When financing fertility treatments like IVF, some intended parents may be tempted to use promotional credit cards that offer introductory 0% interest rates. While these cards seem appealing, they can come with hidden risks that could negatively impact your credit score and financial health. A Future Family fertility loan offers a more secure, flexible, and supportive solution. Here’s why.

1. Fixed Rates vs. Expiring Promotional Offers

Promotional credit cards typically offer a 0% APR for a limited time, usually between 6 and 18 months. Once this period ends, any remaining balance can accrue interest at rates as high as 25%. If you're unable to pay off the balance in time, you could face unexpected high-interest charges.

With Future Family loans, you benefit from low, fixed interest rates for the life of the loan. You’ll have consistent, predictable monthly payments, and no sudden surprises from a soaring interest rate. This financial stability allows you to focus on your fertility journey without worrying about future financial shocks.

2. Protect Your Credit Score

Promotional credit cards can harm your credit score through high credit utilization. If you use a significant portion of your credit limit—common with fertility treatments that can cost between $20,000 and $50,000—your utilization rate can exceed 30%, which may negatively impact your credit score.

A Future Family fertility loan does not affect your credit utilization, meaning you can maintain a healthier credit score while managing your IVF costs. Additionally, Future Family uses a soft credit check during prequalification, ensuring no initial impact on your score.

3. Flexibility with No Prepayment Penalties

Credit cards often come with strict repayment timelines, and if you can’t pay off the balance during the promotional period, you may face hefty retroactive interest charges.

Future Family loans provide more flexibility with no prepayment penalties, allowing you to pay off your loan early if your financial situation allows without extra fees.

4. Comprehensive Support from RN Care Coaches

In addition to financial support, Future Family offers dedicated RN care coaches who provide personalized guidance throughout your fertility journey. These experienced fertility nurses help you navigate treatment plans, offer emotional support, and ensure you’re fully informed, making the process smoother and less overwhelming.

While promotional credit cards might look appealing at first, they come with risks that could negatively impact your financial health. Future Family fertility loans provide a safer, more predictable option with fixed rates, no credit score damage, and personalized support from RN care coaches. By choosing Future Family, you can finance your fertility treatments without sacrificing long-term financial stability.

For more details on how Future Family can support your fertility journey, contact us today or visit our website.

Becoming a parent is one of life’s greatest joys, but it’s also one of the most significant financial commitments—especially when it comes to fertility treatments like IVF. The out-of-pocket costs for IVF typically range between $20,000 and $50,000, a large sum that many people consider covering by dipping into their savings. But what if there’s a better way to manage these costs without compromising your financial stability?

Let’s take a look at the expenses you can expect during the first year of parenthood and why taking out a low-interest loan with no prepayment penalty could be a smarter option than draining your savings.

First-Year Parenthood Costs: What to Expect

1. Medical and Healthcare Costs
   The cost of childbirth alone can range from $2,500 to $7,000 after insurance, depending on whether you have a vaginal delivery or a C-section. And that’s just the start. Regular pediatric check-ups, vaccinations, and unexpected medical needs in the first year can add another $500 to $1,500.
   

2. Essential Baby Gear
   The essentials like a crib, car seat, stroller, and baby clothes can cost upwards of $2,500. Add in the monthly cost of diapers (around $80) and formula or breastfeeding supplies, and your first-year baby essentials can easily reach $4,000 or more.
   

3. Childcare Costs
   If both parents plan to work, childcare will likely be the most significant expense. Daycare centers range from $8,000 to $20,000 per year, and if you hire an in-home nanny, that cost could rise to $45,000 annually.
   

4. Additional Monthly Expenses Beyond the basics, expect higher household costs for groceries, insurance premiums, and miscellaneous baby items. These expenses can add $200 to $500 to your monthly budget.

The Benefits of a Low-Interest Loan

Given these significant expenses, you may want to reconsider using your hard-earned savings to cover IVF treatment costs. Opting for a low-interest loan offers several advantages:

1. Preserving Emergency Funds Draining your savings for IVF could leave you without a safety net when unexpected expenses arise during the first year of parenthood. A loan helps you maintain your emergency fund, giving you financial peace of mind.
2. Lower Monthly Payments Taking out a $20,000 loan at a 17.49% interest rate over five years results in monthly payments of around $502. This can be much more manageable than paying the full IVF cost upfront, allowing you to spread the expense over time.
3. Flexibility with No Prepayment Penalty One of the key benefits of Future Family’s loans is that there are no prepayment penalties. If your financial situation improves, you can pay off the loan early without incurring any additional fees.
4. Long-Term Financial Stability By keeping your savings intact, you can continue planning for future financial goals, like buying a home or starting a college fund for your child.

Why Future Family?

At Future Family, we specialize in fertility financing designed to alleviate the financial burden on new parents. Our low-interest loans offer:

• Flexible loan sizes up to $50,000 to cover your entire treatment cost.
• No prepayment penalties, so you have control over your payments.
• Comprehensive support from financial specialists who guide you through every step of the financing process.

The first year of parenthood comes with many expenses, some expected and others not. Rather than using all your savings to pay for IVF, a low-interest loan from Future Family can help you manage the costs and protect your financial future. By spreading out the payments, you’ll be in a better position to handle the joyful challenges of your first year as a parent - apply now!

This Veteran’s Day, we want to take a moment to honor and recognize the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of our military members and veterans. As a small token of our appreciation, we are proud to share some incredible savings that are available through a partnership between Future Family and MDR Pharmacy that can help ease the cost of fertility treatments.

Active duty military members or veterans may qualify for a minimum 25% discount on essential fertility medications, including:

• Follistim AQ (follitropin beta injection)
• Ganirelix Acetate Injection (brand name)
• Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin for injection, USP)

In addition to this base discount, further savings may be available depending on their income, making these vital treatments more accessible.

For veterans who have experienced infertility due to a service-related injury, we are pleased to share even more support. If you have received a diagnosis linked to your military service, you may be eligible to receive the following medications at no cost:

• Menopur (menotropins for injection)
• Novarel (chorionic gonadotropin for injection, USP)
• Endometrin (progesterone)

How to Apply

If you are interested in learning more or applying for these discounts, we encourage you to contact MDR Pharmacy for details. Their expert team will guide you through the entire process. Should you need any assistance with funding your fertility treatment, we would love for you to explore your options with Future Family to help get your family-building journey started today.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Future Family Rx, our innovative online fertility pharmacy platform designed to simplify the medication management process for both providers and patients. Future Family has been a trusted name in the fertility industry since 2016, partnering with over 600 clinics nationwide and supporting thousands of families through their fertility treatments. Now, we’re expanding our services to include a pharmacy offering that brings unparalleled convenience and support to our clients.

Why Future Family Rx?

At Future Family, our mission has always been to empower patients to take control of their fertility healthcare costs. With the introduction of Future Family Rx, we’re taking this commitment a step further by offering competitive and transparent medication pricing, helping you stay in control of your healthcare expenses.

Here’s what you can expect from Future Family Rx:

• Competitive and Transparent Pricing: We offer pricing that helps you manage your healthcare costs effectively. Our transparent pricing structure ensures there are no surprises.
• Convenient Payment Methods: Whether you prefer to finance your medication costs or pay with a credit card, we offer flexible payment options to suit your needs. Consolidate all your medication costs, including refills, into a fixed monthly payment.
• Virtual and Hands-On Medication Support: Receiving a box full of medications and needles can be overwhelming. That’s why we offer real-time support to simplify the process. You can talk to a Future Family nurse the moment your medications arrive at your doorstep, reducing confusion and stress. Our 1:1 medication training sessions ensure you understand every step of your treatment.
• Access to the FF Rx Online Patient Hub: Our online hub is packed with helpful videos, educational materials, tips, and tricks to guide you through your fertility journey.
• Overnight Shipping: We provide overnight shipping right to your doorstep, including Saturday delivery. If you’re unavailable to sign for your package, you can opt to have your medications held at a nearby FedEx facility for convenient pick-up.
• Powered by MDR: Our pharmacy service is powered by MDR, America's #1 independent fertility pharmacy, ensuring top-notch quality and reliability. With over 30 years of experience, MDR is a trusted leader in the industry.

Seamless Integration for a Hassle-Free Experience

One of the standout features of Future Family Rx is its seamless integration into your clinic’s EMR system. This makes the process of sending prescriptions to Future Family Rx effortless for your healthcare team. They send the prescription, and we handle the rest.

Personalized Support Every Step of the Way

At Future Family Rx, we understand the importance of support during your fertility treatment. Our team, made up exclusively of Registered Nurses with extensive in-clinic experience, is available to provide personalized assistance and can direct you to a pharmacist when necessary. Rest assured, our team is here to assist you every step of the way.

How to Get Started

Ready to see how Future Family Rx can make your fertility medication management simpler and more affordable? Here’s what you need to do:

• Request a Quote: Pricing will depend on the specific medications and quantities prescribed by your doctor. To receive a personalized quote, complete our online inquiry form. Our dedicated team will contact you within one business day to provide details on pricing and available payment methods.
• Talk to Your Fertility Clinic: Have your clinic nurse send your prescription to Future Family Rx through their EMR system for seamless processing.
• Stay Connected: Need help unpacking your medications? Text our nurse team and receive real-time responses.
• Visit the Online Patient Hub: Use the QR code provided with your shipment to access our medication training hub, filled with resources to support you.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about our new pharmacy service or need assistance, please submit an interest form here. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

At Future Family Rx, we’re dedicated to making fertility medications simple, affordable, and stress-free. Welcome to the future of fertility medication management!

We’re excited to bring this new service to our patients and look forward to supporting you on your fertility journey with Future Family Rx.

Age can significantly affect fertility for both men and women, especially women over 40. If you and your partner hope to expand your family, age can often feel like a barrier, especially if it feels like time is limited. Fortunately, with advancements in reproductive treatments, increased fertility options have offered the potential for parenthood to older couples.

Many fertility treatment options, including in vitro fertilization, or IVF, for older couples open up different possibilities for the pursuit of parenthood. These fertility treatments can help older couples begin or grow their family by facilitating a healthy, successful pregnancy. Here’s what you need to know.

Exploring Fertility Treatments for Older Couples

As you age, the natural decline in fertility can introduce challenges, which can feel stressful if you and your partner wish to conceive soon or sometime in the near future. Age impacts fertility in men and women in different ways:

• Women typically experience a decline in the quantity and quality of their eggs, making it more difficult to conceive on their own as they get older.
• Men typically experience a decline in sperm quality and quantity as they get older, making successful fertilization less likely.

Rest assured, there are things you can do to address these challenges directly. The availability of fertility treatments for older couples opens doors for you if you decide to start a family at a later stage in life.

Common fertility treatments, regardless of age, include

• fertility medications
• minor surgical procedures
• assisted reproductive procedures, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with fertilization assistance using ​​intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

For older couples, starting with the latter is typically the most effective form of fertility treatment.

It’s important for you to consult with a fertility specialist to determine the best treatment option based on your health and medical history. Fertility evaluations take a look at reproductive health status, including sperm and egg quality, and identify any underlying conditions that could affect the success of fertility treatments for an older couple.

If you’re embarking on the road toward fertility treatment, you’re bound to have questions—from the best way to pay for treatments to how effective they may be for your family. As you begin the fertility treatment process, having an awareness of the factors that affect fertility treatments can offer valuable knowledge and peace of mind:

What are the Fertility Options for Women Over 45?

For women over the age of 45, fertility options typically include in-vitro fertilization, the use of donor eggs, or gestational surrogacy. These options may offer opportunities for older couples to successfully become parents with reproductive assistance.

Genetic testing on embryos can identify which are normal prior to transfer. Some clinics have age limits with IVF for older women who want to use their own eggs because of the reduced chances of success. Utilizing donor eggs may involve the use of eggs from a younger woman to achieve successful fertilization and implantation.

How Can I Improve Egg Quality After Age 40?

A natural decline in egg quality is an innate aspect of aging, but some lifestyle changes or medical interventions may help improve egg quality if you are a woman over the age of 40. Maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and avoiding unhealthy habits can support your reproductive health. A fertility specialist can recommend specific supplements or medications tailored to your individual circumstances, which can also support the quality of a woman’s eggs.

How Does Egg Quality Affect Fertility and IVF?

Egg quality plays an important role in fertility and the success of IVF. As women age, the quantity and quality of their eggs naturally decreases. This decrease impacts fertilization rates, embryo development and quality, and the success of implantation. Each woman’s ovarian reserve and egg quality can vary, so an individual fertility evaluation is crucial to understand and determine what fertility options are available.

Understanding IVF for Older Couples

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most common fertility treatments for older couples. Through a laboratory setting, IVF can help to bypass many of the obstacles involved with age-related fertility decline to help you have a higher chance of a healthy pregnancy. The procedure can be combined with other strategies to optimize your outcomes, including:

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
• Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS)
• The use of donor eggs
• Gestational surrogacy

This involves working closely with a fertility specialist to explore the best IVF protocol for you.

The IVF process can vary from couple to couple, and it’s completely normal to have questions and concerns about the IVF process. Gaining a general understanding of the answers to common questions can offer valuable insight as you navigate your fertility journey:

Who is Not a Candidate for IVF?

IVF is a widely used fertility treatment, but it may not be suitable for some individuals with certain medical conditions that would pose a risk to themselves or their child. These conditions include severe kidney, liver, or heart disease, as well as certain types of cancer.

A personal evaluation with a fertility specialist can determine whether IVF is a viable option for you.

Are There Age Limits for IVF Treatments?

Though age impacts fertility, IVF is offered to couples in a wide age range. Reputable fertility clinics offer IVF to individuals up to their early -forties and in some cases beyond depending on your health and life circumstances. Every case is unique, and a thorough assessment by a fertility specialist can help determine the best course of action for you.

What is the Oldest Age You Can Receive FertilityTreatments?

The age limit for IVF varies among fertility clinics but is often offered to couples up to age 50 and older in some cases. In general, it depends on your circumstances and the results of a medical evaluation to determine the potential well-being of both the mother and child. Still, some clinics have a cutoff age, which differs from clinic to clinic.

What are the IVF Success Rates for Different Age Categories?

Generally, IVF success rates vary by age decline as you get older. There is no ideal age for IVF treatments, but the percentage of successful live births per egg retrieval varies by age group:

It’s important to remember that success rates can be influenced by various factors. Also, keep in mind that after the age of 42, success rates of IVF for an older woman can increase to nearly 50% for individuals who decide to use an egg donor.

Easing Fertility Treatment for Older Couples

Fertility treatments such as IVF for older couples can often involve additional steps to ensure a healthy treatment process and pregnancy. With the right approach, and combination of fertility treatments, it is possible for you and your partner to grow your family.

At Future Family, our goal is to help make fertility treatments even more accessible for hopeful parents. Our team of fertility specialists and fertility financing options can help you get started on the road to building your family. Locate a partner clinic near you and take the first step toward your fertility journey by pre-qualifying for a fertility loan today.

The cost of fertility treatment is an unexpected and often burdensome expense for many individuals and couples hoping to start a family. It can mean paying $20,000 or more out of pocket – a major blow to the average person’s savings. Some patients undergo multiple treatment cycles or use a sperm or egg donor or surrogate – all of which can cost tens of thousands more.

The cost of treatment should never be a barrier to having a family. But as prospective parents, fertility patients also need to consider the longer term costs of having a baby before draining their savings account. That’s why financing your fertility care can be a smart, sensible option– allowing you to break up that $20,000 bill into manageable monthly payments – and keep your rainy day fund intact for the needs of your growing family down the road.

The Importance of Savings for Prospective Parents

Most financial experts recommend having enough savings to cover 3-6 months of basic living expenses. But new parents have a whole host of new costs to consider. The average price of childbirth alone is nearly $3,000 for those with health insurance (and over $18,000 for those without it). Then there are all the new expenses that go into caring for a baby, including childcare, diapers, nursery essentials, baby gear and baby food. Babycenter recently calculated the first year cost of a baby to be approximately $15,775. This total includes major ongoing costs like:

• Childcare: $725 / month
• Diapering: $92 / month
• Food (Formula + Solids): $249 / month

As well as some one-time expenses:

• Nursery furniture & gear: $1387
• Car Seat: $230
• Stroller: $309

Each family’s first year spend will vary greatly depending on their particular circumstances, needs and wants, but you can get a better sense of your year 1 budget with Babycenter’s costs calculator.

Even once you are past the baby stage, raising a child is expensive. According to the Brookings Institution, from the day a baby is born to the day they turn 18, a family will spend $310,605 – between housing, education, food, transportation and healthcare. And that doesn’t include saving for college!

Of course, for many hopeful future parents, no price is too high for creating the family of their dreams. With a low-rate personal loan you can not only make your fertility treatment costs more manageable, but also improve your credit history for future big purchases for your growing family. And with Future Family’s financing options, there are no pre-payment penalties, meaning you can pay off your loan anytime. There’s no question that having kids comes with a lot of financial considerations, but making smart decisions now will help you avoid a lot of stress in the future.

Finance with Future Family

When you’re ready to take the next step and align with our recommendation, you can finance your fertility treatment with Future Family where we make paying for fertility treatments easier, so you can relax and focus on nurturing and finding fulfillment in all other aspects of your experience.

Meet Molly and Jena from Pontiac, Illinois. They always knew they wanted to be parents, and went on a 2 year journey with multiple rounds of IUI and IVF before welcoming their adorable son Sawyer 10 months ago.

How did your fertility journey start?

Molly: We met almost seven years ago, but we both knew that we wanted to be parents. I knew I would be the person to carry, but I wanted to be done with graduate school before starting the fertility process. We tried for almost two years.

Jena: I think we just wanted a child so bad. Molly was done with school; we just felt ready. We tried IUI four times because it was more affordable– still expensive– but more affordable than IVF.

Molly: And for IUI, I mean, I’ve never been pregnant before, but being a queer woman, there is technically nothing wrong with my body and being able to carry a pregnancy. So, in that case, we didn't have to jump right away to IVF, so that's why we started with IUI. But it was still tough. Whenever it doesn't happen, you start to question, what is wrong with my body? What's going on? You start to have those questions.

And that's when you moved on to IVF?

Molly: After the fourth attempt,  our doctor said, “This is as many times as I would recommend trying. If it hasn't happened now with IUI, it's probably not going to happen with IUI.” So the next step is IVF. I had to wait 8 months before I could start the IVF procedure. We did two egg retrievals—one with Future Family’s financing and the other with a grant through our clinic. We appreciated doing two because our donor produces a lot of boys. We always dreamed of having a boy and a girl.

So the second egg retrieval, really by chance, we got one girl embryo. So we have that chance for a daughter too.

How was your experience?

Molly: We appreciate our clinic, but the process did have its hardship. The nurse we got with Future Family was so helpful because sometimes the communication with my clinic nurse was lacking. So I would have questions that my nurse through Future Family would answer because she told us,  “I've worked with people in fertility for 20 years. I really know what you're going through on the fertility and the medication side.” The clinic staff gives you all these numbers. You're this and that measured X, and it doesn't make any sense to us. We're not doctors. So I could tell my Future Family coach everything, and she'd say “Okay, based on this, you're probably gonna have to go back on this day because you're gonna have to measure again; you can do more blood, and then you're gonna go back on this date.” I really really appreciated that.

Why did you choose Future Family to finance your IVF treatment?

Molly: The big thing for us was that Future Family works specifically with fertility, so it's different from just any kind of loan. The money part is covered, which obviously is important, but it had those extras.  No bank is going to email you and tell you what these [clinical] numbers mean. And you’re just an email away. I think I even texted a few times. I was never going to get that kind of help with any bank. Sometimes I didn't even get that help from my fertility clinic.  Infertility affects so many people of every kind of background; they have so many patients and just not enough nurses and staff. And I understand that. I can't blame them for that. They're trying to help people. But it was nice to have a Future Family Coach more dedicated to just me and not 12 other people. So, for that alone, I would use Future Family again in a heartbeat.

Jena: I just loved how simple it was because taking out any kind of loan is stressful and nerve-wracking, but this is probably the easiest loan I've ever taken out. It directly comes out of our account every month. I never had any issues with it. I loved the added benefit of having a nurse assigned to us because the ratio of nurses at the clinic to patients is crazy. There were so many times we weren't able to get into contact with our nurse at the clinic, and the nurse that we were provided from Future Family really came in clutch a few times for us.

Can you share an example of when you needed extra support from the Future Family coaches?

Molly: Fertility treatments are extremely time sensitive. And that's something that neither of us knew beforehand. You start your medication at 7pm this exact night, and we don't live near our fertility clinic, so if we didn't have the right medicine, if we didn’t have it ordered, if we didn't have it chilled… And with my job, I work at night driving, so to keep up with the schedule, I would be at a gas station giving myself this IVF shot. It’s so rigorous, and I can’t call my [clinic] nurse at 7 pm and ask a quick question about my shot or something. But I could email or text my Future Family nurse, “Hey, I did my shot at 7:30 is that okay?” Just the little things like that because we didn't have any references or know-how. Even that reassurance about if you're doing things right and is this normal. That alone took a huge weight off our minds because I'm hormonal, I'm crying. It's so, so stressful. Just that extra little bit of someone saying, “It's gonna be okay,” that pays for itself. That is priceless.

Jena: We were terrified that a tiny mistake would ruin the entire course of treatment for that month. Because neither of us have any medical background, and most of the shots weren't just uncap it and stab. It was mixing liquid with powder and all these things we have zero experience with. It was nice to have someone that was so accessible.

What is something that you have learned about yourself or each other?

Jena: Molly's just such an amazing mom, and she had no experience with babies before this. And I know that she was very nervous about it; how would she be as a mother, and would it be natural instinct once he's here. She is just such an amazing mom with zero adjustment period. I'm just so amazed.

Molly: I learned that I could give myself a shot because, at first, Jena had to do all of the shots; I was terrified. I can take a shot, but I can't watch it go into me; it's a weird thing. But then I had to learn because I had to do it on my own.

How did you overcome learning how to do a shot? Any tips?

