The cost of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is not very expensive if compared to other reproductive techniques. This is due to the simplicity of the procedure, which makes in painless, and does not require the use of specific instruments.
Depending on the fertility clinic that you choose to carry out the treatment and the type of insemination you undergo, the cost will vary, as we will see in the following sections.
In addition, it is important to consider whether all the steps and/or tests required during artificial insemination are included in the initial budget.
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Fees included in the cost of IUI
The costs associated with intrauterine insemination vary depending on the type of insemination you are undergoing.
Approximately, these would be the current price ranges that can be found in Spain:
- Artificial Insemination by Husband (AIH): between 700 and 1.100€ approximately.
- Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID): between 1.000 and 1.700€ approximately.
Costs of artificial insemination in the United States
Artificial insemination prices vary depending on the country where the treatments are performed.
In the United States, artificial insemination costs between $300 - $1,000 without insurance. However, if artificial insemination is performed with donor sperm, the price increases by 900 dollars.
Before starting any fertility treatment, it is important for the woman or couple to be sure about the tests, techniques, and other factors that are included in the initial quote given by the clinic since there are many processes that must be paid for separately.
Below, we are going to detail what is usually included in the IAC and IAD budgets, although each center has its variations.
What is included in the price of the IAC?
Generally, the initial quotation for conjugal artificial insemination, that is, with the couple's sperm, usually includes the following:
- Visits to monitor ovarian stimulation and perform AI at the most fertile time, i.e. the time closest to ovulation.
- Examinations and laboratory tests during the treatment.
- Semen processing.
- Intrauterine artificial insemination.
- Pregnancy test.
On the other hand, the processes that are not usually included in any TSI budget are the following:
- Diagnostic tests prior to treatment, such as hysterosalpingography
- Medication for controlled ovarian stimulation.
- Semen freezing if necessary.
If you would like to know more about DAI, we invite you to access this link: What is intrauterine insemination (IUI) with partner's sperm?
What is included in the price of Donor IUI?
The price of donor artificial insemination is higher than when the partner's sperm is used since it is necessary to pay the expenses derived from the sperm donation.
Therefore, the initial budget for DAI is higher and usually includes, in addition to what is mentioned in the previous section, the following services:
- Financial compensation of the sperm donor
- Analyses required on the sperm donor, including serology, semen analysis, karyotype, etc.
- Semen donor's financial compensation.
- Thawing and processing of the sperm.
One of the tests that is not included in this price and that nowadays is very fashionable is the genetic compatibility test to find the most suitable donor and ensure that it does not share recessive genetic mutations with the recipient woman.
In addition, if the woman or couple would like to reserve more sperm samples from the same donor to have a second child in the future, they would also have to pay the necessary costs for this separately.
Assisted procreation, as any other medical treatment, requires that you rely on the professionalism of the doctors and staff of the clinic you choose. Obviously, each clinic is different. Get now your Fertility Report, which will select several clinics for you out of the pool of clinics that meet our strict quality criteria. Moreover, it will offer you a comparison between the fees and conditions each clinic offers in order for you to make a well informed choice.
Since there is much variation between clinics in terms of the services that are and are not included in the total cost of artificial insemination, it is always recommended to carefully review the budget and ask the staff of the center all the doubts about it.
Finally, it is important to emphasize that, in both AIH and DAI, the cost of the necessary hormonal medication is never included. If you would like to read more in-depth information about DAI, we recommend reading this article: Donor intrauterine insemination: What is it and how much is it?
Ovarian stimulation medications
When inseminating the patient, the specialist must be very careful that it is done on the same day she ovulates. Doing this increases the chances for the egg-sperm binding to occur and, therefore, for pregnancy to be possible.
In order to be able to monitor the menstrual cycle and get specific information about the exact ovulation moment, the patient is prescribed hormone medications. This stage is known as ovarian stimulation since it allows multiple eggs to mature aside from regulating the cycle.
