Infertility

We as a society avoid talking about infertility—especially male infertility. This stigma is not only decreasing access to valuable family-building services; it's driving up costs, too.

Between clinic costs, sperm bank, and Fed-Ex, I would have to pay more than $8,000 to use a known sperm donor of my choosing. So we went the old-fashioned route and had sex instead.

The cost of fertility treatments such as IVF can approach $100K—but there are ways to bring the cost down, including affordable clinics and even "micro" or "mini" IVF.

With the skyrocketing costs of IVF and other fertility treatments, more and more would-be parents are turning to fundraising sites in hopes of financing their families. But crowdfunding comes with its own costs.

For the millions struggling with infertility, the possibility of implanting mosaic embryos could be a game changer. But what happens when creating life intersects with creating profits—and how can you ensure you don’t fall victim to a doctor or clinic with unscrupulous motives?

I never expected that my long-held family attitude of never accepting a sticker price would save me thousands on my IVF treatment and eventually afford me a family. Here are six steps you can take to cut costs on fertility treatments, too.