Molly: I joined some Facebook groups, and I got some tips from others. A lot of times, it’s not the needle going in that hurts. Sometimes it would actually be the medication going in that hurt. So people suggest icing that area a little bit prior to the shot. Another is to give yourself a little treat after you're done because you do a ton of shots. It sucks, and you're doing it every day. So I have a little treat at the end.

Jena also helped. I'd be standing there, terrified and frozen, and she pushed and encouraged me. She never made me feel bad for having that fear. She was always like, “Okay, we'll do it when you're ready; that's fine, we have time.” It validated my feelings, no matter how hormonal or crazy they may have been.

What advice would you give others going through their Fertility Journey?

Molly: The biggest thing is that we had no idea what was happening, and I counted on our clinic to explain everything. So I think education. And that's tough because it's easy to say, educate yourself. We didn't do it, and it's so much you don't even know where to start. But I think the more we had known upfront, the better we could have handled some things. And honestly, I think it would have shortened our timeline. Because you have to be your own advocate, especially in this industry, there are too few nurses to help all the people that need help. You have to stand up for yourself. The more you know as an individual and as a couple, the more you can help yourself.

Jena: My advice is to work together as a team. Molly can't always be the one making the phone calls. She's the one taking the shots, and both partners have to contribute even though she's the one physically going through the treatments. The partner has to step up in other ways. And sometimes that's just asking, “What can I do?” Because there were a lot of times I felt I had no control. I'm going through other things that she's not going through.

Molly: For example, Jena, after working an overnight shift at a prison, would drive with me to my appointments and have to just sit in the parking deck and wait for me. That's all she could do because of Covid restrictions. She couldn’t come inside with me, but she still came with me. So even that little bit was a world of difference because I thought, You're doing everything you can. And I appreciated that. So I agree– teamwork.

Jena: I think it's also important to find that community because it can feel very lonely. When we were going through all these treatments, and it wasn't working for us, but left and right, friends are getting pregnant, and you're happy for them, but it's devastating. When the same thing is not happening for you, you feel so small and alone. But there are so many couples and single men and women that are going through fertility struggles. You are not alone.

These are great. Any last advice?

Molly: You have to give yourself grace, and I think you have to curb your expectations, to be honest. This is not a short process; it took us five years. I had those thoughts, “This is literally what my body was made to do. Why can't I do it?” So you have to give yourself that grace because you won't be able to enjoy any part of it. It's a struggle, but it's to get to something joyful. In the moment, you can get so bogged down by all the craziness, but you have to remember why you’re doing it.

You have your appointment, and if it doesn't work, if it doesn't take, you go out and have a drink because you can have a drink; you go out and eat the funky cheese because it's not going to hurt you. You do something fun for yourself because you can now. So take a minute, enjoy it. And then tomorrow, you start again.

Seek Financing with Future Family

Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 90 seconds to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

The decision to grow your family is significant, and for single parents-to-be, it comes with unique challenges and anxieties. Fertility anxiety—or even stress or worries related to your ability to have children—affects hopeful single parents differently.

Though overwhelming, there are ways to address fertility anxiety no matter where you are on your journey.

Understanding Fertility Anxiety

Fertility anxiety is more than just a sense of uncertainty around building your family. It can also include a wider range of emotions, including fear, frustration, sadness, and self-doubt. There are many reasons to experience anxiety around fertility, and each is valid.

Aspiring single parent or not, it’s important to realize fertility anxiety is a completely normal experience. Whether you have concerns about future fertility or are ready to add to your family soon, you’re not alone. The emotional impact can be a lot to deal with, but the right coping tools can help. This starts with understanding the impact anxiety has on your fertility journey.

Can Anxiety Affect Fertility?

The effects of anxiety on fertility are not entirely clear. While there is a link between decreased stress and pregnancy success rates, stress and anxiety are not exclusively to blame for infertility. The experience of infertility is, in itself, difficult. This makes it tricky to pin down a singular cause, or determine whether anxiety has a definitive impact on the ability to conceive.

That said, a couple-based study on stress and conception rates found that it may take longer to become pregnant in times of stress. Single parents in the making face different stressors when it comes to fertility, and it’s important to keep these in mind when dealing with anxiety.

7 Ways to Manage Fertility Anxiety

Any fertility journey can be unpredictable, which may be especially true for would-be single parents. These practical strategies can help deal with fertility anxiety—whether you’re already on the path to parenthood or not.

1. Take Inventory

Understanding the relationship between fertility and anxiety can help to make the process as a presumptive single parent much easier. Infertility is a well-known cause of stress due to the strain of navigating the emotions and setbacks involved in the journey. Some of these include:

• Financial considerations
• Age and health status
• Pressure to start a relationship
• Work and family balance
• Social expectations
• Personal hopes

Understanding what factors affect your fertility anxiety and how they impact your experience is helpful. From there, you can make informed decisions about alleviating some of your stressors.

2. Acknowledge Your Feelings

It bears repeating: fertility anxiety is normal. Still, it can be difficult to moderate your internal experience. Take some time to acknowledge and validate your feelings of anxiety and the other accompanying emotions you may feel.

Even in moments of significant worry or jealousy, every feeling you have is understandable and completely valid. Give yourself permission to process your experience without judgment.

3. Lean on Support Systems

Fertility anxiety can feel lonely. As a potential single parent especially, it can feel like no one knows what you’re going through. Now is a great time to lean on a safe support system.

Get in touch with friends, family, and even forums or online communities who relate to your experiences. These spaces can be incredibly helpful outlets to share your thoughts, gain insights, and find emotional support.

4. Practice Self Care

It’s easy to get caught up in worries or overthinking when trying to get pregnant. In these times, slow down and practice good self care—something that is crucial to your physical and emotional well-being.

Look for enriching experiences that bring joy and relaxation into your life. Only you can determine what this looks like, but these suggestions can give you a starting point:

• Practice mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation
• Cook or go out to enjoy your favorite meal
• Take a long bath with aromatherapy or Epsom salts
• Find a good book to read
• Engage in a form of enjoyable exercise
• Journal your thoughts and feelings
• Go for a long walk outdoors

You can also engage in a hobby you enjoy or try something entirely new. Whatever you choose, build the activity around helping yourself feel peaceful and valued.

5. Foster Healthy Habits

Practicing a healthy lifestyle has a measurably positive effect on stress levels. Focus on giving your body and mind what it needs to feel your best. This includes eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and getting adequate sleep.

Taking care of your mental and physical health is also a great way to do everything within your control to support your own well-being (which can even encourage success on your fertility journey!).

6. Keep Yourself in the Know

Knowledge is power. The more informed you are about what options are available, the easier it is to look ahead with intention. Understandably, prospective single parents have many additional uncertainties surrounding their path to parenting.

Each journey is unique, but it may help to have answers to some of the most common questions:

Can a single woman get in vitro fertilization?
Yes! Single women can receive in vitro fertilization (IVF) to grow their family without a partner. Having a partner is not required to undergo and conceive through IVF treatments. Single-parent IVF follows the same treatment process, but is made possible for single women with donor sperm.

Can you receive artificial insemination if you are single?
Absolutely. Single women and individuals can receive artificial insemination, or IUI, in order to become pregnant. As a single mom, you can have a family on your own using sperm donation. Single women can obtain donor sperm for IUI through sperm banks, and need only to meet the health requirements for treatment.

Can a single father get a surrogate?
Yes, men who are single and want to have a child of their own can find an egg donor and a surrogate or gestational carrier. With surrogacy, the woman donates her own egg and carries the pregnancy, while a gestational carrier does not have a biological link to the embryo.

Why is infertility not covered by insurance?
Your insurance company may cover some fertility treatments, but this depends on factors such as the treatment type, the insurance company, your chosen clinic, your individual policy, and even your location. Insurance companies also define infertility differently. It’s normal to have questions about insurance coverage and fertility, and it’s a good idea to ask your clinic to help ease any present anxiety.

7. Seek Assistance

It takes a village even before you start the process of building your family as a future single parent. This can take many shapes, but just knowing you have options to assist you along your journey go a long way to ease fertility anxiety:

• Fertility Coaching: A designated fertility coach specializes in fertility issues, and can be an invaluable resource along your journey.
• Professional Counseling: Mental health therapists and counselors, particularly those who specialize in treating patients undergoing fertility treatments, can make a significant difference in how you feel every step of the way, especially if you experience anxiety.
• Support Groups: In this setting, single parents-to-be on a fertility journey can communicate openly with others who understand the experience. Support groups for single parents by choice can be found in many cities. These can be found through sites such as Facebook or Resolve.com.
• Financial Assistance: The financial burden of fertility treatments is a notable cause of fertility anxiety. Fertility financing can significantly ease this burden during fertility treatments.

Finance with Future Family

When you’re ready to take the next step, you have several options to make treatment more accessible. Financing options with Future Family make paying for fertility treatments easier, so you can relax and focus on nurturing and finding fulfillment in all other aspects of your experience.

There are many ways to grow a family, and every stage deserves support. Learn more ways to cope with fertility anxiety—including how to prepare for IVF—and discover how we can aid in your fertility journey.

Meet Antonett, a Future Family member from Hayward, California. Antonett underwent 3 IUIs and 3 IVF cycles and is now mom to a beautiful little girl. Her journey is full of patience, determination and grit.

Hi Antonett, tell us a little about your story.

Antonett:  I started my loan with Future Family in April 2022. By the time I had gotten introduced to Future Family, I had already been doing the IVF treatment rodeo for nearly two years. I'm lucky to work for an employer that actually covers fertility treatments up to a certain dollar amount, which was the caveat I ran into when I started with Future Family.

I had already done three rounds of IUI, and those failed. We started to investigate why. My doctor did not want to not wait as I was 33-34ish, and pushed me to bank embryos before I turned 35.  I was at that critical age where I had a higher chance of success..

So we moved on to the banking embryo stage, and we decided to go forward with IVF. My insurance covered all of the IUI and my first two rounds of IVF, but I ended up needing three rounds in the end. But by the time I was finished with my second round, there was a caveat with my insurance, where they would not cover back-to-back rounds of IVF.

Why was that the case?

Antonett: I did my first round of IVF, and I ended up with one genetically normal embryo. I wanted to do another cycle to bank at least one more before doing a transfer. I tried to submit a pre-approval through my insurance at that time, and they said ‘No, we're not going to approve the second cycle because you have a viable embryo to transfer. So you have to transfer that one. And if that one fails, then we cover the second round.’ Which is kind of annoying. My doctor and I were not happy about it, but we had to do it this way so I would not have to pay out of pocket. We also thought ‘what if this embryo works out and you do get pregnant, you do have this baby.’ I was okay with only one kid anyway, so let's just try it then we can revisit. So we did the transfer in October 2021 after I had completed my first round of IVF, and it worked. But unfortunately, I lost the pregnancy very early on.

So it was pretty devastating to have to do everything all over again. It really was frustrating. If I would have just listened to the doctor's advice and paid for that 2nd cycle out of pocket, then I wouldn’t have had to go back to the drawing board and do the whole thing all over again.

What did you do next?

Antonett:  I gave my body about a month to heal.  Then at the end of February 2022 my doctor said, ‘if you're mentally ready, we can do this all over again.’ So I did a second round of IVF from February to March 2022 that again yielded one genetically normal embryo. So knowing what I had just gone through, I wasn't going to try to go through a transfer again. If something were to go wrong, then I’d have to go back to the drawing board yet again. That's when I started with Future Family, knowing that my insurance was not going to cover that third round of IVF, and I didn’t have the cash on hand to do another round of IVF without any type of financial help. I didn't really want to ask my family for help because I wasn't very open or forthcoming about doing IVF or any fertility treatment in the first place.

Luckily my clinic, Kindbody San Francisco, already had a partnership with Future Family. That was actually really clutch. It was like, ‘Okay, I want to do this thing, and I already know my insurance is not going to cover it, but I don't want to be inefficient about it.  I'm being told if I do this before a certain age, then I have a much higher chance of success.’

What attracted you to your fertility clinic?

Antonett: Kindbody offered fertility assessments without having to be referred to by your doctor, and they worked with my insurance. This allowed me to understand where I was [with my reproductive health], if there was potentially anything wrong. You don't know these things until you go and ask, and my regular doctor was not even willing to do that until I had tried to get pregnant for a year.

I've not had the best experience with OB care. I found it very invasive. I found a lot of doctors don't ask to do procedures on you, they just do them and hope that you're going to tolerate the discomfort. With Kindbody, it was a very different experience. My doctor there always asked for my consent before doing anything. She asked for permission to do things.

With Kindbody,  I just got a very good feeling at the start of the whole process, especially after seeing my  scans and finding out more about my body. Afterwards, the doctor told me to get dressed, we sat down, and she explained her initial findings, what she saw, and what my options could be.

And it was a good thing that I kept going to them because they ended up discovering, over the two years of treatment, that I actually would not have gotten pregnant without any assistance at all.

What did they discover?

Antonett:  It turned out I had blockages in my right fallopian tube - residual inflammation and scarring from a ruptured appendix, which wasn't officially diagnosed until after I had done the first round of IVF where I lost the embryo. It was when they had me do more detailed testing that they found it. It was also inflamed and leaking poisonous fluid back into my uterus. So that's why I hadn't been able to get pregnant.

What a journey you’ve been through...

Antonett: Right?! Everything that I learned about my body during that two-year process, that I literally would have never known if I hadn’t gone to this clinic to begin with and gotten all the testing done. If I had listened to my OB who said ‘try for a year and come back to us’ I would have wasted an entire year of my life.

In this case, trusting your own gut was the right choice. How did you like your experience with Future Family?

Antonett: it was really easy to set up and get approved. And then I talked to Darin. It was nice to talk to him and then be set up with a fertility coach.

Your Fertility Coach Katie?

Antonett: Yes, she would check up on me after all of my appointments. Because she's a nurse I would tell her all of the measurements from my appointments and how things were progressing. It was nice to be able to get to that fine level of detail versus if I was talking to a counselor with no medical background.

What made you decide on a fertility loan?

Antonett: I asked my friend, who got her mortgage through a credit union, if they did smaller loans than mortgages. And it just seemed like I would have to do a lot of work to figure out financing this procedure. Whereas if I went with Future Family who my clinic worked with,  it was just all going to be done for me. And at the time, I'd already gone through two rounds of IVF; I didn't want to do a third, but I had to. It was the last thing I wanted to think about–having to seek out a personal loan and compare interest rates and do all of this stuff versus ‘okay, well the clinic already works with this company, and they break down your loan into smaller payments that you can definitely afford.’

How was your experience with Future Family?

Antonett:  It was really good. The fertility coaching - just being able to email Katie back and forth about every single appointment, how everything went. And the third round of IVF is what ended up leading to my daughter. That third round of IVF, it was like a perfect storm. Because by then, I had a brand new doctor. She looked at what had been done previously and she changed up a lot of stuff in my protocol actually. Completely new, fresh set of eyes looking at the problem. She ended up doing my fallopian tube removal, to remove the blocked tube.

And then my third round of IVF was super successful. I ended up getting three embryos that were genetically normal and excellent quality. And then one of those excellent embryos ended up being transferred in August of that year. That’s my daughter!

How often did you utilize your Future Family Fertility Coach, Katie?

Antonett:  I would give her an update after every appointment, every other day until the egg retrieval. Then I let her know about my surgery and gave her updates. After the egg retrieval, updates were a little more sparse, but I would let her know about how I was recovering from my surgery and the plans going forward.

And then at the transfer stage, I started utilizing her a lot more. Because after the transfer, you have to wait 10 days before you find out if you’re pregnant. I was just really paranoid because with the first transfer I felt every symptom in the book. So I was thinking  ‘Oh, I'm feeling odd. This must mean it's working.’ Then how it ended was pretty tragic. So then with the second transfer, it was the complete opposite – it happened and then I felt nothing. I just didn't feel any different. It was so weird. I'm like, ‘Oh man, this didn't work.’ Then, I would email Katie with all of my concerns and my anxieties about how I was pretty sure that this transfer didn't work and how I'm going to move forward and everything. Then my clinic called me up after 10 days and said, ‘Hey, here's your level. You are pregnant.’ I said, ‘you're joking. I don't feel anything’ They said, ‘No. Your level is very high. You are definitely pregnant.’ I went in for a follow up blood test 3 days later, and they told me that my number had tripled!

Up until I graduated from Katie's care and from my clinic, I was messaging Katie every two days because every time I felt something new, I'd be like, ‘is this normal?’ Especially when you're so early in your pregnancy. People don't talk about it that early with others, when you're like five, six weeks pregnant. Some people don't even know that they're pregnant at five or six weeks, but when you're a fertility patient, you're told you're pregnant before you realize you're pregnant.

What else did you enjoy about Future Family?

Antonett: The loan itself and the payments and how it is broken down for me. For people who have to pay for multiple rounds of IVF out of pocket, it's definitely making it so much more accessible. Because you have to pay essentially another car payment for another five years, maybe a little bit more, which is financially more feasible than coughing up $16,000-$20,000 all at once or sticking that on your credit card.

Which is still cheaper than making payments on your credit card

Antonett: Yeah for sure. Because you either have to pay off that entire balance by the due date or you're stuck with a way higher interest rate.

What did you learn about yourself throughout this process?

Antonett:  Throughout this whole process I've learned way more about my own anatomy. And if anything, it makes me a little mad that when you're going through the US education system they do not teach people more about reproduction.

I've learned so much about reproduction, how it works, and all the ins and outs of it. I had to learn all of that while going through this process versus learning it in school.

What advice would you give to people going through the same or similar process?

Antonett:  Definitely not to give up. For a lot of people that go through fertility treatments, it's not just like you're going to do one procedure and then BAM! It worked for you. It really is something that you just have to stick with, and it can be a long process.

Seek Financing with Future Family

Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 90 seconds to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

From the desk of Claire Tomkins, CEO at Future Family.

It’s no secret that fertility treatment can be expensive.  But for those who identify as LBGTQ+, the costs are compounded since insurance mandates nationwide typically define infertility in heterosexual terms.

Couples must try to conceive through sexual intercourse for a year before being covered. In most states, a woman without a male partner is mandated to attempt IUI (intrauterine insemination) up to a dozen times before a plan covers egg donation.

For same-sex male couples, their lack of a viable egg isn’t typically viewed as a medical problem. As a result, they likely have to pay out of pocket for egg retrieval and prescriptions for their donor.

Transgender individuals commonly go through egg or sperm freezing prior to transitioning, but a single cycle of egg retrieval and freezing can start between $7,000 and $12,000, not including the storage fees of $300+ per year.

$60,000 can be the starting dollar amount for surrogacy, a very common path to parenthood for LGBTQ+ families.

As we celebrate Pride Month, I’d like to tell you about a couple I’ve come to know.  Sarah and her wife are both military veterans.  After serving their country, they decided to start building a family through reciprocal IVF.  

Reciprocal IVF is a variation of in vitro fertilization that allows both partners to contribute to creating a child together.  One partner goes through testing and egg retrieval so an egg can be fertilized before the other partner receives the embryo into their uterus and carries the pregnancy.  This process allows for both partners to be involved in the creation of their child in a way that traditional IVF does not.  

On average, a single cycle of reciprocal IVF costs between $10,000–$15,000. The exact price depends on insurance coverage, the couple’s health, and the treatment center.

Add on medication costs, which can range between $7,000–$10,000. During reciprocal IVF, the gestational partner and the partner providing eggs use fertility drugs to prepare the eggs and uterus for implantation.

All in all, couples undergoing reciprocal IVF can expect a bill of approximately $20,000.

When a spot opened up at the fertility clinic, Sarah and her wife were shocked to learn that the clinic required the full cost of treatment upfront.  They had an idea of how much everything would cost but believed the total could be spread out over the course of the treatment.  Understandably, Sarah and her wife were dismayed by the prospect of parting with the majority of their savings on such short notice.

This is not how Americans pay for homes, this is not how Americans pay for cars; these days, you can even buy a shirt online with buy now, pay later options.  

Low-interest loans with a set monthly payment can simplify the fertility process and eliminate financial stress.  

Sarah knew it was best to feel calm heading into fertility treatment.  By discovering a tailored fertility financing solution, Sarah was able to relax and focus on her well-being and her future baby.  As an added bonus, she gained the support of a nurse and a team of experts who helped guide her as she embarked on the path to parenthood.

She hopes that sharing her story can raise awareness about the challenges that same-sex couples face when it comes to starting a family.  

Having a family is a fundamental human right.  Connection and love are at the core of our humanity.  While we wait for changes in the insurance industry and society at large, It’s important that everyone has access to financing solutions that make the dream of growing a family possible.

Ready to start your fertility journey?

Take 90 seconds to prequalify for a fertility loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

Meet Future Family members Lauren and Natalie from Stockbridge, Georgia. Lauren is the co-director of a local preschool and the financial controller at her church. Natalie has been a teacher and sports coach for over 19 years. With Natalie by her side, Lauren underwent 3 cycles of IUI and 1 cycle of IVF.  Lauren is now pregnant with a baby girl!

What made you decide that Future Family was the right option for you?

Lauren: There were three financing companies we were looking into, and we immediately nixed one because they didn't do any medication coverage. They would give you money, but you couldn't use it for medications and those are a major expense in this process. So I was looking at you guys and another one and probably what got me was Ryan (Fertility Finance Specialist) who is on the front lines. We just filled out the simple pre-approval application to see what we could possibly get. Immediately, that night he reached out and introduced himself ‘I’m with Future Family. I would like to talk to you guys more and let you know about what we can offer you.’ That other company, I didn't hear anything from them and it seems like more of a straight up loan, and that's it. Because they don't specialize in fertility loans.

I think Ryan got me big time. In our call with him, he went over everything.  It just made complete sense to go with the company who specializes in this. Plus, he gave us background on your founder, and that the majority of people who work for Future Family have had some type of personal experience with infertility. It seemed like, ‘Well, if you've been through it, then you know. You're probably gonna get much better customer service because they understand exactly what you're going through.’

Natalie: Yeah, we had a really great conversation with Ryan. I think the whole package makes sense, but he really brought us in. It's the people in your company. They really drive this and are all the moving parts of everything like ordering stuff and staying on top of everything. Ryan, that night, was super nice and took his time talking to us. When you personalize things like that you're gonna get people to want to work with you.

