IVF is growing in popularity every year, bringing more than eight million babies into the world so far. There are many reasons in preparing for IVF’s growing popularity, such as people waiting to start their families later in life. Even couples in their early 20s can have issues getting pregnant, like blocked fallopian tubes or low sperm count; both of these and other infertility issues can be solved with IVF or other infertility treatments.

It takes some careful consideration to figure out if IVF is the right option for you and your significant other. You might have started to think about IVF after trying to conceive for 6 to 12 months without any success. We know that there is nothing more frustrating when you’ve been trying to have a baby for a while than that negative pregnancy test, only to have to repeat the same process for yet another month.

You know it’s time to do something, but understanding where to start is only half the battle. We’ve created the following guide to help you in preparation for IVF treatment, and we hope it will make it easier for you to decide if IVF is the right option for you.

Step 1: Talk to Your Partner

Before you start thinking about an IVF treatment plan, sit down with your partner and discuss possible next steps and different ways to conceive. It’s important to make sure you’re both on the same page before moving forward with IVF or any type of assisted reproductive technology. Take into consideration your own personal timeline, living situation, workload/travel, financial obligations, and everything that would be impacted by moving forward with IVF. Here are a few questions to get the conversation started:

• Why do we want to have children?
• What, if any, are your hesitations about having a child?
• What are your thoughts about IVF treatment?
• Can we afford a child right now?
• Can we trust the clinic we have chosen?

Step 2: Reach Out to a Trusted Resource

“When people start researching IVF prep online, it can become very overwhelming very fast,” said Nicole Fry, a registered fertility nurse and Head of Care Management at Future Family. “There’s a lot of contradictory info on the Internet – like personal blogs and opinion pieces – that may not be relevant to your situation causing anxiety levels to go through the roof.”

A great place to start is going to a professional, like a Fertility Coach or a doctor. They are a terrific resource for more details about what the IVF process is like and things to consider when reviewing and discussing your fertility plan. They may have insights and solutions you hadn’t even thought of. Even though both are trained professionals, it is good to know the difference between the two so you know who to turn to when you have questions.

Fertility Coaches are there to provide you with help for the whole person. They help women with infertility issues through managment of diet, stress, and decisions on infertility treatment. A doctor on the otherhand are there to give you diagnostic care and medical advice. So, when deciding to go through IVF procedures, look into having a fertility coach to guide you along the way.

Step 3: Order Your Personal Fertility Tests

In order to get personalized next steps, you need to understand your fertility health first. The best way to accomplish this is to go to a fertility clinic near you and get tested. A fertility assessment can answer so many questions, giving you the right information you need to become pregnant. Please remember that your partner will also need to get tested.

One of the best fertility tests you’ll take as part of your fertility testing to measure levels of your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This number actually goes up as your egg count goes down, so it can be another indication as to whether your “ovarian reserve,” or the number of eggs you have left, is normal for your age. You’ll probably take an Estradiol test, along with the FSH test to help interpret the FSH levels.  

Your fertility testing could include a pelvic exam as well as an ultrasound to look at your ovaries and uterus. You may even need to track your ovulation patterns as part of the testing as well.

Pro tip: To get the most of your appointment with your fertility specialist, make sure to research and create a list of questions about a potential IVF treatment plan.

Step 4: Understand the Cost of Your IVF Treatment, Insurance Coverage, and Financing Options

Once you have determined if IVF is right for you, it’s time to take a look at your finances. Don’t be afraid of the IVF cost, there are many different ways to pay while preparing for IVF.

First, check to see if your health insurance covers IVF costs. Although most fertility treatments are not covered under insurance, it is worth checking before moving forward. If you live in one of these states, you may be eligible for coverage. More and more companies are now offering fertility coverage through employee benefits – chat with your HR representative to see what your company’s policies are.

Although the average clinic cost for IVF in the U.S. can vary from $10,000 to $20,000, there are additional IVF costs to consider. Some of the added expenses include medication and genetic embryo testing, which can add thousands of dollars to the initial IVF cost estimate. Even if your insurance covers part of the cost, chances are you’ll still have some IVF bills you need help paying.

Lastly, remember that the most important thing in looking up how to prepare for IVF financing is to find a way to pay for IVF that works for you. Be wary of putting your IVF bills on a credit card, as even 0% cards for the first year will go up to 25% interest or more later. Be careful to not tap into a rainy day fund which can leave you empty handed when an emergency happens.

Through Future Family, you can find affordable and flexible plans to help you meet your IVF treatment goals. We work with you by porviding loans for the treatment costs. We understand the stress that can come from infertility and created these plans with you in mind. Being that some of us at Future Family has been through infertility, we know what helps and have loan options to fit your needs. Find out about our IVF plans today!

Step 5: Put together Your Support Team to Help You Through IVF

Going through IVF can be stressful. Although your fertility clinic will take care of the medical side, it’s important to make sure you have a network of people you trust to support you along the way.

Consider how many people you want involved in knowing the details of your IVF treatment.  If you have a friend who has gone through IVF, think about reaching out to her for advice. Using a Fertility Coach is a great investment as well, who can be a trusted resource as you go through the experience.

Future Family can help get you ready for IVF

We know that these five steps are big ones and that many people need guidance before they even start IVF. Researching everything – from finding the right fertility clinic near you that meets all of your needs to figuring out the best way to pay for IVF – is a daunting task for most people. That’s why Future Family created its Membership program to help people find the best solutions to help grow their family.

At Future Family, our team is specialized in figuring out whether or not IVF is the right choice for you. Future Family client Keely Anson shared, “The (Future Family Membership) would provide everything needed for a guided fertility journey – a dedicated fertility nurse, a roadmap, a referral to a clinic/doctor and if needed, a future financial plan. I knew this was exactly what my husband and I needed.” You can also read about her experience with Future Family’s Membership.

When you join Future Family, you get:

• Your own personal Fertility Coach to help you and your partner discuss your goals, what you would like in a clinic and answer any questions you have around IVF. Your Future Family Fertility Coach is a Registered Nurse with years of experience in fertility healthcare having helped thousands of couples have babies.
• A connection to the best doctor near you. Your Fertility Coach will make clinic recommendations based on your specific preferences, including distance, to finding affordable IVF clinics near you or boutique fertility doctors from our in-network providers. Once you choose your clinic, your Fertility Coach will create a list of questions to ask the doctor based on your initial consultation. You will also have a post-clinic meeting with your Fertility Coach to review any questions you might have.
• Financial planning help: Meet with a Future Family Account Manager on possible IVF financing with a personal and affordable IVF payment loan, which will take into consideration your specific needs and IVF treatment plan at your fertility clinic.
  

We understand that sometimes you just need to talk to someone to see if IVF is the right choice for you. That’s why Future Family offers you a free 15-minute nurse consultation with a Fertility Coach to help answer your initial questions on why you may not be getting pregnant.

For more information on Future Family’s Membership or affordable ways to pay for IVF costs, please go to www.futurefamily.com for more information.