What Are IVF Expenses Typically?
Quick Answer
IVF expenses typically range from $15,000 to $25,000 per cycle when combining the base procedure, medications, and common add-on services like ICSI and genetic testing. The base IVF fee typically covers cycle monitoring, egg retrieval, egg fertilization, and embryo development. , storage, and optional procedures are almost always billed separately.
IVF Expense Categories at a Glance
IVF is not a single flat fee. It is made up of several distinct expense categories, and understanding each one helps you plan realistically.
| Expense category | What it covers | Typical cost (CAD) |
| Base IVF cycle | Monitoring, egg retrieval, fertilization, embryo culture, fresh transfer, embryo freezing | $8,000 to $12,000 |
| Fertility medications | Ovarian stimulation drugs, trigger shot, progesterone support | $3,000 to $6,000 |
| ICSI | Single sperm injected into each egg (for male factor infertility) | $1,500 to $2,500 |
| Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A) | Screening embryos for chromosomal abnormalities | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| Embryo freezing | Vitrification of extra embryos after retrieval | $600 to $1,500 |
| Annual embryo storage | Ongoing cryopreservation fees | $500 to $1,000/year |
| Frozen embryo transfer (FET) | Thawing and transferring a previously frozen embryo | $2,500 to $4,000 |
| Anesthesia | Sedation during egg retrieval (sometimes included, sometimes separate) | $500 to $1,000 |
Not every patient will need every line item. Your fertility physician will build a treatment plan based on your age, diagnosis, and goals, and the clinic should provide an itemized estimate before you begin.
What Is Typically Included in the Base Fee
The base IVF cycle fee at most clinics covers the core medical procedures:
- Cycle monitoring (blood work and ultrasounds throughout stimulation)
- Egg retrieval procedure
- Sperm preparation
- Fertilization in the laboratory
- Embryo culture (growing embryos for 3 to 5 days)
- Fresh embryo transfer – many clinics charge an extra fee for a fresh transfer
At some clinics, ICSI, fresh embryo transfer, and assisted hatching, and embryo glue, are included in the base fee. At others, they are billed as add-ons. Always ask for a line-by-line breakdown to understand what your quoted price includes so that there are no surprises
Expenses That Are Almost Always Billed Separately
Several significant costs sit outside the base IVF fee. These are the expenses patients are most often surprised by:
- Fertility medications: The single largest variable cost. Depending on your protocol and ovarian response, medication expenses range from $3,000 to $7,000 per cycle. Patients with lower ovarian reserve may need higher doses, pushing costs toward the upper end.
- Genetic testing (PGT-A): Optional but increasingly recommended, especially for patients over 35 or those with recurrent pregnancy loss. Costs $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the number of embryos tested.
- Embryo storage: If you freeze embryos (which most patients do), you will pay an initial freezing fee plus annual storage. Storage fees are recurring and continue for as long as your embryos remain frozen.
- Frozen embryo transfers: If your first fresh transfer does not result in pregnancy, or if you choose to delay transfer, a FET cycle costs $2,500 to $4,000. This is a separate cycle with its own monitoring and medications.
- Donor gametes: If you are using donor eggs or sperm, costs are billed separately and include screening, legal fees, and the donor material itself.
Costs That Add Up Over Multiple Cycles
Most patients should plan for the possibility of more than one cycle. Studies show the average IVF patient undergoes 2 to 3 cycles before achieving a successful pregnancy. This has a compounding effect on total expenses:
| Scenario | Estimated total cost (CAD) |
| 1 cycle (base + medications) | $12,000 to $18,000 |
| 1 cycle with ICSI + PGT-A | $18,000 to $25,000 |
| 2 cycles (base + medications each) | $24,000 to $36,000 |
| 3 cycles with add-ons | $40,000 to $60,000+ |
Freezing extra embryos during your first retrieval cycle can significantly reduce the cost of future attempts. A frozen embryo transfer is far less expensive than a full IVF cycle because it does not require ovarian stimulation or egg retrieval.
How to Reduce IVF Expenses
- Use provincial funding if eligible: In Ontario, one IVF cycle per lifetime is publicly funded through the Ontario Fertility Program (OFP). This covers monitoring, retrieval, fertilization, ICSI, and embryo freezing. Quebec and British Columbia also offer funding.