Lauren: Especially because we had no education until now. We knew we needed a loan, but the only kind of loan we've ever needed before was a car loan. So it's a little bit different, right? So just being there to provide that education that we needed, we were sold.

Did you consider using another type of loan or credit card?

Lauren: Yeah, we had thought about getting a personal loan and previously had some credit card debt that we had recently got out of. I was not getting back into that. While it wasn't a lot, we weren’t doing it again because it used to drive me absolutely insane. So after getting that debt paid off we said, this is not something we want to do again. We didn't even know that fertility loans were out there. We were thinking more along the lines of a personal loan through our credit union or something like that. So we started realizing that there were other things that we could do. That fertility loan was the only other option that we were going to look into.

We are faith-based people and doing this process was more financially stressing. We prayed about it a lot and it felt like God was going to lead us down the right path, and it was like right after that, Future Family came into the picture. Ryan went over what we would qualify for, what we could get, all of our documents, what we would be paying monthly. And when we heard that number, it was like that's it. We can totally do this, we can pay over that some months so that just solidified everything.

Natalie: It was just a seamless process and the numbers added up. So it just made sense. It was like everything just aligned and when it lines up like that you just want to go with that.

How was your experience with Future Family?

Lauren: It's been nothing but wonderful. One of the greatest services is that you're gonna have a fertility coach available to you while you're going through this process, and I can remember looking at Natalie and asking ‘why would we need one?’ Because we had such great nurses that were so responsive to us at the clinic. So we were just like, ‘Oh well, okay, you know, that's a perk we’ll probably never use but alright, thanks for letting us know.’ Yeah, but our opinion changed on that real quick after we met with Laura and we had our call with her.

Laura is fantastic and has a wonderful personality and she's hilarious! We text like we're friends, I said, ‘you could either win an Oscar or you truly do care about your patients!’ Because I mean, she is so dedicated to what she does. And there were so many times that she would remind me, ‘Okay? Let me know how your appointment goes today,’ Before I even said it, I knew I was on her schedule and everything. Some of those questions you don't want to feel like you are bugging your nurses, but you've got things going on in your mind that you forgot to ask. And we always knew that we could reach out to her and ask her anything. And she gave us so much advice and just eased our minds about so many different things. You know, we're pregnant now so we're kind of off of her schedule but she says we can keep in touch, so we're really happy about that. And using MDR as the pharmacy, our fertility clinic actually is a partner with them as well. So we got a bigger discount being RBA patients and Future Family members. The fact that you all are linked up with MDR pharmacy, we don't have to worry about anything; the bill is paid, everything is just seamless. You guys thought about everything.

Natalie: Just every little part that goes along with your company makes sense. Laura became like part of our family. And this journey is such an important part of our life to a child. The fact that we had someone like Laura is a huge selling point. If I could push that even more for people, that alone is priceless. It really is really priceless and while we reached out to our clinic for certain things, honestly, Laura was on speed dial with Lauren. As far as texting wise, when we would receive news about certain things, appointments, and we got the pregnancy news, Laura was one of the first people we reached out to. We thought about our parents, of course and our family, but then it was Laura. That just shows you how meaningful that relationship is.  Obviously it's her, but it's y'all. Y'all invest in the right people in the right place. And you really know how this is an important journey. You probably have tons of clients but you make it feel like it's about us and that is how a good company is run.

What makes the fertility coaches at Future Family different?

Lauren: You don't realize you need it until it's there. You've automatically had somebody that becomes your biggest cheerleader and your Google anytime you have a question. She was so knowledgeable about anything and everything we asked her about. Even when we had a question about finance, which I realize we weren’t supposed to ask about, she would get the answer for us. You notice there were no limits to what she could find out and convey for us. There was never a time where she said ‘Oh actually that's the billing department and you can follow this link to get there.’  She made us comfortable and we trusted her right off the bat and it eased our minds through every single appointment. We loved the honesty. We loved the peace of mind that she provided. And just knowing that she was in our corner cheering for us on every single thing.

Natalie: There's so much you can find on Google but you end up getting more confused because there's so much information. You can call your fertility clinic but you may have to send them a message, and ours was great and we're very thankful for that, but maybe they'll have to get back to us. But it is not like they're going to call us back, they might send us a message. With Laura, she was like ‘anything you need.’ People don't realize that when you go through something that costs a lot of money and is so emotionally and physically draining as it is– all that stuff is so much easier when you have someone like Laura. Knowing that she was relieved about all the questions and whatnot– that is huge and you cannot put a price on that.

Lauren: I can't tell you how many times I reached out to her, sending her a text knowing that it was late and wouldn't expect to hear back from her until the morning. I get the automated response back. And not 10 minutes later, she had sent me a text back. So, she truly was there any time I needed her, within reason. Laura became part of our family. And I love the relationship that we have. I love that she allows us to keep it open and we can still chat with her and send her updates. She says that's one of the best parts of her job.

Natalie: Another thing that you all do really well, that people don't understand, is all the moving parts that go along with her fertility. As far as, this calls for this direction and another thing a different direction; you all make all these directions go into a one one lane way and it's so easy. And so when you do something like that and you make things easy for people that have enough going on in their life.  And you make this process seamless, whether it be with ordering the medication, or the moving parts of the funds.  It just all works together and that cohesiveness that you have with the company and in adding in Laura, it just makes sense and it just works. For people that go to another company that only says, ‘Here's your money. Good luck. Figure it out,’ you are completely missing out on a company that really invests in their patients and really cares. Yeah, it takes a lot of the responsibility off of us, having to do our research and figure out all this stuff because y'all have already done it all. It would be one thing if you promised something and you couldn't deliver. But from the get-go we have found out that on every single turn, everything that Ryan said has come to fruition. So everything has been as it was promised and as it was stated, nothing was oversold. Every expectation that we could have had was met and exceeded and I mean Laura's fantastic but you, Future Family as a whole, is just fantastic.

Did you encounter any barriers along the way?

Natalie: Being a same sex couple, I think things could be easier. There are still barriers like insurance and that sucks and it hurts. We are legally married now, and I'm very thankful for that, but there are so many more of us who are married that want to have children and can't. And things are made more difficult when you could make it a little bit easier, because you're making it easier for heterosexual couples. Hopefully more ground will open up on that avenue.

What advice would you give to others going through this process?

Lauren: It's much easier to go through if you have faith. The doctors can give you all the stats, they can give you all the percentages, but you just have to know that everybody's case is completely individualized. You've got to take everything as it comes. We took the mindset of not taking everything to heart. Not taking it personally. We were going to keep doing what we needed to do and keep a positive mindset, taking each day as it comes and keep pushing forward. And that's really what we did. We just took it one day at a time. I mean  three failed IUIs before IVF, is not fun and midway through that, I had a night where I felt like a failure, you know? I am doing everything that I'm supposed to be doing and this is not working. We had to have a conversation and Natalie said ‘it's not you, you're not doing anything wrong, don't feel that way.”  You just have to take it as it comes, because when one door closes, another door opens. Just don't give up. If this is truly your dream, don't stop until you don't have any more options or it isn't safe. Just don't give up.

Natalie: Be open to options, as far as everything because it's such an important journey, whether you're heterosexual or homosexual or by yourself. Just be open to the options and really dive into the avenues of your due diligence. Look at the whole picture and not because this company says this is cheaper to go with them. You get what you pay for. Keep your mind open. This is an important journey so you're not going to put your child, or your wife, or your spouse, or your partner into any situation you wouldn't want to be in. You wouldn't buy a car that wasn't safe for you to be in. So why would you, in such an important journey like this, put your money and time into a company that you didn't know was going to be 100% in it with you.. Take the resources, utilize them, understand them, ask questions when you need to, be okay with what life brings at you. Be open minded about things.

We had some setbacks but now we are so blessed to be pregnant. Take it as it comes and invest in what you're going to do, which is having a child. Invest in the right people that are going to support you.

What is something that you learn, whether it's about yourself, the process or your partner throughout this whole process?

Lauren: I have learned so much about the female body through this experience. We both feel like we've taken a class in health and anatomy. Everybody knows where babies come from, but this process is a learning process; every little thing that goes into it has been truly just eye opening and it's miraculous. When people say childbirth is a miracle, it truly is, because the way science has come along, different drugs can manipulate your body to behave the way that it does and everything line up the right way. I know it's been done for quite a while but it's still mind-blowing to me. That was one of the really cool things about this whole process is just learning because it's such a specialty subject. Unless you're involved in it, you don't know all the moving parts and that learning has been mind-blowing to me.

Natalie: I've learned I can school people on information that I've gotten from this process. Another thing I've learned is that just because you have one support base, doesn't mean that more support bases aren’t needed. The more support you have, the better, and the quality of the support is important. We have our parents and people like them, that are important, but with  all of the moving parts involved in fertility treatment, you may need professional support. You do need a lot of support with something as big as this.

Lauren: We both learned to include a select few people, even if they were in our inner circle, in this journey.  But I think we realized that we truly have more support than we thought we did. We grew up in the Deep South, both of our parents had issues with our sexuality and we go to a Methodist church. Atlanta is a different ball game than here. We are a whole lot more open down here than we used to be but family was a big barrier for a long time. And going through this journey has really opened our eyes that we do have more support than we thought. We have a lot of friends who are just over the moon excited for us, and telling us y'all are going to be amazing moms, and we can't wait. And one of the truly amazing things that have come out of this besides the fact that both of our parents are really excited now, so that's great too. This whole process has brought us closer with a lot of different people. And it's just great because our friends, and we have all different kinds of friends, and they’ve united all around this one thing and it's been really great.

Congratulations and thank you Lauren and Natalie for sharing your story with us.

Learn more about Fertility Coach Laura and Finance Specialist Ryan on our blog.

Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 2 minutes to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

Meet Michael Rauscher, Director of Employer Partnerships at Future Family, a very charismatic and loving individual. Learn how he helps people in his role and how he impacts those we serve.

Please Introduce yourself

Hi I’m Michael! I live in Wylie, TX, which is a suburb of Dallas. I was born outside of Chicago and raised in Florida. I earned my business degree at the University of Texas San Antonio. Family is everything to me, my parents have been married over 40 years and have been a great example to me of love and sacrifice. I have two children of my own and they have been and remain my inspiration to push myself and succeed in any endeavor I pursue.

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is from Michael Jordan, it reads, "My attitude is that if you push me towards a weakness, I will turn that weakness into a strength."

Why did you join Future Family?

I was intrigued by the company and its mission from day 1, but I joined the company after meeting with Amanda (VP of Enterprise) and several others from within the organization. I loved hearing their own stories and wanted to share in the common goal.

How do you help your clients and other organizations?

There are a lot of options when it comes to fertility benefits, and many employers don't fully understand how the companies operate or differentiate themselves. I love helping employers make sense of this while explaining how Future Family's solutions are truly unique. While we offer options for fertility, we also provide comprehensive coverage that includes financing for out-of-pocket healthcare costs, making us a solution that all employees can benefit from.

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

Families should consider the positive impact that a loan provides, as opposed to the alternatives, such as credit card, 401K, or using up one's savings. One, the interest does not change unlike credit cards. Two you get extra benefits such as the Care team or discount on medications. Three, there is no prepayment penalty so it's really easy to pay off. On a credit card, if your balance goes up, so do your minimum payments.

What is your favorite part about helping organizations with implementing a family building benefit?

Hearing the excitement from them when they "get it". You can tell when that moment happens that they are catching on to what we offer and how truly unique and beneficial it is.

In your opinion, what do you think is that one "thing" that makes Future Family so special?

Our people. They are all wonderful human-beings, and without a doubt it’s the teams that make Future Family stand out.

If you had a few tips for a new patient just starting this process and researching fertility financials, what advice would you give somebody?

I would say do the research, if you look at the options out there, you'll find how great it is to choose Future Family.


Looking to add fertility benefits to your workplace? Reach out to Michael and see how he can help you get setup.

Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 2 minutes to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

My name is Marin L. My husband and I have been married for almost 6 years. We live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

How did you hear about Future Family?

Through our clinic, New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine.

How did you find your clinic? Did you find your clinic before reaching out to Future Family?

My fertility clinic is one of the major ones in my area. We did not have luck with IUI with another clinic, and our doctor was leaving the practice, so we decided to switch clinics. We found the clinic before we knew about Future Family.

Were you aware of the differences between a personal loan and a fertility loan like Future Family?

I did not realize a fertility loan was an option. We paid out of pocket for IUI so we did not need a loan prior to finding Future Family.

What has your experience with your clinic been like?

It has been mostly positive and very effective! We did one retrieval and a frozen transfer about a month later where one embryo implanted. About 15 months after the birth of our first daughter, we did another frozen transfer, and we just delivered our second daughter!

How was your experience with Future Family?

Future Family was very easy to work with. I set up the appointment to talk to them and we were able to sign up right away. They were always there to answer my questions through both cycles.

What about working with your Fertility Coach?

It was very nice to have the coach there. Especially during the first pregnancy because I had a lot of questions. When we used Future Family the second time, my first coach reached back out to me and I was able to have the same one! That was the best part! It has been great having the same person who I was already familiar with and already knew everything I had been through with the first pregnancy. Definitely made it more personal to have someone there for help and to have the same one.

What advice do you have for others going through this process?

Infertility is a long and hard journey. It’s something you have to take day by day and not stress about the future. Lean on the people that understand infertility and have gone through it. Future Family is great for that since everyone has either worked in infertility or gone through it themselves.

What did you learn from going through this process?

I definitely learned resilience and perseverance. To wake up every day and know you have an injection 1-2 times that day can be taxing. Or to have 10-15 pills to take some days. It’s a lot. But you keep going because it means you will hopefully get a baby at the end of the process. The medicines can be tough on your body, but I would do it many times over to get my daughters here. I kept going because I knew what I wanted in the end.

Marin has just given birth to a second baby girl. We wish her and her family all the best.

Seek Financing with Future Family

Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 2 minutes to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

When trying to have a baby, it’s important to consider you and your partner’s overall health, from what you eat and drink, to your physical activity, to the medications and supplements you take.

If you are trying to get pregnant, you and your partner should speak to your doctors about any prescription and over-the-counter drugs you’re using.  While many treatments are fine to continue while trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy, certain medications may impact your fertility or the health of the baby. Do not make any changes to your medications without the guidance of your healthcare provider.  

Below is a look at some of the main types of medications that are linked to fertility issues, for both men and women.

Medications That May Affect Male Fertility

• Alpha Blockers: Used to treat urinary symptoms as the result of an enlarged prostate; may affect ejaculation.
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Can lead to low sperm count or an inability to produce sperm.
• Depression Medications: Certain antidepressants can cause sexual dysfunction or trouble ejaculating.
• Steroids: Anabolic steroids can interfere with sperm production and lower sperm count.

For a more comprehensive list of medications that can impact male fertility check out this article from the Cleveland Clinic.

Medications That May Affect Female Fertility

• Depressions Medications: Some antidepressants can affect ovulation and may raise hormone levels such as prolactin.
• Steroids: Some corticosteroids can impact fertility in women by preventing the release of hormones needed for ovulation.
• Thyroid Medication: Medications given to treat thyroid disorders can improve fertility. But if not taken in the correct dosage, and the thyroid remains underactive, it may affect prolactin levels and alter ovulation.
• Antiepileptic drugs & Antipsychotics may impact fertility

Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, can be detrimental to both male and female fertility as well – sometimes permanently. If you are getting ready to start treatment, consider talking to your doctor about ways to preserve your fertility through sperm or egg freezing.

Alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use may also impact fertility. Heavy drinking (10-14 drinks per week) and smoking can impact testosterone levels and sperm counts in men and reproductive health and implantation for women.

Do any medications or supplements help fertility & pregnancy?

Prenatal Vitamins: Perhaps the most important supplement to start taking when thinking about pregnancy is a prenatal vitamin. Among many other important nutrients, prenatal vitamins provide folic acid and iron, both of which aid in the healthy development of the baby early in the pregnancy.  The Mayo Clinic recommends starting a prenatal vitamin before conception – even suggesting it’s a good idea for all women of reproductive age.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: In addition to being good for your overall health, these healthy fats have been shown to help regulate your hormones, increase blood flow to the uterus and aid in the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. Fish including salmon and sardines are good sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, but if you don’t eat fish regularly, you might consider taking fish oil or algal oil instead.

CoQ10: Coenzyme Q10 is a type of antioxidant that is naturally created by the body and found in many foods, including organ meats and fish. Our bodies’ production of CoQ10 slows down as we age. Some studies suggest taking CoQ10 supplements can improve the ovarian response and increase rates of conception for women undergoing fertility treatment. Talk to your doctor about if a CoQ10 supplement might be right for you.

Vitamin D: Low Vitamin D levels have been linked to women not conceiving as easily on their own and lower birth rates in women undergoing fertility treatment.  Natural sources of Vitamin D include sunshine (aim for about 10 minutes of sunlight per day, but use sunscreen for longer exposure) and seafood like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Certain foods can also be fortified with Vitamin D including dairy and plant-based milks, yogurt and tofu – just check the nutrition label. You can also take a Vitamin D supplement. Talk to your doctor about an appropriate dosage based on your Vitamin D level.

Learn more about the fertility journey at Future Family’s blog and FAQs. Ready to start your fertility journey? Take 2 minutes to prequalify for a loan today. It's free and does not affect your credit score.

Hello I’m Curtis Feimster! I am Arkansas born and bred and live in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  My background has been in advertising for newspapers and helped develop online Advertising Departments, Television Advertising, Radio Advertising and E-commerce.  I am motivated to do the best daily. My favorite sport or hobby is College Football, Basketball and Baseball (anything Razorbacks or the Atlanta Braves).

What do you do at Future Family and how long have you been here?

I’m a Senior Fertility Finance Advocate and have been here since July 2021. As a Senior Fertility Finance Advocate, I help patients navigate the complexity of fertility financing and customize the loans that fit their needs.

Why did you join Future Family? What is your favorite part about working at Future Family

I joined because the mission and my passion to help people aligned and it was such a perfect fit for me. I appreciate everyone at Future Family is oriented toward helping one another.

How do you help clients with Future Family?

I work with people who are pre-approved to get them the financing needed for their Fertility loan. I walk them through their options, what gets them over the finish line, and how we can help them through this whole process.

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

Finding the right loan that fits their needs.  Everyone’s needs are different and always remember Future Family is with you throughout your journey.

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

So many patients don't know what they'll do when they get their treatment costs and are so happy how we can help them, not just financially, passing them to the Care team, where they get further one-on-one support from our Registered Nurses.

In your opinion, what do you think is that one "thing" that makes Future Family so special?

Walking the patient through the entire fertility journey from start to finish, we get to see people who are experiencing all kinds of emotions. The best kind is when they tell us their good news of pregnancy and that we were there with them the entire time.

If you had a few tips for a new patient just starting this process and researching fertility financials, what advice would you give somebody?

How do you trust that company? Meaning does the lender know fertility? is there Care involved? Fertility is complex and so is all the cost associated with it. You should find a lender with experience dealing with bills from various avenues such as medications or anesthesia. You need a company with flexibility and goal to support you.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team, like Curtis, is here for you. See what you prequalified for in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

Meet Dr. Nidhee Sachdev, a double board-certified and fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologist and infertility expert at OC Fertility in Newport Beach, California. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, she tells us a little about her passion for caring for her patients and fertility and family planning issues impacting the South Asian community.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work at OC Fertility.

My name is Dr. Nidhee Sachdev, and I'm a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist, also known as a fertility doctor.  I practice at OC Fertility, a boutique IVF clinic and lab here in Newport Beach, California. There's two physicians, Dr. Moayeri and myself. We practice together, but it's also pretty individualized. So what's cool about us is that every time a patient comes in, they're scanned by either myself or Dr. Moayeri. But I would say 85-90% of the time you see your own doctor.  So I see my own patients, and she'll see hers. And then sometimes we do see each other's patients, which is nice, because you get a second perspective on things. And we always talk about each other's patients. We have our own in-house lab, OC Biogenics. There's a lot of great practices out there, but ours is kind of smaller, more boutique and high touch. So I think patients get a more personalized experience that we take pride in.

What inspired you to choose reproductive medicine?

Part of the reason I became a doctor was because I liked the idea of taking care of people. There's something about not just helping them, but taking care of them. And I initially was really drawn to pregnant patients, helping someone have their baby.  Then I did my residency at the University of Chicago, and we had a really diverse population. There were a lot of people there who just, due to their circumstances, weren't able to get prenatal care. They would show up having had no care, about to have their baby. And they'd still have these beautiful, healthy babies, even though they got no prenatal care.

And I realized that pregnant patients are a great population, but they don't necessarily need me in the same way as the patients who were having a harder time getting pregnant. And through my experiences in residency, I would help deliver babies to people who used IVF or some other fertility treatment to get pregnant, and just kind of talking to them, and the relationships I formed, I realized that that was the patient population I liked.

Then I did research, and I just thought it was really exciting what we were doing and how technology is changing things. It's really cutting edge what we do and the more I learned about it, the more interested I became in it, and here I am.

May is AAPI Heritage Month. What are some of the ways infertility impacts the South Asian community specifically?

I think a big part of it is just physiology. PCOS is not uncommon, not only in the infertility population, but in the South Asian population. PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome, meaning patients may not ovulate. They may be predisposed to diabetes and high blood pressure, and they may also have signs of excess hair growth. And culturally, you may find South Asians, we have darker colored hair. And we may present with having excess hair growth. But depending upon your social situation, patients may start early with the removal of hair. And so some of the early signs of PCOS may be masked by the methods that we use to remove hair.  

But also on the flip side, patients may not have excess hair growth– that just may be genetically how they're predisposed. And we may be categorized into the bucket of PCOS when we don't necessarily have PCOS. But you have darker colored hair, and so you may present with having excess hair growth. So it's kind of both sides. A lot of patients do have it and that affects fertility. But also I think we may be prematurely diagnosed with PCOS because of some of cultural things.

