13 of every 100 couples in the US have fertility problems and over 2 percent of all children are born with the help of ART every year, according to the US CDC. IVF is expensive, and many patients travel overseas in pursuit of affordable IVF. The cost of IVF in Mexico is almost a third of that in the US or Canada but how is that possible?
Low-cost IVF in Mexico is possible because of the lower rents, lower wages of doctors and staff, cheaper medications, affordable food, lodging, and everything else that is priced moderately.
How much can you save by doing IVF in Mexico?
| Treatment | Average cost in the US | Cost in Mexico | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVF | $25,000 | $7,999 | 68% |
| Donor egg IVF (incl donor fee) | $40,000 | $10,500 | 74% |
| IVF with PGT | $35,000 | $11,000 | 69% |
Our IVF doctors in Mexico will provide you a complete timeline so you can plan your work and other commitments and make travel arrangements accordingly.
What is covered in the package cost?
Our IVF packages in Mexico cost between $4,350 and $8,500.
The packages typically include:
- Stimulation medication
- Follicular monitoring and ultrasound
- Doctor’s fee
- Anesthesia charges
- Oocyte retrieval
- ICSI and embryo creation
- Blastocyst culture upto day 5
- Assisted hatching (if applicable)
- Embryo transfer procedure
- Vitrification of remaining embryos and one-year storage fee
ESCO MiriTL incubator (to closely monitor to growing embryos) is also included in this price, if it is available.
For genetic testing with IVF, you can expect to pay an additional $3,500. Our Mexico IVF clinics use Cryotec—the most advanced technology for embryo freezing and thawing.
Why is the cost of IVF in Mexico so low?
- Low cost of living: The overall economic difference in the US and Mexico are no secret and the lower cost of living in Mexico means that everything from food to healthcare costs less. Medical costs in America are among the highest in the world. According to a report by the Peter G Peterson Foundation, per capita healthcare costs in the US are almost three times the average cost in other developed countries.
- Medical education debt: Over 80 percent of the doctors in the US, graduate with an average debt of $241,600 in medical loans, according to Education Data. Paying off this loan is the primary concern for half of American doctors. Eventually these loans are paid off by transferring the costs to the patients, their employers, and insurance companies. In Mexico, as in many other parts of the world, medical education is almost free at free public universities and private universities have a much lower tuition fee.
- Doctor and staff salaries are lower: Mexican doctors earn don’t earn nearly half as much as their American counterparts. Same applies for nurses and administrative staff, who, given the lower costs of everything in the country, earn only a fraction of people in similar jobs in the US.
- Malpractice insurance: Doctors in Mexico do not order expensive, unnecessary investigations and tests in preparation of defending themselves against possible lawsuits. They don’t need to purchase expensive malpractice insurance and there’s also no need for additional staff members for these operations including billing insurance companies, managing patient inflow and outflow from the doctor’s office, providing witnesses, or handling a complex system.
- Lesser corporate involvement: It is common for physicians in Mexico to be the owners of their medical facilities, which means large corporate entities are not running the clinic as a ‘business’ and extracting big chunks of profits.
This allows the savings to be passed on to you, the patient, who is paying the doctor for his medical expertise and time, but not for the corporate businesses and their large marketing budgets.
Considering all this and the fact that healthcare is one of the reasons why 1.5 million American expats choose to live in Mexico (according to the US State Department), should give you confidence.
Is getting IVF in Mexico safe?
Private hospitals in Mexico offer excellent standards of care, says Monica Rix Paxson, a science and medical researcher and the author of the 4th edition of The English Speaker’s Guide to Medical Care in Mexico.
Besides Mexico, many Asian and European countries also offer IVF treatment at much lower costs for the same reasons.
Some of the most experienced doctors in other parts of the world are able to offer these reasonable costs despite having extensive research, a large client base, and much higher success rates in IVF, because the cost of everything is lower in their part of the world.
Infact, we work with JCI-accredited clinics and doctors with over four decades of experience to allow you to avail quality IVF services starting $6,500.
How about low-cost IVF in the US?
Uncharacteristically cheap IVF in countries like the US has met with concerns from intending parents. A couple complained they had been billed for $45,000 after being promised very low costs, while another one simply called it a “scam”.
When you’re being offered unusually large discounts in a country known for expensive healthcare, it is imperative to dig deeper and ensure you’re not compromising on anything.
If you find a good, affordable clinic and reliable doctor for IVF in your own city, there is no reason to look elsewhere, but if pricing concerns are forcing you to settle for the cheapest IVF in the US, you’d be better off considering Mexico’s best, even if it costs the same.
How to find the right IVF doctor in Mexico?
Traveling for IVF is not just to save money; we place a lot of importance on the right diagnosis as any problem can be resolved only if it is well-understood.
Some of our clients, who failed over 10 cycles of IVF in eight years and traveled all around the world for IVF, were able to find the right doctor with Infertility Aide.
Get tested, understand your own bodies, study the possible causes of infertility, and prepare a list of questions for the doctor. See how you feel during your first consultation.
- Is the doctor being honest and eager to help?
- Is he/she pleasant to approach?
- Is the doctor respectful or your time and situation?
- Are your questions answered well?
- Are the costs clearly provided in writing?
While treatment cost is a major consideration, IVF involves multiple trips to the clinic and hormonal injections to your body. It is not something you want to do over and over again.
Remember: the easiest way to save money of IVF, is to go into it with the highest chances of success. So, do your due-diligence and find a service that is committed to helping you succeed in IVF.
Find and connect with some of the top fertility experts in the world and get your treatment plan and quote for IVF.
References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reproductive health FastStats: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/infertility.htm
- Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Per Capita Healthcare Costs — International Comparison: https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0006_health-care-oecd
- Education Data, Average Medical School Debt: https://educationdata.org/average-medical-school-debt
- US Department of State: https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35749.htm
- Monica Rix Paxson, The Cost of Medical Care in Mexico: Expats in Mexico
Reviewd by: Dr. Meenakshi, PhD