- Claim tax credits: Ontario’s Fertility Treatment Tax Credit (effective January 2025) covers 25% of eligible expenses up to $5,000/year. This is refundable and stacks with the federal medical expense credit.
- Check employer benefits: A growing number of Canadian employers include fertility coverage through programs like Progyny or Maven. Some group health plans cover medications or diagnostic testing.
- Compare pharmacy pricing: Fertility medication prices vary between pharmacies. Some clinics have on-site dispensaries that offer competitive rates.
- Request itemized estimates: Ask your clinic for a full cost breakdown before starting. Knowing exactly what is and is not included prevents surprises.
- Apply for grants: Organizations like the Fertility Friends Foundation offer financial assistance for IVF, donor gametes, and surrogacy.
What a Funded IVF Cycle Covers in Ontario
For eligible Ontario residents, the OFP-funded IVF cycle includes:
- Monitoring (blood work, ultrasounds, physician visits)
- Egg retrieval with anesthesia
- Sperm preparation and fertilization including ICSI
- Assisted hatching
- Embryo freezing
- All embryo transfers from that funded cycle (fresh and frozen)
Still out-of-pocket even with funding:
- Fertility medications (~$5,000 per cycle)
- Embryo storage fees after initial period
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)
- Donor sperm or eggs
- Any additional IVF cycles beyond the funded one
At Markham Fertility Centre, funded cycles also include the services of an anesthesiologist and genetic counselling at no additional cost, the only clinic in Ontario to offer both.
Why Patients Choose Markham Fertility Centre for IVF
- Transparent pricing with funded and private cycle breakdowns published before treatment begins
- Pain-free egg retrieval with an anesthesiologist at every procedure, included in both funded and private cycles
- On-site genetics program for PGT counselling at no extra cost
- Five locations across Markham, Barrie-Innisfil, Oshawa, Orillia, and Sudbury
- On-site dispensary for fertility medications, simplifying the process and offering competitive pricing
Markham Fertility Centre does not ‘upsell’ add-on procedures. Within our IVF fee, we include most services that are considered standard of care; and we include some services that go above and beyond what is normally offered at other clinics.
For example, we include a fresh embryo transfer, ICSI, and embryo glue as a standard practice with no add-on fees. Uniquely, all egg retrievals are performed with the assistance of an anaesthesiologist; and our genetic counselors are accessible at no additional cost (except for participants in the Donor and surrogacy program), so you can receive the best guidance without worrying about paying more out-of-pocket.
We don’t want our patients to have to select from a ‘menu of add-ons’. We simplify financial decision-making and apply the best and most appropriate service to optimize your outcomes. Markham Fertility Centre publishes transparent pricing for both funded and private IVF cycles, with detailed breakdowns available before treatment begins.
View IVF pricing at Markham Fertility Centre →
FAQ
What is the biggest IVF expense most people overlook?
Fertility medications. They are almost always billed separately from the base IVF fee and typically cost $3,000 to $7,000 per cycle. Patients with lower ovarian reserve or older age may need higher doses, increasing this further.
Does one IVF cycle mean one embryo transfer?
Not necessarily. One IVF cycle includes the egg retrieval and all embryos created from that retrieval. If extra embryos are frozen, you can have multiple frozen embryo transfers from a single retrieval cycle, each at a lower cost than a full new cycle.
Are IVF expenses tax deductible in Canada?
Yes. Fertility treatments qualify as eligible medical expenses under the federal Income Tax Act. In Ontario, the Fertility Treatment Tax Credit provides an additional 25% refundable credit on eligible expenses up to $5,000/year. Other provinces including Saskatchewan and Manitoba also offer fertility-specific tax credits.
How much should I budget for a complete IVF journey?
For a realistic budget, plan for $15,000 to $25,000 per cycle including medications and common add-ons. If multiple cycles are needed, total costs can reach $40,000 to $60,000. Provincial funding and tax credits can significantly reduce this amount.
Is anesthesia included in IVF costs?
It depends on the clinic. Some include anesthesia in the base fee, others bill it separately ($500 to $1,000). At Markham Fertility Centre, anesthesia is included in both funded and private IVF cycles.