When it comes to fertility treatment– and I don't think this is limited to South Asian people– but I think that the importance of building a family is ingrained in the culture. And in our culture, marriage and arranged marriages are something that are widely talked about and really popular. And I think as a result of that, women are married, or considered of an age to be married, earlier on. So many people will be in a position to try to conceive earlier on.  You know, my mom was in her early 20s, and most of my friends’ moms were in their early 20s, when they got married and tried to conceive.

So it's a stark difference because our parents may say, ‘you're in your mid to late 20s and you're not there.’ So I think whether it comes from a good place or a different place, the pressures behind having kids on a certain timeline are there. And I think that affects people's desire to conceive and when they want to conceive, and that can bring increased anxiety and stress. And it affects how people view treatment.

As a fertility professional are there any health trends or risk factors that you see affecting certain ethnic communities that might impact fertility?

Well, cultural trends, right, what we eat, Indian food is for the most part primarily plant based. It's a lot of vegetarian stuff, but there are oils, fats and a lot of carbs that are staples.  I am a grown person, but I still need rice for most of my meals, that’s just how I was raised. And so what we eat and how we are eating play a role in our overall health, especially if we are predisposed to things like PCOS and diabetes. So I think those are some cultural trends that could affect our overall health, which ultimately could affect our ability to ovulate, which could affect our fertility.

Are there any cultural biases related to fertility treatment within the South Asian community?

That's a good question. I think people are becoming more open with not only their peers, but older generations about their fertility treatment. So I think, maybe there were biases in the past about how people conceived, whether it was with IVF or other treatments.

Egg freezing is also becoming more comfortable for people to talk about as an option. But, in just talking to some patients, I think there can be some hesitation or even some delay in treatment because of concerns of how their parents might feel about it. Just because someone freezes their eggs doesn't mean that they don't have a desire to get married in the near future, or they're not able to get married in the future. It doesn't equate to quitting or giving up. And I think that stigma is slowly going away. It's just an opportunity to help build families in the future.

I do think that– and some of this is just making assumptions based on the opinions of a small number of people, so this doesn’t apply to everybody– but I think that donor eggs are not something that are as openly spoken about. I think in just society as a whole, not specifically South Asians. But as a result, patients who are looking for South Asian donors don’t have very many options. And I think we just don't educate people about how that's a beautiful way to build a family.  The more we educate people, the more comfortable people will feel about it. And then ultimately, maybe more people will decide to become egg donors. And I think that'll kind of open up the whole thing.

What do donor egg options look like for South Asians?

So, the options for donor eggs for South Asians are the same technical options for any ethnicity. You have the option of using frozen eggs, meaning somebody has already previously done an egg freezing cycle. And those eggs that were retrieved from that person are then grouped into groups of 6, 8, 9, however many, and they're frozen and available. So all the testing, screening and legal stuff has been done. Patients look at profiles, they find what they like, they choose it. We can be using those eggs within a month.

A fresh cycle can be either a known donor, so somebody that you know, or a de-identified cycle.  We used to call them anonymous, but we now call them de-identified because anonymity can't necessarily be maintained in the future with technology and laws changing. What that means is that oftentimes patients will use an agency to find a donor, where they then can see different profiles. And that donor will then undergo an IVF cycle.

There are less available egg donors that are of South Asian descent than there are that are Caucasian. And so yes, depending upon what specific things my patients are looking for, from a numerical aspect, it is limited. But it really depends on what's important to somebody. For some, it might be important to just have the same complexion as them. Whereas for others, it might be important to choose a donor who is the same ethnicity as them because they feel like the physical features may match more. So it just depends on the person.

When it comes to family planning, how far ahead of time should someone see a fertility specialist?

Good question. I don't think everybody has to see a fertility doctor if you're trying to build a family. But I do think if there are underlying factors that you think might contribute to your fertility, it could be a good idea. If you're not having regular menstrual cycles, or if you have a hard time keeping track of your menstrual cycles, you might be somebody who might end up needing treatment or maybe some advice on how to conceive. So seeing somebody a few months before you're ready to start trying would be helpful.

But if you're somebody who just never gets periods and it's been that way a long time, I would go sooner rather than later, before you're ready to start trying to conceive. And those are patients who will say, ‘hey, I never ovulate, maybe it makes sense for me to freeze eggs, because at some point, I may need fertility treatment, which may end up in IVF.’ So those are patients for whom it makes sense to freeze eggs early, because there's a higher percentage of chance of needing it.

But in general with preconception counseling, it's never a bad idea to talk to somebody if you're curious about it. Because one, we just talk about optimizing your health, how to track your cycles. We can also do some preconception testing to make sure you're immune to certain viral communicable diseases before you get pregnant, like chicken pox, measles and rubella. And why does that matter? Because if you're not immune, to get a booster for it, that's a live vaccine you can't get while you're pregnant. So we can pick up on those things.

And then genetic testing. If you're the same ethnic background as your partner, you can be at a higher risk of being a carrier for the same genetic disease. And that's important to get tested for before you get pregnant. Because should you both be positive for the same genetic disease, you might have a desire to do IVF and screen the embryos for that. So does everybody need to see somebody? No, I think it depends on what your medical history is, what your goals are, what your timelines are. But it definitely can be beneficial.

What are some available treatments that individuals could seek at OC Fertility?

We see patients for a wide variety of things. So in terms of preconception counseling, we do a basic ultrasound, look at the uterus, look at the ovaries, we'll get a blood panel, make sure you're not anemic, we'll check out your endocrine panel, thyroid, prolactin, vitamin D, make sure you're immune to things.

And we offer genetic carrier screening. Screening your blood to see if you are a carrier for diseases you could pass on to your kids. And we're not talking about adult onset diseases, like Alzheimer's or MS; we're talking about things like cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy that are gonna affect the lifespan and longevity of a newborn or child.

And by screening for that, we might be able to tell if you and your partner are both carriers for the same disease. Then you're going to have a 25% chance of having a baby affected with that disease. And in that case, patients may opt to do IVF to screen the embryos for that disease or consider doing testing while they're pregnant to figure that out.

In terms of treatment, we offer less invasive treatments like ovulation induction, and inseminations or intrauterine inseminations. And then we do IVF, egg freezing, embryo banking with genetic testing, and other diagnostic things for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss, counseling them. So we do a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic treatments here.

When should one start egg preservation?

So when should somebody freeze their eggs? There's no right or wrong answer. Ideally, the younger you are, the more likely we are to be able to utilize those eggs. And so when deciding whether to freeze your eggs, ideally, you want to be under 35. And really under 33 is what I recommend.  Do patients come and freeze their eggs at 38 or 39? They do. But their outcomes may not be the same as somebody who's 31 to 33. I like to think of egg freezing as an investment. People used to call it an insurance policy, but I don't think that's accurate. So an insurance policy, you pay for fire insurance, and your house burns down, we might get some money, I pay for part of the house. Well egg freezing doesn't work like that– I can't get someone a part of a baby.

And so I think of it as an investment. So when should you freeze your eggs? Well, it depends, right? Because we're talking about when are you going to get the best return on investment or ROI?  The younger you are and the more eggs you have, the more likely you are to get a return on that investment. So in an ideal world, it'll be patients from like 26 to 33. Is it a bad idea to freeze your eggs too early? Not necessarily but again, it's an investment right? The younger you do it, the less likely you are to need it. And for some patients just having that allows them the flexibility and freedom to pursue their career, travel, whatever they want. And that way, whether they use them or not, it's still a good investment for them. And so I think just looking at things with a different lens is really important in deciding when it's best for you to freeze your eggs.

Any last words of advice you would give on how to stay on top of one's reproductive health?

I would say to pay attention to your body, if you feel like your menstrual cycles are off, you feel any sort of pain, discomfort that comes in a cyclical fashion. I think for patients who are on birth control, but are not necessarily using it as a contraceptive, sometimes it can be helpful to just go off it for a month or two to learn about your menstrual cycles. Just kind of gaining more information, especially for people who are thinking about conceiving, that's important information.

So pay attention to your body and just try to put your best foot forward in terms of your health. As you are getting ready to start trying to get pregnant, start taking a prenatal vitamin, monitor alcohol intake. If you are somebody who smokes or uses marijuana or CBD, I would eliminate that from your lifestyle.  Try to eat a well balanced, plant-based diet. And if you have a male partner, same for him. You can always have them get a semen analysis in advance, just to make sure that we're not missing something. So when time comes, we're not spinning our wheels.

Dr. Nidhee Sachdev favorite Indian food dishes are Paneer Tikka Masala and Chana Masala! Her favorite holiday is an Indian holiday called Holi – a celebration of the start of spring with the use of colored powders and color! You can read Dr. Nidhee Sachdev’s blog on What Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Means To Me.

If you are ready to start your fertility journey, contact us today to learn more or prequalify for a Future Family loan today!

Meet Chandra, a 39-year-old Future Family member from North Carolina, who works in public health. She enjoys yoga, dancing, trying new foods and traveling. Read a little about her egg freezing journey with Future Family.

How did you hear about Future Family?

I heard about Future Family through my fertility clinic. They presented it as an option for financing because fertility preservation is very expensive. I knew I would be able to cover some of it from my savings, but Future Family would allow me to finance without using all of my savings, especially since there was a lot happening at the time. My clinic said a lot of people use Future Family and that you had a great reputation. So I thought about it and went to check out your website. The application was a pretty easy process– from signing up to filling out the application and everything else.

Why did you decide to freeze your eggs?

My gynecologist recommended it, and I was like ‘oh no, I'll find somebody.’ I was 32 about to be 33 and thought by 35-36, I’ll definitely find somebody, and won't need to preserve my eggs. Then this topic came up again last year.  We had done some testing, and my AMH level was just OK. So based on my age, she recommended checking out a fertility clinic. We did a couple more tests, and the doctor told me that my AMH was a little lower than we would like for my age, and so if I were to freeze my eggs, I should do it now.

My current employer does not have any type of fertility benefits. In fact they consider it to be infertility treatments. Well it's not that I'm not infertile, I just want to preserve my fertility! But they didn't have anything available to help me. That's where Future Family came in and said, ‘Okay we can definitely help you,’ and provided a lot of great assistance.

Did you consider any other type of financing?

I didn't. Once I found out about Future Family and spoke with the Fertility Finance Specialist who ended up helping me, I felt very comfortable and said I'm gonna go for it. I had taken out a personal loan years ago through my bank. But I thought, here is this option right in front of me, and the terms were pretty simple. The Future Family rep said, ‘We can handle everything for you. You don't have to do anything money-wise. We send everything for you (for your treatment), and we'll set you up with the payment plan, it comes out automatically” I thought, ‘Wow, okay, this is great!’  

How has your Future Family experience been?

Everything has been really good so far. There's no penalty for paying it off early, which I'm hoping to do, once I get a couple of other bills out of the way.

Working with my fertility coach [Caryl] has been so helpful! Caryl has been there through every single step. Even when she had a medical emergency, she was very apologetic that she was unavailable. I was telling her you need to take care of yourself too! She was just wonderful to work with and very helpful and was very honest with me and up front. She gave me honest, but I think, very kind advice. Overall she's just very kind, that's the big thing I appreciated.

How was your clinic’s fertility coach?

The clinic didn't provide a coach, so it was nice to have someone at Future Family I could reach out to. The clinic has a portal system where you could ask questions, but there really wasn't anybody that was contacting me regularly or calling or emailing and being like, ‘Hey, how are you doing? How are the shots?’  Caryl went through every single step with me and was like ‘If you need to go over this again just contact me.’  The people at the clinic were nice, it's a great clinic, but they have so many patients that they are not able to have that one-on-one time with people.

What did you enjoy most about Future Family?

I felt supported and that's the nice thing. My coach is very supportive and even when I was going through the loan process and the paperwork, someone was there to say, ‘well these are your options.’ It wasn't just like, ‘Take this loan. Whatever.’ Instead someone walked me through my options and answered all of my questions. Overall it was a good experience and I definitely felt supported.  

What advice would you give to people going through this process?

Be patient with yourself, be patient with this process. It is a lot and sometimes it can take longer than you imagine. My process was a little bit longer because my body wasn't responding to the medications the way my doctor wanted. So it took a little bit longer than the 10 days. So be patient with your body, be patient with yourself and ask questions. It's okay to be like, ‘I don't know what I'm doing.’  There are people out there to help, there are providers, there is your coach that has gone through it before. You're not by yourself. Don't feel like you have to tell everyone. It's not anybody's business what you're going through, what you're doing. So find those people that you feel comfortable telling so that they can pray for you, think about you, ask about you. I think that is important as well.

What is something you’ve learned from this process?

Your body is amazing. It's amazing what women especially do. It's wonderful and beautiful what women go through every step of this process, what our bodies are able to do. What we go through every month is nothing compared to this process. It was just amazing to experience this and very eye-opening to the fact that we can have some control. Yes, time is not our friend but we do have some control over our fertility. Yes it is expensive. Yes it takes some of your time, but it's an amazing process. I think about my aunt and my uncle who are in their 70s. They could not have children, but this process wasn't available back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so it's amazing that we have these options today.

So I say, If you want to have a child or even if you're thinking about it, just do this. It's never definite. But nothing is.

If you have this option, take it and do it earlier rather than later, depending on what you want your life to look like. I wish I would have done this a little bit earlier but you know, timing, its finicky. At the same time, if you end up doing it almost at 40, that's okay too.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re thinking about freezing your eggs and need financing, reach out to us at financing@futurefamily.com or take our risk-free application today to see what you could qualify for.

Imagine going to a grocery store that doesn’t list prices for any items. Still, you fill up your cart and head to the checkout, where you’re told you owe $500 with no explanation. Making matters worse, you later receive a bill in the mail with a bunch of codes and language you don’t understand. If this scenario feels familiar, it’s because it’s not unlike what patients often experience when it comes to healthcare bills.

Much has been written about overall patient experience, which refers to all the interactions patients have with providers. More attention is being paid, however, to an often-overlooked subsection of that experience known as the patient financial experience, which refers to the financial interactions patients have with the healthcare system. This includes everything from medical billing and payment to insurance coverage. A positive patient financial experience benefits everyone. Patients are less stressed and feel more satisfied with their overall experience, and health systems and health providers optimize revenue cycle management. This blog will explain what the patient financial experience is and why it’s important for health systems. It’ll also look at common challenges to improving the patient financial experience and how to overcome them.

Key Takeaways

• The patient financial experience refers to the financial interactions patients have with the healthcare system, including everything from billing and payment to insurance coverage.
• As patients’ out-of-pocket costs have grown, they’re demanding more financial transparency from healthcare providers, as well as more tools to make their care more affordable and accessible.
• High deductible healthcare plans, high out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and a lack of pricing transparency and financing options make the patient financial experience more challenging for health systems.
• Maximining patient touchpoints, new technologies, personalization, and providing more comprehensive patient financing options can all help improve the patient financial experience.

What is patient financial experience?

Every interaction patients have with health systems regarding finances falls under the patient financial experience. There are generally three elements of the patient financial experience where patients have the most interaction:

• Insurance coverage: Patients need to understand insurance benefits and details about their coverage. They also need to understand copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Billing: When health systems send medical bills, patients need to understand charges and fees, and have a means to address their concerns and questions.
• Payment: Patients want to be sure to make payments on time, set up payment plans, or manage their medical debt.

At each stage, health systems should strive to provide clarity for patients, making patient payments as simple as possible, and provide a high level of support throughout the process.

Why is the patient financial experience important?

As healthcare costs have skyrocketed in recent years, patients have shouldered a more significant portion of the financial burden. Many have opted for higher-deductible health plans, which increase out-of-pocket expenses. As those out-of-pocket costs have grown, patients have begun demanding more transparency from healthcare providers, as well as more tools to make their care more affordable and accessible.

Health systems that provide a smooth patient financial experience stand to gain in this environment, while those that don’t could suffer significant consequences. First and foremost, a poor patient financial experience has significant implications for patients. It can create financial stress, worsening outcomes and limiting a patients' ability to get critical care. For health systems, poor financial experience could lead to reductions in patient satisfaction and, ultimately, lost patients, which has a direct bottom-line impact.

On the other hand, a positive patient financial experience can have the opposite effect, boosting patient loyalty and satisfaction. Happy patients are also more likely to recommend their provider to others. A positive patient financial experience also has direct bottom-line advantages for health systems. When patients understand their financial responsibilities and payment options, they tend to move forward with treatment plans and pay on time and full, improving cash flow and reducing the risk of bad debt and collection costs. The result of happy patients is happy health systems, which can see significant bottom-line improvement.

Challenges in Patient Financing

Several major challenges with patient financing have put the patient financial experience in the spotlight. Health systems also have to contend with the shift in payment models, which puts more burden on them to collect. Health systems have traditionally relied on the payer reimbursement model, where payment is obtained from insurers. As patients shoulder more of the financial burden, however, health systems must manage more complex payment systems, balancing payments from both insurance companies and patients. Here are a few challenges health systems must address for patients:

High-Deductible Healthcare Plans

High-deductible healthcare plans (HDHPs) have become the norm. As of 2021, 56% of American private sector workers were enrolled in HDHPs. With inflation and overall cost of living undergoing sharp increases, HDHPs offer patients a way to maintain lower monthly premiums. Of course, the tradeoff for patients is that they often have much higher out-of-pocket expenses before their coverage kicks in. This financial burden can be overwhelming. Without a means to cover their financial burdens, patients may delay care or simply avoid it altogether. It’s important for health systems to help patients understand the impact of HDHPs.

Outdated Revenue Cycle

Outdated processes, technologies, or policies lead to outdated revenue cycles that are often paper-based and manual. The resulting delays, errors, or inefficiencies in billing and payments create serious challenges for patients. Third-party financial assistance providers can help health systems expand payment options for patients by providing affordable loans to help with out-of-pocket expenses. It can also remove health systems from having to manage patient financing. Outdated revenue cycles can also impact insurance verification, which can lead to delays in billing and payment from carriers. They can also lead to confusing bills for patients, which can lead to delayed payments or non-payment. Health systems that can simplify and modernize processes, technologies, and policies can make dramatic improvements in the patient financial experience.

Pricing Transparency

As discussed earlier, with patients carrying a higher financial burden for healthcare, their demand for pricing transparency has only increased. The problem: the healthcare industry has been slow to adapt, leading to confusion and frustration for patients. Additionally, pricing for healthcare services can vary significantly, making it difficult for patients to compare costs and make informed decisions. Options for improving pricing transparency will be discussed later in this blog.

Coverage Transparency

Insurance coverage can be complex and when patients don’t understand their coverage, they could be in for big surprises. If a patient inadvertently uses an out-of-network provider, for example, they can be stuck with a large bill. The same is true with prior authorization. If patients don’t realize they need prior authorization to receive a specific treatment, insurance companies can deny coverage. Health systems need to help patients by offering clear information about network coverage and out-of-pocket costs, as well as important policies like prior authorization.

Tips for Improving the Patient Financial Experience

There’s no cookie-cutter approach health systems can apply to improving the patient financial experience. Excellent communication and full transparency are the foundation of building a strong patient financial experience. The following tips can also help:

Set Expectations

It should come as no surprise that communicating clear financial expectations with patients up front can pay serious dividends later. The more health systems can explain the costs associated with different treatments, available insurance coverages, copayments, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses, the more prepared patients will be for financial obligations. Brochures, websites, and face-to-face conversations are all opportunities to set expectations. It’s also important for patients to understand how they’ll receive their bills, as well as their financing options for paying out-of-pocket treatment costs. Health systems can also give patients access to their medical records, billing information, and other financial documents, with clear instructions on how to interpret them.

Estimate Costs

Providing cost transparency helps patients budget appropriately and make more informed decisions about their care. It starts with a clear treatment plan that outlines and itemizes estimated costs. Health systems should create itemized bills that clearly outline costs to help patients understand what they are being charged for and how much they need to pay. Health systems can also take advantage of healthcare price transparency tools to provide patients with cost estimates for services and procedures.

Collect Copayments Up Front

While most health systems collect copayments and coinsurance up front, it’s important not to let payments slip. For the patient, collecting payments up front provides clarity on overall costs, reduces stress, and helps them budget appropriately. It also helps avoid unexpected bills. For health systems, it reduces the risk of unpaid bills, as well as the administrative costs associated with billing and collections. It can also improve patient satisfaction, which improves outcomes, return rates and referrals. Collecting out-of-pocket expenses can be more challenging, however, especially when those costs are high, putting health systems in the difficult position of having to serve as financial advisors and banks for patients. It’s a role they’re not often equipped to play and that can take significant amounts of time and resources to fill. It’s another reason why many health systems are looking to third-party financing partners to handle the process, which increases patient conversion and improves cash flow.

Maximize Touchpoints

The more means health systems can provide to give patients clarity and help them understand their financial obligations and provide them with patient options, the better the experience for both patient and provider. Health systems can maximize touchpoints before treatment, at the time of treatment, and after. Providers can reach out prior to treatment to explain insurance coverage, copays, and payment options. It’s also a good time to use cost estimator tools to help patients estimate out-of-pocket expenses. At the time of treatment, health systems can collect copayments and other payments, and offer payment plans for patients with larger bills. Finally, after treatment, health systems can follow up to provide information about their bills, insurance claims, and payment options. Online patient portals are also a great self-service mechanism to let patients view bills, insurance claims, and payment history.

Provide Patient Financing Counseling and Options

Offering patients financial counseling and other options has increased in popularity recently to help patients cope with rising costs. It can add a level of personalized support to help patients navigate many of the complex issues described above, including complicated medical bills, insurance claims, and payment options. Counseling can help patients get personalized help to understand insurance coverage, as well as getting live answers to questions. Providing payment and financial assistance programs to qualified patients also helps them meet their financial obligations, while creating significant goodwill and loyalty for health systems. More recently, health systems have begun to partner with third-party financing companies, such as Future Family, which make affordable medical loans and personalized service available to qualified patients at minimal cost to health systems.

Customer Control

When patients have more control over their financial experience, they’re more likely to stay on top of payments. For example, health systems can give patients options for how they want to receive bills, as well as flexible payment plans using online payment portals or text-to-pay options. Online patient portals can also give patients the ability to manage their payment plans and view billing histories.

