A detailed cost analysis of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment

Objective: To provide detailed information about costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment stages and to estimate the cost per IVF and ICSI treatment cycle and ongoing pregnancy. Design: Descriptive micro-costing study. Setting: Four Dutch IVF centers. Patient(s): Women undergoing their first treatment cycle with IVF or ICSI. Intervention(s): IVF or ICSI. Main Outcome Measure(s): Costs per treatment stage, per cycle started, and for ongoing pregnancy. Result(s): Average costs of IVF and ICSI hormonal stimulation were €1630 and €1585; the costs of oocyte retrieval were €500 and €725, respectively. The cost of embryo transfer was €185. Costs per IVF and ICSI cycle started were €2381 and €2578, respectively. Costs per ongoing pregnancy were €10,482 and €10,036, respectively. Conclusion(s): Hormonal stimulation covered the main part of the costs per cycle (on average 68% and 61% for IVF and ICSI, respectively) due to the relatively high cost of medication. The costs of medication increased with increasing age of the women, irrespective of the type of treatment (IVF or ICSI). Fertilization costs (IVF laboratory) constituted 12% and 20% of the total costs of IVF and ICSI. The total cost per ICSI cycle was 8.3% higher than IVF.

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