HL Deb 14 May 1998 vol 589 c131WA
Lord Alton of Liverpool

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the average cost of fertility treatment for an infertile couple. [HL1787]

Baroness Jay of Paddington

It is not possible to calculate an average cost of fertility treatment for an infertile couple, since the needs of couples vary greatly. Treatment for infertility ranges from counselling in primary care settings to drug treatments and complex procedures such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Costs per couple will vary accordingly. We have however estimated the National Health Service costs of some of the procedures. These are set out as follows:

Procedure Cost
Tests/initial investigations £250-£800 per couple
Drug treatments £250-£600 per cycle
In-vitro fertilization/intra cytoplasmic sperm injection £2,000-£3,000 per cycle
Donor insemination £600-£1,000 per cycle
Surgery for ovulation factors or tubal damage £1,000-£1,500 per person

Note:

Estimates derived from information supplied by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the National Infertility Awareness Campaign.