Technology

Technology may ultimately offer the most potential to help patients navigate their financial journeys, offering a way to improve service while also reducing costs for health systems. Offering resources and portals can automate insurance verification and authorization, for example. Technology can enable an end-to-end patient experience, from clinical to financial, to improve patient satisfaction and loyalty. The ultimate goal for health systems would be to use technology to create a seamless patient experience — from the moment a patient schedules an appointment to receiving a bill and making a payment. Online payment portals, electronic statements, text-to-pay options, text message reminders, and interactive voice response technology can all work together to create this seamless experience.

How Future Family Provides Affordable Financing Options for Patients

Future Family gives health systems a trusted partner to offer patients comprehensive financing options for a wide range of procedures — from fertility to cosmetic surgery, bariatrics, and more. With Future Family, health systems can offer patients up to $50,000 in financing with pre-approval in as little as 90 seconds. Future Family’s flexible financing options, low interest rates, and personalized care coaching help improve the patient financial experience, drive new patients, and increase conversion rates. And as the only five-star non-recourse financing option for health systems, Future Family ensures you’re not liable for any patient defaults or delinquencies. Learn more about how Future Family can help your organization improve the patient financial experience.

The patient financial experience is rapidly becoming as important — if not more important — than a patient’s clinical experience. The convergence of several factors will continue to drive that trend in the future. The popularity of HDHPs will continue to spur patients to seek a more transparent and personalized financial experience. It’ll also push them to learn more about their healthcare costs, seeking providers who make that information clear and concise.

As healthcare organizations continue to shift to a more value-based care model, a positive patient financial experience can contribute to better patient outcomes and overall satisfaction, a win-win for both patient and provider. So, too, can the continued shift to telemedicine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A seamless digital patient financial experience, including online payments and electronic statements, as well as offering patients financing options, will continue to reshape the provider-patient relationship.

Patient Financial Experience FAQs

What is the patient’s financial responsibility in healthcare?
A patient’s financial responsibility in healthcare refers to all out-of-pocket expenses related to that care. Most health insurance requires patients to pay a portion of their healthcare costs, with the insurance company covering the rest. Out-of-pocket expenses can include deductibles, copayments, coinsurance payments, and any other costs not covered by insurance.

How does patient experience affect financial performance for health systems?
Patient financial experience can dramatically impact financial performance for health systems.  A positive financial experience leads to higher customer satisfaction, which often leads to more timely payments, higher patient return rates and more referrals. Poor financial experience, on the other hand, can lead to delayed payments or no payment at all. Poor financial experience also causes health systems to lose patients.

What is patient financing?
Patient financing helps patients pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance. Some methods of patient financing include payment plans, financial assistance programs and third-party financial assistance. These can be offered by health systems, financial institutions, or third-party financing companies.

What are examples of patient financial experience?
Some examples of patient financial experience include paying medical bills, dealing with insurance companies, managing medical debt, and receiving financial assistance.

At Future Family, our goal is to help every person achieve their family goals regardless of their circumstances or relationship status. Thanks to modern reproductive technology, single women have safe and effective ways to start their journey to motherhood when they are ready, or preserve their fertility options for the future.

Fertility Treatment Options For Single Women

There are 2 main fertility treatment options for single women who want to conceive a baby:

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): Also referred to as artificial insemination, IUI is a relatively simple procedure. Sperm is cleaned, concentrated, loaded into a catheter and placed directly in the uterus around the time the ovary releases one or more eggs to be fertilized.

IUI is the less invasive and less expensive fertility option. However, there can be a higher risk of multiples (twins, triplets or more) and the success rate tends to be lower than IVF.  

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): IVF is a more advanced treatment that involves stimulating egg production, retrieving eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and finally transferring a resulting embryo into the intended mother or a surrogate.

A single woman who doesn’t want to become pregnant right away, but wants to increase her chances for a successful pregnancy later in life might consider egg freezing– a treatment in which eggs are retrieved, frozen and stored for later use.

It’s important to talk to your doctor about which option is best for you– based on your age, test results and family goals. If you need help finding a fertility doctor and clinic near you, check out our helpful search tool, CareMatch, and this guide to selecting the right care center for you.

Sperm Donor Options

The other major consideration for a single woman thinking about fertility treatment is the sperm donor. You’ll want to ask yourself a couple key questions: Do you want sperm to come from someone you know, or do you prefer to use a sperm bank?

A known sperm donor (also called a directed donor) may offer some women a sense of comfort and familiarity– you know firsthand the background, personality and lifestyle of your donor.  But a known donor can also be more complicated legally and emotionally, especially in terms of the donor’s role in your child’s life. On the other hand, if you choose an anonymous donor from a sperm bank, you will only get the general information and profile provided by the facility. You won’t know specifics about the donor’s identity– but the legal issues are clear cut.

Paying For Fertility Treatment

As you think through your treatment and donor options, you’ll want to consider the financial implications as well. Prices will vary depending on your particular treatment plan, but here are some approximate costs:

• One Cycle of IUI: $500 - $4,000 depending on medications, monitoring & blood work needed.
• One Cycle of IVF: $15,000 - $20,000+
• Sperm Donor: A vial of sperm ranges from $400 - $2,000

Unfortunately, for the majority of Americans, fertility treatment is not covered by insurance. But there are simple, low-risk ways to manage the cost of fertility treatment. Future Family offers flexible financing plans with interest rates as low as 0% APR to those who qualify. Our Fertility Finance Specialists can walk you through your options and help you bundle all your fertility expenses into one easy monthly payment.

Future Family members are paired with a dedicated Fertility Coach – each a Registered Nurse who can support you medically and emotionally through each phase of your treatment.

If you are ready to start your fertility journey, contact us today to learn more or prequalify for a Future Family loan today!

The overall cost of fertility treatment can come as a shock to individuals and couples just beginning their journey. Often the most unexpected expense is the price of medications, which will vary patient to patient, but generally adds up to between $4,000-$7,000 per treatment cycle.

For the majority of Americans, fertility treatment and medication is not covered by insurance, meaning many people have to pay out of pocket, or find ways to finance their care. Others may receive some partial fertility benefit– but their plan caps coverage at a fixed amount, perhaps $10,000, usually not enough to cover the entire cycle.

If you fall into this latter category, there are ways to optimize how you use your fertility benefit. While it may seem logical to apply your $10,000 in coverage toward your medication bill, it’s actually more beneficial to use that coverage for your fertility treatment care. That way you can take advantage of multiple financing and program discounts available to dramatically lower your prescription costs. Here at Future Family, we offer competitive fixed rate loans, with APRs as low as 0% for those who qualify, to help ease the financial burden of treatment, including medications.

Insurance Coverage Means Insurance Prices

If you use your fertility benefit for medications, your insurance will be charged insurance prices – which can be as much as double the price of the “self-pay” option. Suddenly that prescription bill is $14,000 instead of $7,000; your insurance only covers a portion of it, and you are still left paying $4,000 in addition to all your clinic costs. Instead, consider using your $10k of coverage where it will go the farthest, your treatment bill, and take advantage of that out of pocket prescription pricing.

Even More Options & Discounts

In addition to that 50% “self pay” discount, you can take advantage of additional programs to lower your medication costs even further. At Future Family, we’ve partnered with a number of specialty pharmacies to get our patients deeper discounts on some of the most expensive medications.

Many fertility pharmacies, like our partner MDR, also offer additional savings programs to those who qualify. Here are just a couple examples:

• ReUnite: Discounts of up to 75% off select fertility medications based on your level of financial need. ReUnite also offers discounts for patients freezing eggs prior to cancer treatment, and active duty military members and Veterans.
• Heart Tomorrow: Discounted pricing on Menopur for those freezing their eggs.

You can learn more about all the savings programs MDR offers here.

It also never hurts to sign up for GoodRx (for all your prescriptions, not just fertility-related!). And even if you don’t have any fertility insurance coverage, give your pharmacy your insurance information anyways. You never know what supplemental medication might qualify.

We’re Here to Help

If navigating all the programs and prices feels overwhelming, Future Family is here to help! All of our members are paired with a dedicated Fertility Coach with years of fertility care experience. They are all Registered Nurses who understand the medications you will be using for your treatment and will ensure you are getting the absolute best deal you can!

Ready to Get Started? Prequalify for a Future Family loan today!

• Employee financial wellness refers to the ability of employees to manage their finances, make sound financial decisions, plan for financial goals, and prepare for retirement.
• Many employees report increased financial anxiety as a result of recent layoffs, increased inflation, and product shortages.
• Employers have begun to offer a range of financial wellness solutions, including educational resources, access to financial counseling, and affordable loan assistance services to help employees take control of their financial health.
• In addition to giving employees greater peace of mind, financial wellness benefits help employers build greater morale, productivity, and retention.  

In the U.S., employers have always played an important role in supporting the health of their employees. In particular, many companies have subsidized some or all employee health insurance costs. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers began moving beyond health insurance to offer more expansive wellness programs for services that often aren’t covered by insurance, such as additional fertility and mental health benefits. More recently, a new type of employee benefit has become more popular among employers looking to build a healthier workforce — financial wellness benefits. The emergence of financial wellness benefits couldn’t come at a better time for employees. Global economic challenges have led to dramatic spikes in prices for consumer goods in the U.S., as well as widespread layoffs and an overall sluggish economy. Economic challenges have taken a toll on employees’ mental health, which often results in lower performance at work. Not only can employee financial wellness programs help those struggling with their finances, but they also can help employees achieve other goals, such as paying off student debt, fertility treatments, or cosmetic surgery. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of employee financial wellness, why it matters, and how to support employee financial health.

What is Employee Financial Wellness?

Employee financial wellness is a broad term that refers to an employee's overall financial health. There are many components that ultimately determine an employees’ financial wellness, such as their ability to effectively manage their finances, make sound financial decisions, plan for any specific financial goals, and adequately prepare for retirement. Financial wellness goes beyond the ability to pay bills. It's about having control over one's finances and the peace of mind that comes from being prepared for the future.

Many employers already provide some financial wellness benefits to their employees by offering 401(k) retirement plans. Employee financial wellness programs, however, go beyond financial help for retirement to include a wide range of options for employees to improve their overall financial situations, including education programs, counseling services, and loan assistance programs.

Why is Employee Financial Wellness Important?

In the U.S., beyond the stress of work, employees often worry about living expenses, home and car loans, and healthcare costs, among other things. The current economy has only heightened their stress, leading to anxiety, depression, and other health issues for employees. Unfortunately, many employees find that their personal financial worries have a negative impact on their work performance. According to PwC’s 2022 Employee Financial Wellness survey, nearly one in five employees say financial worries impact their performance. And 55 percent of financially stressed employees said they spend more than three hours at work each week dealing with financial issues. Unfortunately, financially stressed employees are more likely to experience distractions at work, absenteeism, and decreased productivity. Some may choose to leave their jobs. Supporting employee financial wellness can help employers reduce these negative outcomes, leading to a more engaged and productive workforce.

Employee Financial Wellness Explained

For many people, mental health is tied to financial health. Heading into 2023, employees have had to deal with increased unemployment, high rates of inflation, and product shortages, making it difficult to manage budgets. For many, significant life events — some expected, some not — can lead to a financial crisis. Examples include a divorce or sudden disability, as well as events that aren’t typically covered by insurance, such as adoption, infertility, and caring for elderly parents. Unfortunately, many employees are on their own when it comes to managing their finances and are reluctant to proactively seek help because of social stigmas or a perceived lack of knowledge. When presented with financial wellness benefits at work, however, employees may be more willing to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Benefits of Supporting Employee Financial Wellness

The most important goal of employee financial wellness benefits programs is to give employees greater peace of mind about their financial futures. Less employee financial stress also helps employers in a number of ways, including:

Improved Job Performance and Satisfaction

A 2022 American Psychology Association report said overall employee stress costs companies $300 billion a year. In the same report, 65 percent of employees said money was a significant source of stress — higher than at any point since 2015. Thankfully, employee financial wellness programs can help. In a recent survey, 83 percent of employees who received financial wellness training said they’re satisfied with their job, as opposed to 63 percent for those who didn’t receive training. The same survey noted that 67 percent who received financial wellness training said it helped their productivity, while 8 in 10 said it helped them focus at work.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

The underlying reason why employee wellness programs improve productivity and retention is that they work. In a report from Nudge, a employer financial education provider, employees who received personal financial assistance at work were almost three times as likely to have more money in their savings accounts and almost two times as likely to have reduced debt as those who didn’t receive assistance. Employee financial wellness programs also lead to an overall reduction in stress. Research from TalentLMS found that 71 percent of employees surveyed said financial wellness training helped reduce financial stress.

Increased Employee Loyalty and Retention

Employee benefits increase employee loyalty and retention, and financial wellness benefits are no different. Conversely, a lack of benefits can increase turnover. In the 2022 PwC Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 38 percent of employees who reported stress about finances said they’d look for another job. When employees reported no financial stress, however, only 16 percent said they’d look elsewhere. When executed well, employee financial benefits can have a ripple effect, lowering stress levels, which in turn leads to higher productivity and job satisfaction. The final ripple is improved retention. The Nudge survey revealed that employees were also almost twice as likely to say they were more committed to their employer if they had received financial wellness benefits.

How to Support Employee Financial Wellness

Demand for employer-sponsored financial education tools increased 63 percent in the last year, according to the Nudge report. Unfortunately, while employers recognize the positive impact financial wellness benefits can have on morale and productivity, they’re struggling to keep up with demand. Less than a quarter of employers in a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management said they currently offer non-retirement financial benefits. For many, it’s an issue of organizational ownership. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); environmental, social and governance (ESG); and employee benefits departments each play a role in executing financial wellness programs. A lack of coordination, however, can cause inefficiencies and make benchmarking and progress difficult. To improve financial wellness across the organization, leaders must work collectively to break barriers and ensure an integrated approach. Here are a few ways employers can support their employees' financial wellness:

1. Offer Financial Education and Resources

Providing financial education and resources can help employees better understand their finances and make informed decisions about their money. This could include offering financial workshops, seminars, or online resources on specific topics, such as budgeting, saving for retirement, and paying off student loans. Providing access to financial resources, such as compound interest calculators, apps, and books, can also be helpful. The key to educating employees about finance is engagement. Start by getting employees actively involved in the program using a survey to gauge interests. Communication is also key. Consider sending employees regular updates and checklists related to the program.

2. Provide Access to Financial Tools and Services

Employers can provide access to financial tools and services, such as online budgeting and saving apps, investment platforms, or access to affordable loans or financial coaching services. These can include financial planning services, debt counseling, or access to financial advisors. Financial benefits can also include services that help employees with costs not covered by insurance, such as infertility treatments, as well as elective procedures, such as cosmetic surgery. The key for employee engagement is personalization. Some may feel embarrassed about their financial situation or their lack of financial understanding, and may feel reluctant to use employer services for fear of losing their privacy. It’s critical that employees know their use of the financial wellness program is private and confidential.

3. Encourage Open Communication

Encouraging open communication around financial wellness reduces the stigma around money-related stress and encourages employees to seek help. Consider providing a confidential hotline or resources for employees to seek assistance with financial issues. Also, consider a marketing plan for the financial wellness program, which can include an official name, logo, and slogan. Infographics posted throughout offices can highlight the benefits of the program. Remember that one size doesn’t fit all with communication. Employees’ financial challenges are unique and their levels of financial understanding are varied. Tailor the message to each group to show them how the benefits will help their unique situations.

How Future Family Helps Companies Improve Employee Financial Wellness

Future Family helps companies establish strong employee financial wellness programs by providing inclusive, flexible coverage for fertility, family-building, and out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. That includes helping employees with infertility treatments, genetic testing, gestational carrier services, cancer treatment, plastic and reconstructive surgery, dental/orthodontics, behavioral health, orthopedics, weight-loss treatment, hormone testing and therapy, and medication and medical equipment, among others. With no upfront cost, employers can extend $50,000 in coverage for each employee, with access to personalized concierge support.

Supporting employee financial wellness is an important aspect of promoting a healthy and productive workforce. By providing education, resources, and support for your employees' financial health, employers can help reduce employee financial stress and improve overall well-being.

FAQs

What is employee financial wellness?
Employee financial wellness refers to an employee's overall financial health. Financial wellness goes beyond the ability to pay bills. It's about having a sense of control over one's finances and the peace of mind that comes from being prepared for the future. Financial wellness is often linked with the ability to effectively manage finances, make sound financial decisions, plan for any specific financial goals, and adequately prepare for retirement.

What is the importance of employee financial wellness?
Financial stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and other health issues for employees. Unfortunately, many employees find that their personal financial worries have a negative impact on their work performance. On the other hand, improved financial wellness can lead to higher productivity, job satisfaction, and company loyalty.

How do you promote financial wellness for employees?
To improve employee engagement in a financial wellness program, consider building a marketing and internal communications plan that includes an official name, logo, and slogan. Use infographics posted throughout offices to highlight plan benefits. Make sure to target the plan to specific audiences, such as various age groups and genders. Tailor the message to each group to show them how the benefits will help their unique situations.

What are some examples of financial wellness?
Examples of financial health include maintaining a budget; paying off debt; establishing an emergency fund with three to six months' worth of expenses in the case of an emergency; regularly saving for retirement; making wise, profitable investments, such as real estate or stable equities; and having adequate insurance coverage for health, life, disability, and other potential risks.

I’m Laura, a Registered Nurse and the Head of Care Management at Future Family. I reside in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, with my husband and two sons (both of whom were conceived via IVF), Lucas & Liam.  When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family!  Family movie nights, puzzles and board games are a few of our favorite pastimes.  We are also HUGE lovers of all things Disney!  If our family has a chance to escape for a family vacation, you’ll often find us down in Orlando Florida.

How Long have you worked at Future Family and why did you decide to join?

I joined Future Family back in 2018, working as a Fertility Coach. I still work as a Fertility Coach today, on top of managing my amazing team of nurses! During the height of COVID, I doubled as a Customer Care Manager and Billing Support Specialist. Prior to joining Future Family, I worked as a Fertility Nurse at various clinics in the Chicagoland area. I started working as a Fertility Nurse in 2014 and I fell in love with the field immediately. I knew I had found my passion as a nurse! In 2018, after my second son was born, I stumbled across a job posting for Future Family.  I was drawn in by the mission of the company to provide access to fertility treatments for all.  Fertility Coaching, then called “Nurse Concierge,” was a dream role.  It allowed me to do what I love doing most, provide emotional support and education!

In addition to my professional history, I’ve experienced my own struggle with building my family. Both of my children were conceived through IVF. I am extremely motivated to help others struggling to build their own families. I remember all too well the emotional turmoil that fertility treatments caused me. I want to be able to help others through one of the most difficult times in their lives.

How do you help clients at Future Family?

I like to think of myself as a Fertility Nurse Navigator.  Using my background in nursing, I help individuals and couples navigate the complexities of their fertility treatments.  Education, psychosocial support and medication training are the pillars of what I do in my day to day role as a coach.  I interact with my clients through phone calls, texting, email and zoom.  I tell my clients to think of me as an extension of their clinic.  I’m not here to replace the team they are already working with, but rather to be an extra layer of support.  One of my colleagues, Caryl, put it best “think of me as your best friend who specializes in Fertility. Those questions you may think are silly, that you don't want to ask your nurse but would reach out to your best friend for.”

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

Do your research!  Fertility treatments can be an enormous financial undertaking for many.  It’s important to understand the financial implications associated with all ways to pay for treatment.  Additionally, educate yourself on the odds of success.  Have an honest conversation with your doctor about your individual odds of success and the best treatment plan for you!  Prepare for the unexpected.  Fertility treatments are highly individualized and there is no “one size fits all approach.”

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

Being able to see someone through their entire journey, beginning to end! I personally get very invested in my clients. There is nothing more exciting than carrying someone through to the other side of treatment. This journey is TOUGH and I am a firm believer that everyone needs a community of support when navigating treatments. I’m so honored, everyday, that people invite me into their journey and let me walk alongside them. And I’m so happy to work for a company that allows people the opportunity to explore treatment they may have not otherwise pursued.

If you had a few tips for a new patient just starting this process, what advice would you give somebody?

Take every opportunity to educate yourself about the process!  Speak with your doctor, your clinic team and your Future Family Fertility Coach.  And most importantly, stay off of google!  I’m well known at Future Family for repeating the phrase “fertility is not a linear journey.”  I cannot stress this point enough.  Everyone’s treatment will look different.  Maybe you know someone who went through treatment, but that doesn’t mean your journey will look anything like theirs.  We all have different reasons for going through treatment and VERY different circumstances.  Make sure you understand your circumstances, your lab testing values and your individual odds of success.

To learn more about Future Family's Nursing Care Team, check out our Q&A.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

The total cost of fertility treatment encompasses many components of the process: testing, monitoring appointments, bloodwork, egg retrieval, and follow up care. Another important cost to factor in is the price of fertility medications, which are often not included in treatment pricing quotes found on fertility clinic websites. While this expense will vary depending on the particular patient, the overall cost of medications is generally between $4,000 and $7,000 per treatment cycle, which can amount to 30% of your total fertility cost.

If you are concerned about paying for your medications, Future Family is here to help. We offer fixed rate loans with APRs starting as low as 0% for those who qualify. Plus, our team of dedicated Fertility Coaches, all of whom are registered nurses, can help you take advantage of additional partner and program discounts to significantly lower the price of your prescriptions.

Types of Fertility Medications

Every fertility patient’s treatment plan and medication directives will depend on their unique circumstances, but there are a few major types of fertility drugs that you’re likely to be prescribed for your treatment:

• Stimulation Meds: Injections to stimulate follicle growth and allow multiple eggs to mature
• Gonal-F, Menopur & Follistim are all common stimulation drugs
• These are generally the most expensive category of medications
• Suppression Meds: Injections to suppress ovulation so that more eggs may mature at the same time for retrieval
• Cetrotide, Ganirelix & Leuprolide are typical suppression drugs
• Trigger Meds: Medication to trigger the ovaries to release the mature eggs about 36 hours after being administered, used in advance of the egg retrieval
• Novarel, Pregnyl & Ovidrel are common hCG trigger meds
• Some patients may use Leuprolide (Lupron) instead of, or in addition to, their hCG during the trigger phase

Many fertility patients will also be prescribed additional medication(s) to prepare for an embryo transfer to help increase the chance of a successful pregnancy. Supportive medications are continued for several weeks after the transfer, once pregnancy is confirmed.

