Cost of IVF in Nigeria

 Key takeaways:

• In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a form of assisted reproductive technology that involves fertilizing an egg with a sperm outside the human body, usually in a laboratory dish or test tube.
• IVF costs about 600,000 to 1,800,000 naira per cycle in Nigeria. The cost varies from hospital to hospital.
• The total cost of IVF depends on different factors, such as age, medications to take, number of cycles, and the IVF center.

Childbirth and fertility issues are among the most common reasons people visit the hospital. About 10–30% of couples in Nigeria are affected by infertility, and it remains one of the most common reasons people with uteruses see their gynecologists.

Recent improvements in medical technology have made it easier for doctors to treat fertility problems and help couples increase their chances of having a child by using assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF helps people get pregnant faster by retrieving an egg from a woman's ovary and then fertilizing the egg with sperm elsewhere outside the human body.

The cost of doing IVF in Nigeria is expensive for the average person. However, you may be able to cut costs if you visit more affordable fertility clinics or centers sponsored by the government or NGOs. For instance, the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IIF) is an NGO that provides grants for couples that require fertility treatment. They partner with reputable fertility clinics in Nigeria and can provide you with financial support for the treatment.

This article will talk about what IVF is, how much it costs in Nigeria, and the treatment cost breakdown. It will also explore the procedure for IVF treatment, as well as who needs IVF treatment.

 Cost of IVF in Nigeria

One cycle of IVF costs about N600,000 to N1,800,000 in Nigeria. This IVF cost varies in Nigeria because different clinics charge differently for the procedure depending on their expertise, location, and cost of operations.

Aside from differences between IVF centers, the total cost of IVF in Nigeria also depends on other factors like the age of the people involved, the number of IVF cycles they will be carrying out, and the medications they may need to take alongside the procedure.

 IVF treatment cost breakdown for Nigeria

Below is a breakdown of the IVF treatment costs and other things that could add to the cost of your IVF treatment in Nigeria:

 Number of cycles

IVF success rate has significantly improved over recent years. Still, not everyone records success after one cycle of treatment. Some people may have to go for multiple rounds before getting pregnant. According to a 2016 study, about 29.5% of people gave birth after the first cycle, while up to 65.3% achieved a live birth by the 6th cycle. These figures were higher for people younger than 40.

The more IVF cycles you do, the higher your treatment cost. Since a cycle of IVF in Nigeria costs up to N600,000, if you go for two rounds, you will pay double the cost of one cycle.

However, some clinics require that you pay for up to three cycles with a discount. This arrangement favors people who are unable to achieve pregnancy after the first and second rounds. But, if you got pregnant with the first or second round, you will most likely not get any refund.

You need to discuss the IVF cost with your clinic and also make arrangements with them on how to pay. Some clinics may not require you to make all payments upfront.

 Drugs

Drugs are also important in IVF treatment and cannot be neglected or skipped. Your healthcare team will know the best medications to prescribe for you. However, you should be ready to foot the bills. The medications needed for your IVF treatment can cost as much as N400,000 or more in Nigeria.

 Diagnostics tests

Before an IVF treatment, some tests like ovarian reserve testing, semen analysis, infectious disease screening, and gynecological endoscopy (an invasive procedure that doctors use to access the female body and diagnose disorders) may be carried out.

The various tests help to ascertain the exact cause of infertility and check for other things that might hinder the success of the IVF treatment. Some IVF clinics may include the cost of the tests in the total amount you will pay, while others may charge you differently.

 Donors and surrogates

The cost of IVF treatment in Nigerian fertility clinics typically increases if the couple needs a third party, like a surrogate or donor. A donor is someone who will donate an egg or sperm that will be used for the treatment. A donor may be needed if the person involved is older than 40.

However, there are exceptional cases where reproductive endocrinologists and embryologists will go ahead and use eggs and sperm from older adults. But, this is often after they have carried out some tests to ensure that the adults are still viable, their eggs or sperm are still of good quality, and they can accomplish fertilization.

