In the last year, my husband and I have undergone six intrauterine insemination cycles. Of those six cycles, we’ve had one successful round that unfortunately ended in miscarriage.
What I wish I had known prior to our first appointment, was how much the cost of treatment would be. I turned to good old Google for some research help but came up with very little. When you search the cost of intrauterine insemination (IUI), you get a range of $300-$800. Who can make a budget with that large of a range?
Our numbers are specific to the fertility clinic we go to, but hopefully this can give you a ball park range of what to expect. Here’s the breakdown of our costs for our first round of IUI.
First Consultation
Prior to starting any treatment, you need to schedule a consultation with a physician or physician assistant to go over the best options for your situation. This consultation is in-depth and can last well over an hour. It’s ideal if both you and your partner can be present.
Cost: $227.50
Baseline Ultrasound and Blood Work
A week after our consultation, I went back to our clinic for a baseline ultrasound and blood work. I have a history of ovarian cysts so our doctor wanted to make sure that I wasn’t about to start any treatment with cysts. Regardless of whether or not you have a history of cysts, endometriosis, or any other condition, your doctor will almost always want a baseline ultrasound to make sure everything looks good before starting you on stimulating medication.
Cost: $353.50
My doctor started me on 150mg of Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid). While most insurances do not cover fertility medication, most pharmacies will give you generic clomid on a discount drug program which brings the total down significantly. If you and your doctor decide to do “injectibles”, or medication that is injected into your body, the cost will increase enormously. Injectible medications cost upwards of $1,500 per round. Pro tip, start with the clomid. The side affects are awful but at a savings of $1,400 or more dollars, it’s worth it.
Cost: $24
Cycle Day 14 Ultrasound
Once you’ve finished your stimulating medication, you’ll be brought back to the clinic for an ultrasound. The purpose of this ultrasound is to see how many follicles have developed. For intrauterine insemination, physicians like to see 2-3 follicles 18mm or larger. Hopefully, your first ultrasound will show two or more follicles and you’ll be done with ultrasounds.
If you’re unlucky like I was my first IUI cycle, you’ll have to go back for a second ultrasound to check the growth of the follicles. When your follicles have reached adequate growth, you’ll be given instructions on when to give yourself the trigger shot and when to return to the clinic for insemination.
Cost: $532 ($266 if you only go for one ultrasound)
Trigger Shot
The trigger shot triggers ovulation within 36-48 hours. You or your partner will give the shot at a specified time, typically 36 hours prior to insemination. This is probably the most painful part of the whole process.
Cost: $86.73
Intrauterine Insemination and Sperm Washing
You finally made it to the fun (but not really) part! Your partner will contribute his “sample,” you will fill your bladder to near bursting capacity, and your doctor will then inject your partner’s “washed” sample into your uterus. If all goes well, you’ll conceive a baby sometime in the next few hours. Now begins the dreaded two week wait.
Cost: $350
Pregnancy Tests
The most important part of all of this! It’s finally time to test and see if all that work paid off! I splurge on the First Response tests but there are a number of less expensive tests available.
Cost: $8.99
The total cost for our first round of IUI comes to $1,582.72. If your first round does not work, your second round will become less expensive by eliminating the costs of your consultation and your baseline ultrasound, since those will not be repeated. There is also a possibility that you will need additional testing before you can begin a cycle of fertility treatments. Most insurance companies will cover diagnostic testing leading up to a diagnoses of infertility but check with your provider to be sure.
I hope this helps you ballpark the cost of IUIs. But remember, each situation is different so your costs may vary.
Wow! I thought mine was high but nothing compared to yours. $644 for all procedures (ultrasounds, sperm washing, iui, etc). $18 for 5 days of 100mg clomid & $110 for Pregnyl (hcg trigger shot). The total is $772 for one. Still high but significantly less. Insurance covers nothing. We are on round 2 now ?
Best of luck with round 2! We just started our third round (our first two were successful but ended in miscarriage) and are on our 2nd cycle of this round. My head starts to hurt when I think about how much money we’ve shelled out in the last year and a half on IUIs (9 total so far) and all we have to show for it are more bills (from the miscarriages and genetic testing) and no baby.
-Jess
Which hospital did you use?
OU Reproductive Medicine! We’re currently back there doing an injectible cycle so our costs have doubled (if not tripled) but hopefully it will all be worth it!
Where did you go for this? I live in texas and am looking into this with no partner.
Hi! I go to OU Physicians Reproductive Medicine in Oklahoma City! They’re amazing and I highly, highly recommend seeing them!
What place did you go through
OU Reproductive Medicine! I can not recommend them enough!
Amanda what hospital did you go through
Where did you go for you iui?
Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! I hope it was useful to you or anyone you know going through fertility treatments!
Hey what Hospital did you went to in Oklahoma because I’ve been looking up IUI and trying to figure out which one would be better for me to go to. Like you I been look up on Google. Because I found out my insurance doesn’t cover anything with it.
We go to OU Reproductive Medicine!