Why Are Fertility Medications So Expensive?

Unfortunately, fertility drug prices have risen in recent years. One study found IVF medication prices rose 50% between 2014 and 2020, largely because of a lack of cheap, generic alternatives to brand name drugs. And for the majority of Americans, fertility treatment and medication are not covered by their insurance. But the good news is there are ways to lower your prescription bill if you are paying out of pocket.

How to Lower Your Medication Cost

Future Family members are eligible for discounts on some of the most expensive medications at our partner pharmacies.

Plus, our team can help you take advantage of additional medication savings programs:

• ReUnite & Fertility Lifeline’s Compassionate Care offer deep discounts to those who qualify
• Heart Tomorrow provides savings on Menopur for patients freezing their eggs
• GoodRx can be useful for additional savings on many prescriptions (not just fertility-related!)

At Future Family, we believe the cost of fertility treatment shouldn’t be a barrier to something as important as starting your family. Apply today to learn more about your financing and support options!

We know undergoing fertility treatment can be a tough and complicated process for many women. Even taking the first step, choosing a fertility clinic, can feel daunting. How can you ensure you are getting the best care from a clinic that meets your needs medically, logistically and financially? Fortunately, there are plenty of new and reliable resources to help you select a clinic, so you can start your journey with comfort and confidence.

To get started, you’ll want to get a comprehensive list of care centers in your area. Our new search & discover feature is designed to make that process easier than ever. Future Family CareMatch allows you to find fertility clinics by city or zip code. Clinic profiles include treatments offered, pricing and potential payment plans. CareMatch also highlights Future Family partner clinics in the area and those that offer our new one-of-a-kind 0% APR loan*. If you want to learn more about a particular clinic, you can connect seamlessly with a click of a button, or find contact information to call them directly.

Once you connect with a clinic you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to have a list of questions ready to get deeper insight into their process and policies. Here are some key factors to consider, according to Future Family’s Fertility Coaches, a team of registered nurses with years of experience.

• Clinic Success Rates: What are the outcome stats for patients who are in my age range? The federal government requires clinics to report their success rates for IVF cycles, so you can also find this information on either the CDC website or SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology). If the care center does not report to SART, that’s generally a red flag!
• Provider Staffing & Experience: How often will I see my doctor? Who performs the initial tests, ultrasounds and procedures, including egg retrieval? Also consider looking for a doctor who is Board Certified specifically in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility.
• Timelines: What is the usual timeline for treatment, and are there any waitlists for patients?
• Insurance Coverage: If my insurance covers any or all of treatment, is this clinic in-network? While this is important, don’t let it be the sole deciding factor.
• Word of Mouth/Reviews: If you feel comfortable, chat with friends or family who have been through treatment and get recommendations.
  

Future Family works with over 500 clinics nationwide to provide you with the best rate and care. Once you’ve had an initial consultation with a clinic, be sure to trust your instincts. You want to walk away feeling like you were heard, well cared for and in the best hands possible for this important journey.

Discover Fertility Clinics Near You

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you have found your clinic partner and looking for financing, Future Family is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

*0% APR Financing restrictions apply

]]>https://blog.futurefamily.com/meet-the-future-family-team-alex-martinez/Ghost__Post__640f545044785d0001b1b901Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:25:06 GMT

I'm Alex! I currently live in Northern California with my wife and two cats. Sports is one of my favorite pastimes! I played volleyball, basketball, and softball in my youth. I'm a big fan of the 49ers, Golden State Warriors, and anything Nittany Lions. Some of my hobbies include writing, reading, music, trying new cuisines, meditation, self-care, and spending time with my family. I have a BA in Digital Journalism & Media with a minor in Psychology from Penn State. I'm nearly halfway done with my Master's in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIENT), currently acquiring applicable skills to my current position at Future Family.

What do you do at Future Family and how long have you been here?

I’m a Fertility Finance Advocate Team Lead and I’ve been here for nearly 2 years. I was the first person hired for this position at Future Family and have helped grow the department and team to what it is today. I oversee two other Fertility Finance Advocates and promote growth within our company, which means my team helps more patients every day! I work cross-collaboratively with our Product team to ensure a user-friendly online application process and directly with our internal operations team to create efficiencies so we can serve our customers in a timely manner! I have worn many hats, I love that Future Family gives me the opportunity to exercise my creative mind.

Why did you join Future Family?

The mission! I have a background working as a Financial Counselor at a fertility clinic and enjoyed my time in various tech companies around the Bay Area. Future Family is the perfect marriage of both. The leadership is solid and the company culture is priceless.

How do you help people in their fertility journey at Future Family?

I help patients understand our process from start to finish, answer any questions they have prior to completing their application, analyze ineligible applications, and coming up with pathways to eligibility. I go above and beyond to help my patients get pre-approved!

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

The value a fertility loan has to offer, specifically Future Family's. Which companies are lending to make money, and which ones are lending because of its personal connection to the patient's journey. Patients should also consider the negative impact treatment costs are if they pay with a credit card and how that affects their credit utilization, ultimately hindering their credit scores.

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

My favorite part about helping my patients is experiencing their joy and gratitude upon being pre-approved. I used to work at a clinic and be the one who had to tell them how much their treatment was going to cost; that was heart-breaking. Now I get to help them with a solution to pay for it!

In your opinion, what do you think is that one "thing" that makes Future Family so special?

Our CEO, Claire, went through multiple rounds of IVF, which is why we exist to help patients today. To see Claire’s story, check out this video.

What advice would you give to patients starting to research fertility financing?

Consider a company that truly cares about its customers/patients; a company that will alleviate the financial burden of an already overwhelming journey. Make sure the lender you’re considering does a soft credit check so your score isn’t negatively impacted. Don’t pay an application fee if you don’t have to! Please keep your existing debts current and on-time. That won't just help with getting pre-approved, it will help with your offer, rates, terms, and overall credit health!

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

There are several ways to start growing your family. Many couples want to maximize their involvement in the conception process with each available option.

Reciprocal IVF provides a way for couples to contribute to the creation and gestation of the newest family member.

In-vitro fertilization procedures are an excellent family-building option for couples in the LGBTQ+ community, and reciprocal IVF treatments are no exception. However, because the process differs from traditional IVF procedures, how much reciprocal IVF costs will vary.

On average, one cycle of reciprocal IVF costs between $10,000–$15,000. The exact price depends on the following factors:

• Your insurance coverage
• Your health
• The treatment center that facilitates your IVF

There are also medication costs, which can average anywhere between $7,000–$10,000. With reciprocal IVF, the gestational partner and the partner providing eggs use fertility drugs to prepare the eggs and uterus for implantation.

In total, couples in the U.S. spend roughly $20,000 on reciprocal IVF.

Reciprocal IVF is a considerable time and financial investment, so it’s essential to learn about and prepare for it thoroughly. This is where Future Family comes in. We’ll walk you through some key areas to help you better understand the costs of reciprocal IVF.

Note: When it comes to finances, most reciprocal IVF costs mirror the costs of regular IVF, which we’ve already covered in a companion blog post.

Browse a specific category by clicking on any of the quick links below:

What Is Reciprocal IVF?

How Does Reciprocal IVF Work?

Does Insurance Pay for Reciprocal IVF?

How Much is Reciprocal IVF Out of Pocket?

Reciprocal IVF Prep

Embryo Costs

Embryo Transfer

Things to Keep in Mind

Is Reciprocal IVF Worth It?

Learn about Future Family’s Financing Options

How-to-Get-Prequalified

What Is Reciprocal IVF?

Also known as co-maternity, partner IVF, or co-IVF, reciprocal IVF is a fertility treatment option for lesbian or trans-men couples.

Reciprocal IVF is a variation of in vitro fertilization where both partners are involved in the creation of their child. One partner goes through testing to retrieve their eggs for fertilization, and the other has the embryo placed in their uterus to carry and give birth to the child.

Reciprocal IVF allows both partners to be involved in building their family in a way that standard IVF does not allow for.

How Does Reciprocal IVF Work?

Reciprocal IVF follows the same steps as traditional IVF treatments, with a few notable differences.

• Step One: Decide Each Partner’s Role
  The couple decides who will carry their baby and who will donate their eggs. This decision includes a host of considerations, such as each partner’s medical history, health status, or preference.
  
  
• Step Two: Acquire Donor Sperm
  The couple must find and select donor sperm, either from a known or anonymous donor. This step can involve additional costs not covered by insurance or included in the expected IVF fees with the chosen fertility clinic. A vial of sperm may cost anywhere from $400–$2,000.
  
  
• Step Three: Sync Menstrual Cycles
  Some reciprocal IVF treatments, particularly those involving a fresh embryo transfer, may require both partners to sync their menstrual cycles using oral contraceptives. These are often covered by insurance.
  
  
• Step Four: Prepare with Hormonal Medication
  The egg-donating partner takes hormonal medication to stimulate their follicles, while the gestational partner takes hormonal medication to thicken their uterine lining. While some of these medications are included or covered by insurance, this can add additional costs.
  
  
• Step Five: Egg Retrieval
  A fertility specialist retrieves eggs from the donating partner in an outpatient surgical procedure. Then, the eggs are fertilized and incubated for about a week.
  
  
• Step Six: Embryo Transfer
  If the process creates healthy embryos after the incubation period, chosen embryos are transferred into the uterus of the carrying partner. The couple then waits two weeks to take a pregnancy test to confirm success.
  

For more information on reciprocal IVF, check out our piece: What Is Reciprocal IVF [& Is It Right for You]?

Does Insurance Pay for Reciprocal IVF?

Not all insurance providers cover reciprocal IVF. Coverage varies across providers and states. Currently, 17 states mandate infertility coverage, though not all 17 states specifically offer coverage for IVF. Each state carries different guidelines.

Insurance providers generally don’t cover reciprocal IVF costs unless there’s a medical necessity. This necessity may include diagnostic tests and doctor visits for the individual carrying the child.

As there are several variations involved with insurance coverage, we encourage you to speak with your provider and IVF treatment facility for exact details.

How Much Is Reciprocal IVF Out of Pocket?

Reciprocal IVF’s average cost is $20,000 out of pocket.

Reciprocal IVF costs can be split into three areas:

• Reciprocal IVF prep
• Embryo costs
• Embryo transfer

Though the exact costs in each area vary, we’ve assembled these estimates to help you prepare.

Reciprocal IVF Prep

The average cost of reciprocal IVF prep can range from $5,600–$12,000. This includes:

• Blood work and ultrasound: Blood work helps assess hormone levels in both partners and perform preconception blood work.
  
• Medications: These prescriptions help stimulate the growth of eggs, prevent ovulation, and improve your chances of a successful reciprocal IVF procedure. Medication needs may vary from person to person, depending on one’s medical history and conditions.
  
• Donor sperm fees: This involves acquiring a donor sperm to inject into the egg to create the embryo. Couples can select donor sperm based on the donor’s characteristics (physical attributes, education, career, etc.). The cost also depends on the number of vials selected.
  
• Legal fees: There are legalities involved with reciprocal IVF to recognize you and your partner as the child’s biological parents. As the legalities of reciprocal IVF vary from state to state, it may be wise to seek legal counsel and have paperwork filed with the court.

Embryo Costs

Embryo costs range from $10,000–12,000, and include:

• Egg retrieval: This procedure removes the eggs from one partner. The eggs are then fertilized in a laboratory. The number of eggs the doctor can retrieve depends on your age, medical history, and response to medications.
  
• Anesthesia: Anesthesia ensures you don’t feel pain during the egg retrieval process.
  
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): ICSI is the fertilization process that injects a single sperm into the center of the egg.
  
• Embryo biopsy: This biopsy helps assess your chances of having a healthy baby by looking into the genetic makeup of your embryo.
  
• Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT): This test scans the cells of your embryo to ensure it has all 23 pairs of chromosomes.
  
• Embryo freezing: Embryos are stored in a cryogenic freezer before transfer.

Embryo Transfer

Embryo transfer ($3,000-$5,000) is the procedure that transfers the early-stage embryo from Partner A into Partner B’s uterus. One or two embryos are placed into Partner B’s uterus using a catheter. There is typically a two-week waiting period to see if pregnancy has been achieved.

Things to Keep in Mind

In addition to the costs of the procedures involved, here are three more things to keep in mind as you financially prepare for reciprocal IVF:

• Fertility coaches: To help you feel more comfortable, some treatment centers provide fertility coaches who can improve your IVF experience. As every couple is different, a fertility coach can help personalize your care and debrief you after doctor visits. Discussing fertility issues can be challenging. Coaches can lend an ear with honest conversations to help you feel more confident about your IVF journey.
  
  Financing options: These figures might seem overwhelming, but there are fertility treatment centers that offer financing options to help make reciprocal IVF more accessible for you and your partner.
  
  

Is Reciprocal IVF Worth It?

Family-building treatments are known to be expensive and involved. Still, they’ve allowed numerous couples to realize their dream of adding a new member to their family. The reciprocal IVF process allows couples to grow a baby together through the miracle of modern science.

Bringing a child into the world is an incredible process that enables couples to work together as a team from conception and beyond. With reciprocal IVF, each partner sustains an intimate connection to their child right from the start.

If you and your partner are ready to explore whether reciprocal IVF is right for you, a fertility coach can help. Fertility coaches can walk you through the IVF process, and help you prepare for the road ahead.

Learn about Future Family’s Financing Options

Our goal is to remove the barriers of cost and complexity in building the family you deserve. With the help of our $100 million financing fund, we proudly offer reciprocal IVF plans starting at $300 per month.

How to Get Prequalified

If you decide to pursue IVF treatments, Future Family’s fertility loans can help make your dream of having a baby a reality. You can complete a prequalification form and submit to a soft credit check to get started. The submission process is quick; you can receive pre-approval in as little as two minutes.

To speed up the process, keep a few pieces of information on hand when applying for prequalification, including:

• Personal information
• Income and financial status
• Clinic name
• Partner information

Our financial specialists help each couple develop a personalized financial plan to make the loan process as simple as possible. Learn more about your financing options and get prequalified today.

When a family pursues gestational surrogacy to welcome a new baby into the world, they begin a life-changing journey that brings significant joy coupled with a host of financial considerations.

The average process of using a gestational surrogate can cost anywhere from $70,000 to $120,000 from beginning to end. This guide provides a cost breakdown through each stage of the journey. Use this information to better understand your family’s options for loans, payments, and financing every step of the way.

Browse a specific section by clicking on the quick links below:

Considering Gestational surrogacy

Gestational Surrogacy Cost Breakdown

• Agency Fees

• Surrogate Screening and Fees

• Fertility Treatments

• Gestational Surrogate Support

• Legal Fees

• Insurance and Taxes

Gestational Surrogacy Financing Options

• Gestational Surrogacy Loans

• Saving Money

• Fundraising

• Gestational Surrogacy Grants

Gestational Surrogacy Support with Future Family

Considering Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy is an ideal fertility option when a couple or individual needs assistance from another party to carry and deliver their baby. Surrogacy is a pathway to parenthood often chosen by the following people:

• LGBTQ couples
• Those with limited success with other fertility treatments
• Those with medical or high-risk health concerns
• Couples with unexplained infertility
• Individuals without a uterus

A couple or individual may also opt for gestational surrogacy for many other reasons, including personal, emotional, and physical concerns.

Gestational Surrogacy Cost Breakdown

The process of surrogacy can be expensive. It involves the hopeful parents and the designated surrogate, a fertility clinic, several medical professionals, and legal experts.

Here’s a brief overview of those expenses:

Agency Fees

If you use a surrogacy agency, you can expect to compensate the organization for services like:

• Carrier matching
• Screening
• Clinic coordination
• Contract arrangement
• Background checks for surrogate and partner (if applicable)
• Legal and financial counsel

Average cost: $15,000 to $30,000

Surrogate Screening and Fees

Before the process begins, a surrogate undergoes medical, psychological, and fertility tests and screenings to determine a healthy candidacy for pregnancy. These fees differ depending on several factors, including:

• The surrogate’s prior experience
• Their location
• Whether they are open to a twin pregnancy

Average cost: $30,000 to $60,000

Fertility Treatments

Surrogacies require the services of a fertility clinic to facilitate conception. Fertility clinics offer multiple procedures to support a healthy gestational surrogacy, such as:

• Fertility tests
• Fertility medications
• Embryo creation
• IVF to create the embryo(s) to transfer to a gestational surrogate

Because each surrogacy journey differs from another, these costs can vary widely.

Average cost: $10,000 - $20,000

Gestational Surrogate Support

Medical care, transportation, maternity clothing, dietary support and supplements, and all other pregnancy-related fees are often paid for entirely by the soon-to-be parents. There is no standardized range for surrogate support costs, as these figures differ for each pregnancy.

Average cost: Fluctuates, often paid monthly

Legal Fees

Gestational Surrogacy laws differ in each state, but many families seek pre-birth orders and contracts before their journey to establish the baby’s legal parentage or to facilitate an adoption after the birth. Professional legal counsel helps all parties in gestational surrogacy to protect their rights and outline the terms of the agreement in full.

Average cost: $5,000 - $15,000

Insurance and Taxes

Regarding insurance coverage, only a policy under which the surrogate is insured provides surrogacy-related benefits or reimbursements. If applicable, couples and individuals may be asked to pay for a surrogate’s monthly insurance premiums or compensate them for any associated taxes and fees.

Average cost: $500 - $1,000 per month

Gestational Surrogacy Financing Options

The total cost of gestational surrogacy can be well outside the budget of the average couple or individual. Fortunately, there are several ways to finance the surrogacy process and help a broader range of families realize their dreams of having a baby.

Gestational Surrogacy Loans

From traditional lines of credit to specialized loans, the expecting parent(s) may qualify for financing to fund their surrogacy journey.

Financing can include:

• Home equity loans or lines of credit, using a home or property as collateral.
• Borrowing from a retirement plan or 401k, which you must repay within a certain period.
• Credit cards or personal loans borrowed from a bank or credit union. Be aware that there are five key areas to consider when choosing credit cards vs. loans.
• Fertility financing loans, which are specifically designed for family-building processes. Fertility loans like the ones provided by Future Family have fixed interest rates, helping you to save money in the long run.

Saving Money

In addition to saving money for the gestational surrogacy itself, intended parents can find ways to save money by locating low or 0% APR surrogacy loans, choosing cost-effective gestational surrogacy services, and making frugal lifestyle choices.

Fundraising

Some future parents look to crowdfunding sources to raise funds for their gestational surrogacy, while others organize and host community fundraising events. Fundraising with a future family in mind can also involve monetizing a hobby or asking friends and family for donations to ease the overall financial burden.

Gestational Surrogacy Grants

Fertility grants can be incredibly beneficial, and Resolve.org has a comprehensive list of grants offering between $1,000 and $10,000 to intended parents.

Many fertility grants come with usage restrictions, and some have specific eligibility requirements that may or may not apply to your family’s circumstances. Thoroughly research your options to find a grant suited to your needs.

Gestational Surrogacy Support with Future Family

There are many pathways to securing financial support and security to grow your family. If you’re considering gestational surrogacy, contact Future Family today to learn more about our financing options or prequalify for a loan.

Our Future Family qualified fertility coaches, and nursing care team offer additional assistance in your gestational surrogacy journey. Get in touch to find out how we can provide your family with education, medical, and emotional support and guidance.

We know selecting a clinic can be a major decision early in your fertility journey and ensuring you find one that's right based on your needs is important. There are questions surrounding treatment options, location, pricing and payment plans– among several other emotional and mental stressors. We are excited to share Future Family CareMatch, a new search and discovery feature to help individuals and couples early in their journey find the fertility clinic that best suits their needs.

Future Family CareMatch is designed to help you find the best clinic for you based on your needs. You can search by city and zip code to find a comprehensive list of care centers in your area. Additionally, you can find important information about clinics such as treatments offered, treatment pricing, and payment options available. If you find a clinic that is a good match, you can connect with them directly with a few quick clicks or find contact information to reach out to them directly. CareMatch highlights Future Family partner clinics in the area and those that offer our new one-of-a-kind 0% APR loan. Finding and researching clinics used to involve digging through several websites, scanning pages of online reviews and cold-calling front desks. Now, this important information is just a few clicks away!

Our mission with this new feature is to remove some of the research stress so you can focus on taking the steps to achieving your family goals. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Find your CareMatch today! https://CareMatch.FutureFamily.com

Get Pre-Approved for a Fertility Loan Today

If you’re ready for a fertility loan, get pre-approved today. Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score. Starting a family should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Learn more at futurefamily.com.

]]>https://blog.futurefamily.com/rising-interest-rates-what-it-means-for-you/Ghost__Post__63ee62d34d9ede0001b81741Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:21:30 GMT

When taking on any kind of loan, one of the biggest factors to consider is the interest rate, which will have a direct impact on the size of your monthly payment. The Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark interest rate several times in the last year– from nearly 0% last March to 4.5-4.75% as of early February, 2023. The pace and cumulative size of these rate hikes hadn’t been seen in decades.

What’s behind the barrage of increases? For better or worse, increasing rates is the Fed’s primary method for combating inflation– which has been running at its highest level since the 1980’s. Inflation seems to be on the decline in early 2023– but not at the speed economists had hoped, and many experts expect additional rate increases in the coming months.

Unfortunately, the federal funds rate does directly impact the borrowing rates of the average consumer in a number of areas. Simply put, any debt you take on in 2023 will cost you more than it would have a year ago. That includes mortgages, auto loans, credit card debt and personal and fertility loans.