A donor may also be needed if the woman's health makes it impossible to use her own eggs or if the man can't make enough healthy sperm.

Where the woman is unable to carry the pregnancy to term due to a health condition, a surrogate can help. However, none of these services are free. They add additional costs to the IVF treatment.

 Age

Age is important when it comes to natural childbirth. The same applies to the use of assisted reproductive technology. Younger people between the ages of 25 and 30 have higher success rates with IVF than older people.4

People older than 40 may be advised to use eggs from a donor because, at menopause, the body produces so little estrogen that the ovaries may no longer be able to release eggs.

Using an egg from a donor would incur additional charges, as you may have to pay for the egg and the extraction procedure.

 Extra procedure

In some cases, additional procedures might be needed during an IVF treatment, which incurs an extra cost.

Some extra procedures include draining excess fluid in the ovary, laparoscopy, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), testicular sperm extraction, assisted hatching, etc.

 Who needs an IVF treatment?

IVF treatment helps couples with fertility issues who find it hard to conceive. You might need to undergo an IVF procedure if you have any of these conditions:

• A damaged or blocked fallopian tube
• Endometriosis
• Reduced ovarian function
• Low sperm count, resulting in infertility
• Uterine fibroids
• Abnormal sperm shape
• Unexplained infertility
• Cancer or other illnesses that can affect fertility

If you are over 40 years old and want to have a baby, you may need to undergo IVF treatment, as your chances of getting pregnant are lower than those of younger people.

 Procedure for IVF treatment

The procedure for IVF treatment may differ a bit depending on the fertility center you are using, but they are mostly similar. A successful IVF treatment often involves the following five steps:

 1. Ovarian stimulation

To increase the chances of success, you will need to use multiple eggs for the IVF treatment. However, a person can only release one egg during one ovulation cycle. This is why your reproductive endocrinologist will introduce ovarian stimulation.

The goal of this procedure is to enable the retrieval of multiple eggs from the ovaries during a single IVF cycle. Your healthcare team will run different tests and use ultrasound to monitor the production of eggs and track when to retrieve the eggs.

 2. Egg retrieval or follicular aspiration

This is a surgical procedure carried out to retrieve an egg from the ovary. Before the retrieval, you may be put to sleep. Then, using an ultrasound, your doctor will pass a needle into the follicle, which contains the egg, to suction out the egg.

 3. Insemination

During this stage, the healthiest sperm are combined with the best-matured eggs and incubated overnight. The incubation can be done in a petri dish or any other laboratory vessel to enable fertilization.

 4. Embryo culture

This is still part of the fertilization process, which involves the initial developmental stages of the fertilized egg. At this stage, the IVF experts will monitor the fertilized eggs closely. They will check if the fertilized eggs are properly dividing and developing. The experts will also carry out a test on the fertilized embryo to check for any genetic conditions.

 5. Embryo transfer

Three to five days after fertilization, the embryo is considered big enough for transfer to the uterus. During embryo transfer, the doctor will put a thin tube (called a catheter) through your vagina, cervix, and uterus. With the thin tube (catheter), the embryo will be gently dropped into your uterus.

If the procedure worked, the embryo would have attached to the wall of the uterus in 6 to 10 days, and your pregnancy journey would have begun.

 Wrap up

IVF is a type of assisted reproductive technology that has a high chance of success, especially for people younger than 35. However, the cost of IVF in Nigeria is high for the average man. Having an insurance plan that covers the procedure and using more affordable fertility clinics or clinics that have sponsors can help you cut some costs.

Even though IVF has helped a lot of couples achieve pregnancy, it is not without some possible risks. Some common risks associated with IVF include ovarian hyperstimulation, which causes excessive fluid accumulation and results in swollen abdomen and feet; miscarriage; ectopic pregnancy; bleeding; infection; multiple pregnancies; bladder damage; and premature birth.

That said, inquire about any IVF center you want to use before using it. Ensure that you conduct a background check and ascertain the success rate of any clinic or fertility doctor handling your IVF.