DI Costs
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Having a baby is always a costly affair, and donor insemination is certainly no exception. However, the variables involved in donor insemination can change the cost of the process from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
When starting the donor insemination process, you'll want to check around quite a bit. While cost will not be the only factor in helping you choose a facility to work with, it will be one of the factors. However it's important to be aware of all the things that may bump up the costs. At one clinic many things may be wrapped up in one overall fee, while at another seemingly cheaper facility the add-ons may end up costing more than the clinic you thought too pricey.
Testing
Some clinics will do some preliminary fertility tests on the woman before the insemination process. This may include a hysterosalpingogram to check on the suitability of the fallopian tubes for fertilization. Often a woman will need to purchase home test kits to check on the timing of ovulation, and this make cost only $10-15 a kit, but you may need several of these.
Medications
If a woman needs a little extra boost fertility-wise to up the odds of conception through donor insemination then hormone injections or other medications may be required, along with some testing to check hormone levels. This would add significantly to the costs involved in DI, perhaps several thousand dollars depending on how many cycles it takes to achieve a pregnancy.
Sperm
Vials of washed sperm specially prepared for IUI or intrauterine insemination, generally costs in the range of $150 to $300. Sperm used in ICI or intracervical insemination may be a bit less. Some clinics include the cost of shipping in the fees for the sperm, but not all do. This could add up to $200 to the price.
Sperm Bank Additional Charges
Some clinics charge extra for sperm donors with advanced degrees such as for doctors, PhD's, or lawyers. Others may tack on extra fees for donors who sign identity release agreements. Some may even allow face to face meetings with donors prior to the insemination, or full disclosure of the donor's identity prior to DI, but this may add thousands of dollars to the price.
Physician Charges
Your physician will charge you for the insemination process, and possibly for keeping the sperm frozen and waiting for you, particularly if there are several cycles.
Financial Options
Early in looking into DI, check with your insurance company to see what if any costs associated with donor insemination are covered by your policy. Often fertility clinics or sperm banks may point out some helpful ideas to help you afford the process. Some provide financing or payment options, but check with your local lender to compare loan interest rates and terms to see what might be most affordable.
The Bottom Line
Of course, after looking at the variables involved, the biggest one involved is just how long it takes to achieve a pregnancy. Usually you can expect success within several months, especially for those who do two inseminations per cycle.
Overall, the costs associated with donor insemination range from $900 to $1500 per cycle.