For many people, major life milestones, like starting a family, can’t wait the months or years it may take for rates to dip again. So here’s the good news: there are still smart, stable ways to finance a large expense like fertility treatment. While the average credit card APR is around 20% and U.S. credit card debt is hitting record numbers, personal loans provide much lower interest rates by comparison. At Future Family, we’re proud to offer the most competitive, fixed rate loans in the industry. In fact, we kicked off 2023 with the launch of a one-of-a-kind 0% APR loan for those who qualify.

There’s no doubt that the economic headlines have been troubling for the past year. But the fertility finance experts at Future Family are here to walk you through all your options, so you can feel calm and confident as you embark on your fertility journey.

To learn even more about financing with a credit card vs. a personal loan, check out these articles.

Get Pre-Approved for a Fertility Loan Today

If you’re interested in pursuing a fertility loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: financing@futurefamily.com.

Going through fertility treatment can be an overwhelming experience– financially, physically and emotionally. In fact, according to SART (the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology), patients rate it as stressful as a divorce or even losing a loved one. Future Family’s mission is to make the whole process easier from start to finish – first by offering competitive loan terms to tackle the financial burden, and secondly by providing crucial support from a team of expert fertility coaches. While you undoubtedly will rely heavily on your clinic doctors and nurses, our patients have found the additional layer of support from our coaches invaluable in navigating their fertility journeys –just check out our reviews!

The Who: Get to Know our Fertility Coaches

All of Future Family’s fertility coaches are registered nurses with extensive experience working with fertility patients and clinics. They are ASRM-certified (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) ensuring you are always getting expert guidance and advice. And the best part? Every Future Family member gets a designated coach to offer one-on-one support throughout the entire process. Your nurse is available when and how you need them for the weeks or months you are undergoing treatment. What might that look like? Set up a Zoom to be walked through the first night of injections; shoot off a text to ask them a quick question; give them a call to talk through results and outcomes. No question or concern is too big or too small.  

The What: Ways our Fertility Coaches Can Help

The care team offers support in 3 key ways:

• Medical education
• Medication training (including helping patients take advantage of discounts on prescriptions at participating pharmacies)
• Emotional Support

Emotional support is often an integral part of the equation. “This is a stress a lot of people don’t know how to deal with,” says Laura Weppler, Lead Care Manager at Future Family. “It’s not just a routine procedure – there’s a lot of volatility in fertility, and everyone’s experience is going to look different.” Laura adds that she sees many patients trying to find answers or assurances online– leading to a lot of misinformation. “We want to help people avoid going down that rabbit hole.”

The Why: How our Coaches Supplement Your Clinic Care

We hear a lot of prospective patients ask if a fertility coach is really necessary– given the medical staff already assigned at the clinic. “We’re not here to replace your clinic nurses,” says Laura. “We want our patients to be as involved with them as they can be. But given the number of patients and workload many clinic staffers are juggling, they might not be able to get back to you as soon as you like. Or you may not be able to reach them after 5pm.”

Laura adds that she sees the care team and clinic team as a partnership. “Hopefully we are making their lives a little easier.”

And oftentimes, the clinic staff just doesn’t have the bandwidth to help with each and every aspect of navigating fertility treatment. “So many patients say, I feel like I’m going through this process with a blindfold on,” says Laura.  “We hear, I don’t understand what this term means, or what this medication is for, or what benchmarks I should be looking for in my results. Or sometimes, patients just want to vent to someone. We’re here for you through it all.”

Learn even more about Future Family’s Care Team here.

Seek Financing with Future Family.

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

Hello! My name is Morgan Kloewer, I live in Kansas City, Missouri, and love cheering on the Chiefs! I love spending quality time with my husband and Goldendoodle Melvin. A couple things that motivate me are making the world a better place and striving to live a faith-centered life. Throughout my career, I've worked in healthcare consulting, Workday consulting, and now fertility financing–which is the most rewarding, by far!

What do you do at Future Family?

I’ve been a Sales Operations Specialist here for almost a year. I work with patients and clinics after a contract is signed, to finalize details and ensure that the right amount of funding gets sent, at the right time!

Why did you join Future Family?

To have a job that felt like I was providing value to the world and making people's lives better! I enjoy making the funding process seamless for patients, through what is generally a very stressful and emotional time.

How do you support and help Future Family’s clients?

I help clients ensure that their funds are sent to the right place at the right time. I also help clients tie up any loose ends with their contract, to get it ready for disbursement.

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

I think families should consider their overall financial goals and the timing of those goals. They should also consider how much of the financing details they want to be involved in themselves vs handing that off to us to take care of!

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

My favorite part about helping clients is that when financing goes smoothly. it truly makes their fertility journey easier!

In your opinion, what makes Future Family  special?

I think the thing that makes Future Family so special is the human connection and care that we give borrowers! We have amazing individuals that work with patients, to ensure they're getting the proper amount of funding, at the proper time. Not every lender has humans on the other end of the phone or screen that are looking out for you!

What advice would you give to a new patient just starting this process?

I’d recommend looking at all of your options and deciding what is the best fit for you to grow your family! Here at Future Family, our Fertility Financing specialists are always happy to discuss your options with you. It can’t hurt to fill out an application and talk with one of them!

Seek Financing with Future Family.

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds with no impact to your credit score.

Meet Reba M., a teacher from San Jose, CA, and hear about her and her husband Roy’s IVF Journey with Future Family.

How did you choose KindBody as your fertility clinic? And how did you find out about Future Family?

We were referred to KindBody by one of our previous Ob/Gyn. When we started going to KindBody and the bills were coming in, my husband asked, is there some way you can help us so we’re not so anxious about every appointment and you know, what’s the bill? What’s the copay? What’s the bloodwork cost?

One of the women at the front desk gave us your information. We talked about it. Do we want to take this on, where we are paying a monthly payment, or do we just want to pay at every appointment. What’s easier? And then I thought, let me just apply and see what happens. And we met Ryan, and he gave me all the information we needed. And something that Ryan said to me that really stood out was, ‘Future Family is here to take care of the bills. So that when you are at your appointment, your main priority and main goal is your family and your health and doing everything you need to make this a successful outcome.’ When we heard that, I told my husband, we have to use Future Family because that was so reassuring to hear.

When did you first learn about the cost of fertility treatment?

Yeah that in itself was like ‘what in the world!’ We learned that nothing fertility-wise was covered under insurance. You know, routine blood work was over a grand for each of us. Then when we went to KindBody, we both asked them– ballpark range, one cycle– how much does it cost? They said one cycle, plus medications and all of your appointments will be close to $25,000 or $30,000. And they said most families are not so lucky to have it happen in the first round of IVF so they do a couple rounds. We both looked at each other like– what do we do? We’re teachers; we just moved to California. We are literally going to put all our eggs in one round and see what happens. At that point, before we learned about Future Family, we were paying so much for just bloodwork! We hadn’t even done the retrieval or the transfer yet.

Then we found out that I had a polyp that wasn't covered, and we realized, we needed help or this dream of having a child is just not going to work. IVF was very new to us. You hear about it, but you don’t really know what the process involves.

So after I read more about it, I asked Ryan– is there somebody that can walk us through this? I know you guys help us cover bills, but is there anyone who can help us with everything else– the medication, the process, just advice? And he said, yes, actually you’ll get a nurse just for you. To help you and answer any questions you have, anything you need along the way, support groups. Immediately, we knew we were not going to be able to get through this process without Future Family’s help. Nobody in our family has ever gone through this, and it was scary. So we needed help in multiple ways, and Future Family was able to offer that to us.

Was the financing with Future Family easy or hard to understand?

The application process was super simple to follow. It wasn't like you needed multiple documents, which relieved a lot of our stress, too. Ryan got back to us immediately about what we qualified for. And then he explained, we give this entire amount to KindBody, so you don’t worry about anything.

There was a point where we needed about $5,000 more, and immediately, Ryan sent us a new application. I remember I couldn't talk to him on the phone because I was at work. So he was texting all the information to me. This is how much your monthly payment is gonna go up, let us know and we will immediately send it over to Kindbody. It was just very simple to understand how much we were given, how much we were paying monthly, and how much was left as well.

How was your experience with KindBody?

It was good. You know in the beginning we were hesitant because it’s a lot to go through, and the cost of everything. But you realize that this process is just very expensive, but hopefully by the end of it you come out with a baby. We definitely built a very strong relationship. KindBody knew everything about us. You just felt like they really cared about you.

How was your experience with your Future Family care nurse, Katie?

We have nothing but positive and amazing thoughts about Future Family, especially Katie. I don't know how we would have gotten through this without her. She helped us from day one. Like how to do the injections, the before and after care of all the medications, and any questions that we had– she was always available. We would just talk afterwards too, just chit chat, just to help us clear our minds.

From the very first shot, she talked my husband Roy through the entire thing. She FaceTime with us at 9pm and laid everything out. She helped him be less stressed, which eased my anxiety. She told him, ‘hey get rid of that bubble in the medicine, aim a little bit lower.’ And that wasn’t the only time we talked late at night. We had to do our trigger shot at 11pm, and she said, ‘Reba, Roy, call me at 10:55 and let's do it together.’

I am a very anxious person myself, which was hard on Roy when he was preparing the injections. But having Katie there, we were like, ok we got this. Unfortunately, we did miscarry in July, and Katie called me immediately when she found out, and told us, ‘take time to cry, to mourn, to grieve, do what you need to do. Then let’s get you ready for your next steps.’ And that whole week she checked in on me.

Future Family sent me flowers right after our egg retrieval. Like there were so many things you just wouldn’t expect from a business or company like that to do. We received so much love and support from you guys that went far beyond the financial help.

I remember telling a friend who is starting IVF, ‘hey if your clinic accepts Future Family, that was the best decision that we ever made for our family. And not only receiving that financial help, but the emotional help, the support that you receive from everybody there.'

What advice would you share with someone just starting IVF?

Just make sure you really understand what you’re getting into. KindBody and Future Family both made those things very clear – the pros and cons of everything. Ask for help if you need it. In the beginning, I didn't want help. I thought we could do it on our own, and I didn’t want anybody to know what we were going through. But I realize now that asking for help and getting support is so important when you’re going through something like this.

We feel so lucky because after one round, we are pregnant! And if we didn’t ask for help, we would have been extra stressed out, so who knows what the outcome would be. There are so many families going through this, and if you ask for help, you’ll see everybody is rooting for you. You’re not alone. There’s nothing wrong with taking help.

Reba and Roy are now 24 weeks pregnant. We wish them all the joy and happiness and thank them for sharing their journey with us.  

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Freezing your eggs or starting a family  should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Want to be featured in a Future Family story? Reach out to us at marketing@futurefamily.com.

]]>https://blog.futurefamily.com/whats-the-best-way-to-pay-for-ivf/Ghost__Post__5f45427ed2596d0001a2239eWed, 25 Jan 2023 18:32:00 GMT

The average cost of IVF in the U.S., including everything from medication to doctor’s visits, is around $18,000.

Unlike saving for a house, a wedding, or even college, IVF is usually an unexpected expense people are not financially prepared to handle. Studies show the biggest barrier to starting IVF is financing.

Fortunately, there are options available to pay for IVF, so you can move forward with your dream of starting a family.

Let's take a look at how paying for IVF works and how payment methods compare to a personal fertility loan with Future Family. As a team, we’re focused on making fertility treatment affordable and accessible while serving as a guiding resource to help you make the right decision.

Browse a specific category by clicking on any of the quick links below:

Paying for IVF: Your Complete Guide

• Why is IVF Not Fully Covered By Insurance?
• 5 Ways on How To Pay for IVF and What to Consider
  • Credit Cards
  • Savings
  • 401K/Retirement Account
  • Fertility Treatment Grants
  • Fertility Treatment Loan
• Is an IVF Loan an Option for Me?
• How Can I Make IVF Cheaper?
• Future Family Fertility Loans
• Do you have to pay again if IVF fails?
• Learn More about How Future Family Can Help

Why Is IVF Not Fully Covered by Insurance?

IVF and fertility treatments are rarely fully covered by private insurance or Medicaid plans. Unfortunately, these treatments are not considered medically necessary by some insurance companies.

But currently, there are 17 states that require insurers to either cover or offer coverage for fertility treatment. This only guarantees some procedures and medications will be covered. Every state carries its own limitations.

Speak with your insurance provider to see what is covered. For any remaining out-of-pocket costs, you can look into five payment options.

5 Ways on How To Pay For IVF and What to Consider for Each

Each fertility payment option has pros and cons. These advantages and disadvantages will weigh differently, depending on your financial situation. We encourage you to read each carefully to make the best choice for yourself and your future family.

Credit Cards

Studies report that over 85% of people pay for fertility treatments with a credit card.

Credit cards are a popular option because of their convenience and speed. It’s also an easy option for those who may not qualify for a loan.

But high-interest rates can make this an expensive choice in the long run:

• Most credit cards have an average interest rate of 20%. A high rate causes more of your money to go toward paying off interest rather than your fertility treatment.
• Some people consider charging their IVF treatments on credit cards that offer an introductory 0% interest rate for the first year. Using this type of card can be a great solution if you can pay the total balance off that first year. However, it's best to research the interest rate after the year is up, as it can jump substantially, potentially to 20% or higher.
• The average American consumer has access to roughly $31,000 in credit between all their credit cards. Since this amount is close to the actual cost of IVF/fertility treatment, putting the fall balance can increase an individual’s credit utilization and negatively impact their credit score.
• Credit card points or rewards can help cover some costs but rarely the full amount. Consider that points are depreciating assets—they lose value over time. Roughly 40% of Americans have points they didn't use in the last year.

Overall, credit cards are a good option for ongoing, smaller purchases, but heightened credit card use can hurt your credit score. It’s crucial to do your research and ensure you can handle the interest rates before swiping.

Savings

Saving money for IVF is a very sound way to pay for IVF because there is no interest rate. A savings account contains accessible money you can apply to your treatment immediately without worrying about a monthly payment or a hit to your credit.

However, suppose you are dipping into your rainy day savings account. In that case, you may be jeopardizing your financial health if an emergency or unexpected expense pops up (e.g., a leaky roof or car troubles).

IVF is one of the few life choices with a specific fertility timeline, which may not match your savings timeline. It can be challenging to save $18,000 or more for IVF if you need to start fertility treatments in the upcoming months.

401(k) or Retirement Account

It is always tempting to borrow money from your 401(k) to pay for IVF.

The CARES Act allows individuals to take funds from a 401(k) without the 10% surcharge tax if COVID-19 has affected them financially.  

However, most financial experts advise against borrowing from a 401(k) for two main reasons:

• By borrowing money against your retirement savings, you now have to earn money, pay taxes, and then return the funds (plus interest) to the account. When you withdraw it later, you may have to pay income tax again, defeating the purpose of having a tax-deferred account.
• You're selling your investments when you borrow money from your 401(k). If any of those investments rise in value, you no longer have access to the profits or the compounding power.

Unless you’ve exhausted most other resources, such as emergency accounts or other easily accessible forms of savings, borrowing funds from your retirement account isn’t a great option.

Fertility Treatment Grants

There are more fertility grants available today than ever. Resolve.org, the website of the National Infertility Association, has a great round-up of grants to help people fund their fertility treatments.

Most fertility grants offer between $1,000 and $10,000, which can be a tremendous help toward the overall IVF cost. Check if your grant covers medication and other related expenses that can add up fast.

Keep in mind that most grants:

• Have specific qualifications, from location to an income cap to being evaluated by a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. These requirements often require additional research to find a grant for your specific circumstances.
• Are limited to a certain number of individuals. Organizations like Parental Hope Family Grant and The Fertility Foundation of Texas award grants once or twice each year rather than awarding them year-round. Thus, you would need to factor these grant timelines into your treatment schedule.

Fertility Treatment Loan

A fertility loan is borrowed funds used to pay for a portion or all of your fertility treatment. The amount, terms, and conditions of a loan typically depend on your credit score. The higher your score, the more easily you can qualify for a low-interest IVF loan.

A loan is an excellent solution for a bigger one-time investment, like IVF or a new car. The interest rate is usually lower with fixed monthly payments over a specific amount of time, which means there are no financial surprises.

At Future Family, we believe the smart way to cover costs is a personal fertility loan, allowing you to start your treatments immediately. Personal fertility loans have much lower interest rates than most credit cards, typically between 0.00% and 17.00%.

Is an IVF Loan an Option for Me?

Making financial trade-offs and saving for IVF is ideal. But we understand that may not be possible, depending on your circumstances. For those eager to pursue IVF with minimal savings, financing your fertility treatment may be the best option.

Whether you can get a loan for IVF generally depends on the following:

• Your credit score
• Your income level

We recommend gathering all the relevant information before taking out an IVF loan. This process may include:

• Reaching out to your healthcare insurance company to determine if you qualify for any fertility coverage.
• Calculating how much you’ll have to spend on the treatment total (depending on how much your insurance will cover). Keep in mind that a large patient population may need one IVF egg retrieval but could need multiple embryo transfers. Embryo transfer cycles are significantly cheaper than a full IVF cycle, which includes egg retrieval.  

If you take out a loan, you want to ensure you can pay it off. Consider your other debts, cost-of-living expenses, and savings. Use these considerations to help you assess whether you can realistically take on an IVF loan.

How Can I Make IVF Cheaper?

The cost of IVF isn’t negotiable, as it’s based on the treatments needed to increase your chances of conceiving and carrying a pregnancy. But to make sure your IVF loan covers everything, Future Family works with you and your fertility clinic to determine the exact amount your whole IVF treatment will cost. We take into account any necessary treatments like medication or genetic testing.

By taking a more thorough approach to the estimation process, we help reduce the risk of unexpected additional costs. You can go to your fertility clinic or pharmacy for treatment without worrying about payment arrangements.

Future Family Fertility Loans

Future Family IVF plans are dedicated to not only saving you money but lowering your IVF-related stress.

Future Family’s membership includes:

• Bill Pay Management: Your payment specialist at Future Family handles all your bills—from medication to clinic appointments. You can make your monthly loan payment each month via the convenient bill pay management platform.
• Personal Fertility Coaching and Care Team: Future Family members receive access to a nurse help desk, where they can schedule a time to talk to a fertility coach to answer any additional questions about fertility treatments or medication.

Future Family’s Fertility Coaches are registered nurses with years of experience in fertility healthcare and have helped thousands of women through IVF and egg freezing. Get to know our nursing care team.

What Is the Typical Duration of an IVF Loan?

Fertility loans typically offer 12-, 24-, and 36-month repayment timelines. At Future Family, our median term is closer to 60, keeping monthly payments lower and allowing patients to spread the repayment over a longer period.

Future Family loans also have no prepayment penalty. If you want to pay a holiday bonus toward your principal, you can do that directly through the billing platform.

Do You Have to Pay Again If IVF Fails?

The answer to this question depends on the fertility clinic or lender. Some clinics offer full or partial refunds to eligible patients if IVF treatment is unsuccessful. Others provide advantages, such as directly applying any unused funds to the principal loan amount to shorten the loan term and reduce the total interest.

Learn More about How Future Family Can Help

In the end, you have to make the financial decision that works best with your life and financial situation.

If you have questions or would like more information about how Future Family can provide a fertility loan for your specific needs, please feel free to email us at financing@futurefamily.com. Or, prequalify for a loan at Future Family. Prequalification takes two minutes.

Meet Lisa R., a financial analyst from Atlanta and hear a little about her egg freezing journey with Future Family.

Tell us a little about how you started on your fertility journey?

I'd say it was just the good old biological clock started ticking, and as women we get to a point where it's just, what do we want to do? For me it was: ‘I don't know yet.’ I don’t have a clear picture of what my future looks like. But I wanted to have the option to decide later. So I decided to go with the egg freezing and retrieval process.

How did you decide to go with ACRM [Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine] as your fertility clinic?

Going through my insurance, I found out I have some sort of coverage. So I researched which clinics were covered and what I wanted from my clinic. After seeing reviews for ACRM, I decided it was the best fit for me. I went ahead and signed up for a consultation with the doctor to do the initial testing to see what our fertility future would look like. From there, they sent out several emails about seminars and webinars, and I remember one of them was financing options for fertility. I learned a lot about Future Family during that, and they explained everything with so much clarity. They went further than just explaining the financing process. I think the webinar was a weekday around 7pm and the next day I had submitted the financing.

Just the fact that there was a registered nurse available to talk to you– it took a load off my shoulders. I didn't even look at other options.  I was like, I want to finance this company. So that's how I heard of Future Family. And the fact that they worked directly with ACRM was just a win-win for me.

Before that point, I was honestly going to put the whole thing on my credit card. I wasn’t even going to finance it. But I was like, let me just see what my options are. And afterwards, it was a no-brainer. I’m definitely going with Future Family.

Did you understand the cost of treatment and how all the payments were going to work?

That part was a little tricky for me. It’s a lot of information at the beginning. But when I applied for my Future Family loan, someone was there to walk me through the process, and answer questions– when I pay what and to who. She just clarified everything for me. So that really helped break everything down– just having that consultant to talk to helps a lot.

Why did you decide to finance your treatment?

I’m in finance– that’s what I do for a living. So seeing the interest rate and how competitive it was, that was a win for me. And I liked that the company only focuses on financing fertility treatments. It’s a company that really specializes in what I was looking for. And the private nurse on call, so you never feel alone – that was also huge for me. I had so many questions since this was my first time doing any type of fertility treatment. Future Family also partners with some pharmacies, so you can even get discounts on medications.

I remember initially the pharmacy said my total estimate for my meds was around $5600. Then I spoke to my Future Family nurse and she was like “Oh no. We have discounts. So let us submit it and see what it comes back with.’ And that saved me about $2000! So that ended up being really, really good. I was really happy about that.

Is there anything Future Family could had done differently?

Honestly I have nothing but positive things to say about Future Family. Fertility treatment is a lot. Hormonally, mentally, financially– it can be pretty taxing on a woman. And just feeling like I wasn’t alone. I remember talking to my nurse the first night I had to do the medications, and asking her a question about mixing the dosage, doing the injections. Then asking her about the anesthesia during retrieval. She walked me through everything so I knew what to expect. She told me what questions to ask in follow up appointments and helped me understand what everything meant. She was also easier to get a hold of and went over things in much more detail than the clinic staff.

