IVF: Women willing to spend £50,000

Published on Monday 6 September 2010 16:08

Women would be willing to spend an average of £15,000 on fertility treatment to help them get pregnant, research reveals.

A survey of more than 2,000 women found one in ten would spend over 50,000 on IVF if it would guarantee her a baby.

Experts said the results revealed the lengths to which people would go to have a family, even in the face of financial difficulties.

The research by Red magazine found those wishing to conceive would sacrifice most things to have a baby, with more than 90 per cent willing to cut down on saving for the future and everyday activities in order to fund fertility treatment.

Some 93 per cent would cut back on holidays, 94 per cent would cut back on eating out and 95 per cent would hold off buying a new car.

A total of 95 per cent would lower their pension contributions, 91 per cent would cut down on savings, 93 per cent would stop buying new clothes and most would be willing to sell their possessions or take on extra work.

Across the UK, 28 per cent had struggled to conceive and 10 per cent had undergone some sort of fertility treatment, with the average spend being 8,678.

• Case study: It can be a bottomless pit … there is no guarantee

In Scotland, almost 25 per cent said they had experienced problems getting pregnant.

Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of those who had IVF in the survey had borrowed money from their family or had been given cash for the treatment.

The research found that 47 per cent of those who had tried IVF did get pregnant. Almost one in five (18 per cent) said they had undergone more than five attempts at IVF.

The cost of IVF in the private sector is between 3,000 and 4,000 per attempt, with about a one-in-four chance of success. While women are entitled to some treatment on the NHS, waiting times are often long.

Sam Baker, editor-in-chief of Red, said: "Even though we are in the midst of economic uncertainty, the fertility industry has proved itself to be completely recession-proof."

Susan Seenan, from Infertility Network UK, said: "This shows just how important it is for some women to do everything they can to have a baby and demonstrates that we need to improve access to treatment."

Dr Allan Pacey, spokesman for the British Fertility Society, said: "Women are willing to invest in something that is going to complete their families.

"It is a shame that women have to pay, and in an ideal world I don't think anyone should have to pay, but sadly now with the economic crisis I think it will be even more done in the private sector than before."

How to choose:

Choosing where to have fertility treatment can be difficult.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates the sector, offers advice to patients including:

• Make sure the clinic is in a suitable location to make visits for treatment.

• Ensure they offer the therapy you need, and extra services such as group support.

• Check the success rate for women in your age group.

• Look at clinic inspection reports.

• Find out exactly what the price of covers, such as consultation fees and drug costs.