a consultation here.