It’s no secret that IVF is time-consuming, physically and emotionally draining, and expensive. The average cost for one IVF cycle ranges from $15,000 to $30,000, and so far only 20 states have passed laws mandating some kind of fertility insurance coverage, 14 of which actually include IVF. In fact, the cost of fertility treatments is the number one factor that prevents those who are struggling to conceive from pursuing the family of their dreams. This shouldn’t be the case. No one should have to go broke while trying to pay for IVF.  How to Pay...

If you’re reading this, then you probably know that getting pregnant isn’t always as easy as we were told it would be in middle school Sex Ed class. Not only that, the fertility treatments that are often needed when pregnancy doesn’t come easily can be extremely cost-prohibitive.  Currently, only 20 states offer some type of mandated fertility coverage, which means they’ve passed laws that hold private insurance responsible for either covering or offering some variation of fertility testing, diagnosis, or treatment. But not all mandated fertility coverage is created equal, as these states are able to...

To some, it sounds obvious: of course you should talk about whether or not you want kids with the person you’re going to commit to for the rest of your life. But believe it or not I’ve known several people who got married or committed before having the discussion, and they had very different answers and ideas about what they wanted.   With infertility on the rise, it’s not just should we have kids — the conversation becomes a long list of when, how, and for how long will we try, how we feel about different...

Navigating infertility is a layered experience that stretches you and a partner pretty thin. On the same day that you could be processing unmet grief, you may also have to Google, “Does my state mandate my insurance to cover more than one round of IVF?”  Across the United States, for instance, for 1 in 5 women who are unable to get pregnant after a year of trying, the reality of infertility is ever-present — emotionally, physically, and financially.   Forbes found that the cost of a single IVF cycle can range from $15,000 to $30,000 for...

Whether or not to take a break from IVF is a heavy question. For one, it implies a worst-case scenario: your IVF cycle didn’t end well, which, after months of preparation and countless tests and procedures, is devastating.  This question also takes into account several aspects of your well-being, from the emotional to the physical. Are back-to-back IVF cycles a good idea for you physically? How about emotionally? What about financially? Let’s dive into it.  The Timeline What are back-to-back IVF cycles? IVF cycles are considered back-to-back, or continuous, if they are administered with just...

The idea that the modern woman can have it all — a career and a family, a fulfilling professional and personal life — is a foundational discussion in female fertility.  Women are constantly faced with a false either/or choice of having a career or a baby and reminded of their ticking “biological clock” and how they have to race to build a family before it’s too late.  However, the relationship between money, career, and fertility is much more complicated than that and there is a myriad of factors that influence women’s fertility decisions. Family Planning...