Since fertilization happens in the female reproductive tract as in natural fertilization, the dosage prescribed should be as low as possible. By doing this, we make sure that only one or two eggs mature. In short, this allows us to increase the success rate without rising the multiple pregnancy chances.
In total, the stimulation phase can last 8-10 days and is based on self-administering hormone medications (GnRH analogs and gonadotropins) subcutaneously. When the process finishes, the woman is given hCG hormone to trigger ovulation (the so-called hCG shot).
The dosage, as well as the type of medication, used vary depending on the particularities of each case, including age, the morphology of the ovaries, ovarian reserve, response to medications, etc. All these factors are determinants when it comes to establishing a medication protocol.
Also, based on the medication protocol indicated by your doctor, the cost of the treatment will be different. In any case, the approximate fees for fertility drugs used in IUI cycles range between 100 and 600€ in Spain.
Differences between IUI and IVF
Artificial insemination is a much more economical treatment than in vitro fertilization (IVF).
As explained above, during an IUI procedure the woman receives mild ovarian stimulation. This makes the cost of IUI cheaper in comparison with IVF, where the dosage administered is greater.
Other aspects that make the cost of IUI lower than that of IVF is the need for surgery and anesthesia.
Intrauterine insemination is a painless procedure, hence the fact that anesthesia is not required. Also, no special instruments or equipment is necessary. In fact, it is typically carried out at the doctor's office.
Finally, with IVF, embryo culture is needed, which increases the cost of the treatment to a large extent.
For more information on this topic, we recommend the following article: What differences exist between artificial insemination and IVF?
FAQs from users
What factors influence the price of AI?
Artificial insemination is one of the treatments that is closest to a natural cycle, so its price is lower than other more complex treatments such as fertilization, for example. For an artificial insemination, the cost may depend on several factors:
- Whether it is a natural cycle or a stimulated cycle
- the artificial insemination can be done following the natural cycle of the patient and performing the insemination itself at the time of ovulation, or with a stimulated cycle with injections of FSH and LH hormones. In case of a stimulated cycle, the patient should expect the cost of the medication.
- The number of ultrasounds you will have to perform
- although it will depend on the center. There are fertility clinics where the control ultrasounds are free of charge. Some patients will need 3-4 control ultrasounds, and others a little more, depending on follicular development.
- Whether it is with partner or donor sperm
- artificial insemination can be performed with partner sperm or donor sperm. The second option will involve an extra cost as it will involve the selection of a donor, devitrification and preparation of the sperm on the day of insemination.
- If the patient needs a second insemination
- in some cases, the patient chooses to have two inseminations in the same cycle: one to be performed a few days before ovulation, and one at the induced time for ovulation.
In any case, the important thing will be to know in advance the techniques and the costs of each technique during a first fertility visit.
What is the approximate cost of the medication to perform an AI?
Normally when we undergo Artificial Insemination (AI) we use three types of drugs.
The first one is a gonadotropin (follitropin alpha, biosimilar follitropin alpha, follitropin beta, menotropin...) whose approximate cost adjusted to the dose of artificial insemination would be around 200 € (10 days of treatment). Its function would be the growth of follicles. In the case of artificial insemination, the objective is a single follicle of adequate growth, therefore the doses used are low (approximately 75 IU).
Secondly, we need a medication that triggers ovulation when follicular growth is optimal (called Ovitrelle), whose approximate cost would be around 60 €. It is estimated that a follicle has reached optimal follicular growth to trigger ovulation, when it measures 18-22 mm.
Thirdly, it may be necessary (although not in all cases of artificial insemination) to inhibit ovulation during the treatment, so that it does not occur before the end of the treatment. This last drug is called an antagonist and its approximate cost is about 200 € (5 days of treatment).
How much does in vitro insemination cost?
It is important to distinguish between artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization and not to confuse both techniques. It is common to mix both nomenclatures but this is erroneous. The term "in vitro insemination" to refer to artificial insemination does not exist. In vitro refers to the laboratory and in AI fertilization takes place in the woman's body.
