Financials

Infertility can be very costly. Obviously, this differs depending on insurance coverage and whether one pursues IVF / adoption. But for all of us, infertility is much more financially draining than a "normal" or "easy" pregnancy. Imagine, for a second, one of those easy pregnancies: what costs are involved? Co-pays for regular appointments (maybe not, with ObamaCare!)? Meeting a $500 deductible as the max? Delivery covered? Instead, and thanks to the hot shots in Congress, only expenses over 7.5% of income are deductible - and let's face it, that's hard to reach (especially when infertility spans multiple tax years).

Here's a list of what I can remember us spending since we started having to spend money on TTCing. The expenses began in spring 2011:

Consult with holistic doctor: $250 x 2 (one in March 2011, one in December 2012)
HSG test: $500
Clomid prescriptions: 5 x $22
Progesterone prescriptions: 5 x $10
IUI: 6 x $355
ER trip post-ectopic: $560
Blood draws: probably around $100 total
Ultrasounds, pre-IVF: probably around $1000
Adoption attorney consult: $150
Therapy sessions with first therapist: $60
Therapy sessions with IVF therapist: $100
Acupuncture: over $1000 and counting
IVF consult: $350
Communicable diseases blood tests: $650
Anesthesia for egg retrieval: $567
IVF sperm analysis: $165
IVF classes: $95
IVF medications: $4500
IVF: $10,300
Donor Egg Bank consult: $355
SIS: $700
Donor Egg Bank: $7150
DE meds: $376
Extra ultrasounds: $1600
D&C: still waiting for the bill
Chromosomal testing of fetal material: still waiting for the bill
Karyotpying for me and my husband: still waiting for the bill
A shit-ton of other tests on me: still waiting for those bills
Donor Egg Bank # 2: $7150
DE meds: $450
Extra ultrasounds: $1200

**** We just completed our taxes, and we spent $37,000 on IF costs in 2012 alone, and that doesn't include mileage costs, which are also deductible, of another $2000-3000 ****

And, of course, this doesn't include the emotional costs, which dwarf the financial costs.

And, of course, this doesn't include the emotional costs, which dwarf the financial costs.