Therefore, we cannot talk about the price of "in vitro insemination" but must distinguish between the cost of artificial insemination and the cost of in vitro fertilization.
Artificial insemination can cost between 700 and 1700 Euros, depending on the type of insemination, the reproduction clinic and the conditions of each patient. On the other hand, IVF costs between 2500 and 12,000 euros, depending on whether it is performed with the patient's own or donated gametes, whether complementary techniques such as PGD are used, the situation of each couple, etc.
Is the cost of donor sperm included in IUI quotations?
Normally, quotations for intrauterine insemination with donor sperm include all costs derived from the use of donor sperm, that is, the screening process as well as the financial compensation.
It is possible that some clinics do not include it in the total cost, although it is rare.
Is the cost of a second or third IUI attempt lower?
It depends on each clinic and the IUI programs they offer. Some offer special plan that include a limited number of attempts without additional costs, while others offer guaranteed pregnancy packages. You should ask this question to your clinic.
Is IUI cheaper if you are a single mother?
No, in general, the cost of IUI does not vary based on the family type.
Is artificial insemination included in Social Security?
Yes, artificial insemination is one of the processes included in the public health system in Spain. Both conjugal and donor artificial insemination are performed. The only point is the access to this treatment for single mothers and lesbian couples, since not all communities offer this service to women without a male partner. In addition, it is very likely that the woman or couple will have to pay for donor sperm in the case of IUI.
Suggested readings
If you are interested in reading more about the prices of fertility treatments in general, do not miss the following post: Overview of the Main Costs of Fertility Treatments.
On the other hand, if you need help selecting a suitable fertility clinic, you will find some interesting recommendations here: Things to Consider when choosing the right Fertility Clinic for You.
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References
Kyling, N. P. (1989). La inseminación artificial y su posible reglamentación a través de un instrumento internacional. Revista Chilena de Derecho, 523-532.
Taboada, L. (1986). La maternidad tecnológica: de la inseminación artificial a la fertilización in vitro (Vol. 4). Icaria Editorial.
Arroyo Vieyra, O., Ortiz Elias, F., Venegas Flores, R., Montoya, L., Verez Ruiz, J., Stern Colin y Nunes, J., & Gutierrez Najar, A. (1995). Comparación de dos técnicas de inseminación artificial.(Perfusión tubárica de esperma e inseminación intrauterina). Ginecol. obstet. Méx, 514-7.
Mendivelso, S. J. (2000). ACEPTABILIDAD DE LA INSEMINACIÓN ARTIFICIAL Y EL ALQUILER DE VIENTRES EN SERES HUMANOS EN COLOMBIA. Iter Ad Veritatem, 1(1).
Aller, J., Del Giudice, M., Barany, A., Vianello, F., Palacios, A., De Faro, I., & Recover, P. (1987). Inseminación artificial con donante experience de 182 casos. Rev. obstet. ginecol. Venezuela, 187-90.
Montes Blanco, J. M., Barrie Durán, J., & Rivera Pérez, J. (1986). Técnica de la inseminación artificial. Rev. cuba. obstet. ginecol, 27-34.
FAQs from users: 'What factors influence the price of AI?', 'What is the approximate cost of the medication to perform an AI?', 'How much does in vitro insemination cost?', 'Is the cost of donor sperm included in IUI quotations?', 'Is the cost of a second or third IUI attempt lower?', 'Is IUI cheaper if you are a single mother?' and 'Is artificial insemination included in Social Security?'.
Authors and contributors
More information about Cristina Algarra Goosman
Hi, I have been thinking about becoming a mother for a few years, I don’t have a partner and I think that artificial insemination with a donor would be ideal for me.
Can you tell me the price in Fresno, California?
Hello Jessica32,
If you have already made the decision to become a single mother, you need to resort to an assisted reproduction technique using donor sperm. I recommend you check our Clinic directory to find the clinics closest to your area. Once you have chosen a few I encourage you to come in and request a consultation, they will be able to give you a quote more tailored to your needs. From InviTRA we recommend you visit 2 or 3 clinics to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Best of luck!