I have a friend who is considering freezing her eggs, and I told her, I would recommend you finance specifically with Future Family so she can have all these benefits.

What advice do you have for anyone considering freezing their eggs?

I would absolutely recommend it. My only regret is not doing it sooner. I really wish it was a topic more frequently discussed among women. In your 20’s you think, oh yeah once I am ready to have kids in my 30’s, it’s just going to happen. And I have so many friends right now that are my age or younger, and they’re struggling. All aspects of it should be discussed more. What does family planning look like for you? What are your options? And what are your financing options? Because I always thought it was something I would never be able to afford. If I had known earlier in my 30’s that there are these options to finance treatment, I would have done it sooner.

It can be an overwhelming process, so the more you can take off your plate, the better. That’s where Future Family really helped– being a support system.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Freezing your eggs or starting a family  should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Want to be featured in a Future Family story? Reach out to us at marketing@futurefamily.com.

Hello! My name is Ryan Tibbetts. I am originally from Syracuse, NY, moved to Boston, MA, and now currently live in Los Angeles, CA with my partner. My favorite junk food is fried oreos and if I could be any animal in the world it would be a dolphin. They are intelligent, swim fast and get to explore the world!

What do you do at Future Family and for how long?

I’m a Team Lead for the Fertility Finance Specialist team and I’ve been here for 1.5 years.

Why did you join Future Family?

I never want "cost" to be the reason why people don't build the family of their dreams! Fertility treatments can be expensive and can cause headaches when dealing with insurance. Most Americans would rather pay $300-$500 a month versus $20,000 out of pocket!

How do you support and help Future Family’s clients?

I work with approved applicants and review what financial options make most sense for them and streamline their financial process! Speak to our team or myself now at Ryan@futurefamily.com!

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

The experience! It can be a long term commitment (2-5 years) when picking a lender. You want to work for someone who you feel you can trust.

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

The two pink lines! Life is tough, but when it works out, its really worth it! I love celebrating the wins and the highs with the patients. Seeing people happy makes me happy as well!

In your opinion, what do you think is that one "thing" that makes Future Family so special?
Our ability as a team to relate to our patients. Many people who work at Future Family have gone through their own fertility treatment themselves.

If you had a few tips for a new patient just starting this process and researching fertility financials, what advice would you give somebody?Schedule consultations with 3 different clinics! Interview each one and compare to see which one makes most sense for you. Understand what is important to you and look for those things when you speak to a clinic!

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds and speak to our amazing team, like Ryan today!

I heard about Future Family through our fertility clinic, Northern California Fertility Medical Center.

How did they refer you to Future Family?

I saw you on their website but was also handed out pamphlets and documentation.

How did you find your clinic? Why did you choose this clinic?

We have friends who used them for their IVF treatment. Our friends were successful and our research showed they were the best out there. They had good reviews which aligned with our friend’s experience. There was a huge 4 month waiting list. It felt like waiting for a top-of-line restaurant.

How did you first come to understand the cost of treatment?

This was the most frustrating part of the process and having a clear understanding of everything. When we went through it with the clinic, it was not easy to understand it all. Even after meeting with their Financial Coordinators. At the end of the day, you want a readable receipt. I was used to the military way, where you get a check list but in this instance, there might be additional or hidden fees that are hard to nail down.

Why did you choose to finance your treatment with Future Family?

We were given two options but your website had all the breakdowns (loan terms, monthly payments etc) and was easy for us to understand and apply for. Thankfully we did! What we saw on surface level was even better when we got through the whole process. I also liked that your website was simple and easy to navigate.

What aspect of Future Family are you most happy with?

The people by far! There were days where me and my spouse were completely frustrated and overwhelmed. The services you provide, our coordinator Ryan and the nursing staff, were always on top of it. They were all communicative and really it's the fast communication that we have been impressed with the most.

With our clinic, everything is over emails and nothing is over the phone. When we had questions, you guys were speedy and on top of it. We didn’t have to wait 3 business days to get a response and that was fabulous.

I've had nothing but happiness with every interaction. I can’t give any feedback. Other companies should use you guys as a benchmark. You don't see that in any other place, that is being very good with communication or having a phone number.

When you are going through this journey, you tend to worry about the small things. Make this process as stress free and easy as possible. Most introverted people, like myself, don't like writing reviews or complaints. But as soon as I got done with the process with Ryan, I had to write my first review because the service was amazing.

Did you consider other types of financing options?

No, because we didn't know we needed it at first. We soon found out that this lump sum is due right in the beginning. I was not expecting that and we couldn’t offload all the sum and have a safety net for ourselves. That's what drove the decision to go with Future Family. How quickly everything happened was amazing, from the application to phone call. Everything was fast and awesome. It was needed. Especially because of the clinic waitlist.

Do you have advice for others

Ask questions! Make sure you have a full picture of everything, before you get started. We were not expected to start until Feb then we got a call in Oct of an opening. We procrastinate to get up to speed. To relieve any stress you have in the future, especially the finance part of, ask and learn as much as possible. We didn't know about the sum but we had a ballpark. We also did not know how long the cycle is going to be, when the amount is due. If we did, we would have been better prepared. So getting yourself educated early on will help down the road.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Starting a family should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Want to be featured in a Future Family story? Reach out to us at marketing@futurefamily.com.

In today's conversation, we take you through working with the Finance department at Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado. You'll learn what Katrina Hammons, the department manager does and what the patient journey typically looks like.  

What is your role at Conceptions?

I manage the business office and do some finance management. I’ve been here for 8 years.

Why did you join this industry? What have you learned from your experiences?

I joined Conceptions because it was an opportunity to learn different aspects of the healthcare industry as I come from the primary care side. This was an avenue that I had not been involved in so to learn what Conceptions does here has been an incredible experience, helping our clients achieve their family goals. It's been very rewarding in that regard.

Future Family and Conceptions have been longtime partners, why do you think our partnership is so successful?

When we were approached by Future Family, we really liked the ease of how everything works for our patients and for our team.  

You are one of the easiest companies when it comes to getting patients what they need, when they need it. It’s absolutely seamless. And I love that patients have support from Future Family, so they can call, apply and you all know exactly what they are going through.

What makes Conceptions stand out from other clinics in the Colorado area?

Our pregnancy rate is the #1 standout. We’re not just a run of the mill IVF clinic, trying to get patients in and get them out. We try to make patient experience–as hard and overwhelming as it can be– we try to make it as transparent as possible.

How do your patients find your clinic before their first appointment?

We have a lot of OBGYN offices that refer patients to us, word of mouth. It’s also just googling for pricing. So that transparency on our website is super important.  

What does the patient journey look like? How long does the process take from first appointment to first treatment plan?

A new patient will call the office and go through our new patient schedulers. It’s actually a lot more than just putting an appointment in the system. They fill out some paperwork, they share insurance information if that applies, we get their records from their OBGYN office or other treatment centers, so that we have that prior to their first appointment. Then they meet with the physician.

Then the doctor figures out what testing may be needed for them. At that point, you're looking at a treatment plan. It could be anywhere from 2-6 months, depending on the treatment option.

How do you consult with patients when it comes to payment options?

So when they're initially set up with a treatment plan, the business office is then notified to reach out to the patient regarding what that payment looks like.  They are also informing them about different ways to finance it. Future Family is the first one that we list because you guys are so easy to work with.

What are the pros of financing a treatment through Future Family?

Your interest rates are lower than credit cards.. You pay with Visa, but you can’t call Visa to understand how to pay for medication. You have the backing from Future Family if there’s confusion about who’s paying what, how it’s getting paid, whether it’s the doctor or the pharmacy. There’s so many different aspects of IVF. Future Family understands all that, whereas a credit card, you’re kind of stuck.

When is the best time for patients to seek funding for fertility treatment? Seasoned patients who have already gone through this process are already going to know what they need to do to plan for this process. This is not their first rodeo. Then there’s the patient who has never done this before. They have been trying to get pregnant and their OBGYN tells them to go and get help figuring out what’s going on. So that’s when we’re there to guide them. They may say ‘Oh my gosh, there’s no way I can afford this!’ Then we can talk them through their options, let them know there's no harm in seeing if you qualify.

How does your team refer someone to the Future Family?

So if a patient is starting a cycle and we have a treatment plan, we have all the information in email. And if a new patient just contacts the business office right off the bat for information, that link for Future Family is in the email as well. So we do everything we can from our business office to get that point across.

Learn More about Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado

We hope that you learned something about Katrina and Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado and its finance department. Katrina is a great resource for anyone looking for more information about the world of fertility financing, so be sure to reach out if you have any questions. Check out their available packages, including Future Family here.

Get Pre-Approved with Future Family in under 2 mins

If you’re interested in pursuing a fertility loan to seek treatments with clinics such as Conceptions, use our prequalify tool today. Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you’ve decided taking out a fertility loan is the best way to pay for IVF, you’re probably wondering how the loan disbursement process works. This fertility loan guide fills you in on all the pertinent information you need to understand exactly what lies ahead and what you can do to prepare.

For any additional questions, refer to our FAQs or blog resources.

5 Key Steps to the Fertility Loan Process

The loan disbursement process for IVF and other fertility treatments encompasses five key steps.

1. Applying for the Loan

Prospective parents will be asked to fill out a form to get prequalified for a loan. The application asks for personal and financial information as a part of the credit check.

2. Loan Approval Timeline

Upon submission of the loan application, applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes for up to $50K at Future Family. Rest assured, this pre-approval process does not affect your credit score.

Once you are pre-approved, you will be connected to an account manager. Your account manager will work with you to customize a financial plan based on the treatment plan you have discussed with your doctor.

3. Fees and Other Additional Costs

You can expect two types of fees:

• A required deposit only for those eligible for Future Family’s 0% APR financing plan (eligibility depends on financial background check). The deposit amount varies depending on the loan term and amount.
• A Future Family membership fee that includes billing and operations services. This fee also includes access to your personal care team of experienced fertility nurses. They are here to help guide you through your fertility treatment and provide the holistic care and attention you deserve. The membership fee is paid upfront—it is not a part of the loan, so the fee will not accrue interest.

4. Disbursement of Funds

Please note, disbursement processes will vary depending on whether you work with a Future Family partner vs. non-partner clinic:

• Partner clinics: Our team helps finance the cost of treatment, medication, and genetic testing. Future Family will disburse the treatment funds directly to your clinic, pharmacy, and approved third parties one to three business days upon notification of request. You only need to worry about your monthly loan payments, most of which are automatically drafted via ACH. Additional payments are made via payment portal.
• Non-partner clinics: There will likely be additional documentation required prior to disbursement. Funds may be directly disbursed to the borrower instead of the clinic. Your account manager will work with you to assess when and how the funds will be disbursed

5. Interest Rates

Interest rates vary depending on your lender, the specific loan products you qualify for, and the fertility clinic you work with.

At Future Family, our interest rates range from 0.00% to 17.99%—some of the lowest in the industry. Your interest rate is based on:

• Your credit score
• The borrowing amount
• The length of your loan

How Do I Know How Much to Apply For?

Speak with your fertility clinic and physician to assess what specific treatments you’ll need and estimated costs. Our account managers base your loan amount on the selected services and total costs projected for your treatment.

What Will Insurance Cover for Fertility Treatment?

It depends on your insurance provider and which state you reside in. Currently, 17 states mandate fertility treatment coverage.

Insurance companies generally only cover some costs. They usually cover a portion of costs or specific areas of the treatment process (e.g., medications, injections, diagnostic tests, etc.). Some states may also cover only a particular type of fertility treatment.

If you’re not sure what your insurance covers, we can write a loan that fully covers the treatment. In the end, any unused funds will be directly applied to the principal, helping you pay off the loan sooner and pay less interest.

And as a member, you are given access to a personal care team that entails experienced fertility nurses. This added benefit offers the holistic care and service you need to grow your family.

Who Is Eligible for Financing?

Eligibility depends on but is not limited to:

• FICO score
• Personal income
• Household income

If your application is not approved, there are still options available to finance fertility treatment when you think you can’t afford it:

• Have a friend or family member take out a loan on your behalf via the Friends & Family Plan (Learn how this plan eased up the process for Future Family client Hilary).
• Add a cosigner to your loan application. Your cosigner must be affiliated with you (e.g. your spouse or partner).
• Take actionable steps to help boost your credit score and reapply in 30 days.

What Does an IVF Loan Cost?

The cost of an IVF loan entails a principal amount (the value of your loan) along with fixed interest rates. Your monthly payment depends on these two factors and the timeframe of the loan.

Here’s an example to help you evaluate fertility pricing:

Let’s say you take out a loan for $18,000 with a fixed APR of 7.99% on a 60-month term. Future Family will pay out $18,000 to vendors on your behalf. You will then make 60 monthly payments of $364.89.

Use this to help you assess how much you’ll need to invest each month and the best way to pay for IVF.

What Payment Plans Are Available for an IVF Loan?

IVF loan payments are typically available in 12/24/36 monthly payment plans. Future Family’s medium payment term is 60 months—this helps spread out payments over a longer period.

Remember that Future Family’s IVF loan payment covers a portion of the principal and interest. Compare this with credit card payments, where interest is generally charged until the balance is paid in full. Thus, the credit card timeline can be much longer than anticipated.

Read more about paying for IVF with a credit card vs. a loan.

Is There an Application Fee?

Some lenders may have an application fee, so we encourage you to ask about it during your fertility financing process. At Future Family, our application fee is included in the membership and concierge fees we discussed earlier.

Lean on Future Family

Ready to get started on your fertility journey? Prequalify today! Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score.

Our team is focused on making fertility treatment affordable and accessible. Not only do we offer financial support, but we also provide a personalized care team comprising fertility nurses. Learn more about what we offer and how we can be your IVF guide.

The average IVF cycle costs around $20,000 between treatment and medication, a daunting financial load for prospective parents without insurance coverage. Over half of those IVF patients opt to pay with a credit card, according to a recent survey. It’s easy, convenient, and charging that big of an expense can translate to a bunch of bonus points or miles for cardholders. But while racking up all those rewards can seem tempting, there are some important financial implications to consider before simply swiping the plastic.

Credit Card Points: A Deeper Look

Rewards programs are a major draw for any consumer shopping for a new credit card. After all, earning tens of thousands of points can translate to free flights, hotel stays and gift certificates. But in reality, nearly 70% of card holders are sitting on unused points, miles or cash-back rewards, and 40% haven’t used any in the last year.  People embarking on fertility journeys are less likely to spend on point-friendly purchases like vacations, and more likely to save for major life expenses such as a bigger home and childcare – which points are unlikely to make a dent in.

And unfortunately, credit card points tend to lose value over time, due to inflation and companies charging more miles or points for the same flight or hotel.

While there is some variation between cards, the average credit card point is only worth about 1 cent. So even though all those rewards may look appealing, choosing to pay for fertility treatment with a credit card purely for the points is often penny wise, but pound foolish.

Credit Cards: Rates vs. Points

Credit cards come with variable interest rates. As of November 2022, the average credit card rate in America was a whopping 22.40%. By comparison, most personal fertility loans, such as those provided by Future Family, offer fixed rates ranging from 0% to 17.99% depending on factors including the borrower’s income and credit score.

Here’s how that difference in interest rate might translate to your monthly bill on a total cost of $20,000 repaid over 60 months:

So, in this scenario, over the 5 years of paying down the cost of treatment, you will spend over $10,000 more in interest by paying with a credit card versus taking out a loan. And how many points did that $20,000 charge earn? Given the one cent conversion rate previously mentioned, only around $200 worth– a drop in the bucket compared to that excess expense.

And while some cards offer a tempting 0% introductory APR, their rates usually skyrocket after the first year, sometimes as high as 25% APR. So if you don’t have a concrete plan to pay off your bill in 12 months or less, you’ll be hit with some serious interest costs in year 2 and beyond!

There are a myriad of considerations when determining how to finance fertility treatment, but ultimately, the promise of a bunch of reward points shouldn’t be the deciding factor. For a deeper dive on paying for IVF with a credit card versus a loan, check out this article.  

Get Pre-Approved for an IVF Loan Today

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

How long have you been with Future Family and why did you join?

My name is Jackie Martin, married to my amazing husband, Jeff, for 12 years. I’m a Lead Fertility Finance Specialist at Future Family and have been here for 2 years. I joined Future Family because I have never come across a company with such a compelling mission, and one that hit so close to home for me.

The mission hits close to home because our path to parenthood wasn't an easy one, just like so many of the patients we help. We knew starting a family was very important to us, soon after marriage we started trying to start our family. We just assumed it would be quick and easy, silly us! When we were finally diagnosed with unexplained infertility (such a frustrating diagnosis ) We, together, made the decision to proceed with fertility treatment, starting with IUI. Our story had many bumps in the road, after a few rounds of IVF but ended with one very spunky amazing daughter, Piper, who is now 7. We feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to finally become parents, with a little help from science!

Did you know of a service like Future Family when you and Jeff went on your fertility journey?

I wish that would have been amazing! We drained our bank account, we put some on credit cards. We also were lucky enough to have some amazing friends to help!

How do you support and help Future Family’s clients?

I help patients after they have been approved through our online application. I tell them about Future Family, and our mission. I tell them a little bit about my family's journey through infertility. Then, I speak with them about their fertility timeline, and help cater a loan specific to them. I walk them through all their options and explain what that means financially. My goal in talking to them is to hopefully help alleviate some of the financial burden so that they can focus on themselves, and their treatment!

What should families consider when taking a fertility loan?

There are so many options for financing, make sure you educate yourself on what option is right for you and your family! Remember the big picture, and how worth this will all be when you are able to hold that baby in your arms.

What is your favorite part about helping your clients?

I love that I am able to help support patients through their journey in a way that I did not have when I was going through it.

In your opinion, what do you think is that one "thing" that makes FF so special?

Our Care team of Fertility Nurses who are with you throughout your entire journey. They are amazing and able to help our patients in so many ways. You are not going to get that with any other lenders.

If you had a few tips for a new patient just starting this process and researching fertility financials, what advice would you give somebody?

Find a doctor and a clinic that you emotionally feel really comfortable and supported with. This is a very intimate journey, and it makes it so much easier to know you have a team of people rooting for you!

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Get prequalified in 90 seconds and speak to our amazing team, like Jackie today!

How did you hear about Future Family?

I heard about Future Family through an advertisement. I did a little research afterwards and looked through what features you offered. When I found out there was this alternative to financing your fertility journey, it really hit home.

Did you find your clinic before reaching out to Future Family?

It went hand in hand. I found Future Family first, then I went through the clinics that Future Family covered. That’s how I found Main Line Fertility.

Did you research any other type of financing loans before Future Family?

We were aware of personal loans, but because we have other friends who have gone through IVF, we also learned from them. They either took out personal loans to fund their IVF journey, or it was covered by insurance.

Were you aware of the differences between a personal loan and a fertility loan like Future Family?

With a personal loan you take on so much debt, and there's no flexibility when it comes to the payments. With Future Family, you can have multiple family members help with the financing. So our loan is under my brother's name, using his credit score, but I'm able to execute the payments. You can't do that with a personal loan. That flexibility was really big– it took a lot of the burden off of my husband and me because we had already accumulated so much debt from our first rounds of IVF. Having that option, it was a no-brainer. When I heard about Future Family, I said, okay let's sign up; I didn't have to think twice about it.

How was your experience with Future Family?

The process from start to finish wasn’t stressful at all. And if it was stressful I had my financial specialist Jackie Martin and my fertility coach Laura Weppler to help me. Jackie was a really big help just because she dealt with the whole financing part and explained a lot of the payment options.

Everything was effortless because Jackie and Laura made the whole thing so easy. I didn't have that same support in my previous 2 rounds of IVF. I didn't have a nurse that I could call any time of day if I had a question about medication or if I was overthinking something. During treatment, you can get caught up in a moment and really get in your head. It's not always easy to talk about and sometimes, it's really hard to even bring up. Even with your significant other because they don't know what you're going through. Going through it emotionally and physically is different. So having Laura be there every step of the way was a huge help.

To sum up, my experience with Future Family was amazing. If I could tell everyone about Future Family, I would tell them to go to you guys.

What has been your experience with your clinic?

During the initial process, we were down to two clinics that my husband and I really liked. We met with Dr. Glassner at Main Line Fertility because of all the great reviews. We really connected with Dr. Glassner.  We felt like he was treating us as if we were his own family. He didn't look at my husband and me as just another patient. That's why we went with Main Line.

Did you seek out a fertility loan for your first two treatments?

The first retrieval; no, we didn't. We didn't know anything. It was our first time, we kind of were walking in the dark with no flashlight. Everything was learned as we went.

The second time around, I was fortunate enough to have a job that actually covered the whole IVF process like the egg retrieval and the transfer and, obviously the medications, which is one thing that's is a big bulk of your payment. They paid some, and some they didn't pay and, my out-of-pocket expense, it was better than my first, where I had to pay everything out of pocket. So this third one, I felt like it was just a lot better.

What advice do you have for others going through this process?

The stressful part is finding a specialist that's going to treat your journey as if it’s their own. So my advice would be to find a specialist that's going to treat you like their family.
The next one would be the finance part. I’d definitely recommend Future Family because of the payment options. I mean, that flexibility was a huge burden off of me.
When I announced that I was expecting, I had a few classmates who were struggling with their fertility journey come and ask about tips on what to do. Alot of them asked, ‘how did you finance this?' And I said, ‘You know what? I found this amazing company. It's called Future Family. If you can't take on the credit, you can ask a family member to sign up and you can still be the one to pay for it.’ And then I told them about how you have your own personal nurse and financial advisor who help you out along the way.
I also told them how my experience was not stressful at all. Stress was a big factor for me with my last two (IVF cycles).  It always came down to ‘Well, how am I going to pay for this? How am I going to pay for that? What do I need to do next?’ But with this new process, with Future Family and Main Line, they pretty much told me what to do every step of the way.  All I had to worry about was being healthy and eating healthy.

Hilary is now six months pregnant and hosting a baby shower this month. We wish her all the best and thank her for sharing her experience with us.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Starting a family should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Want to be featured in a Future Family story? Reach out to us at marketing@futurefamily.com.

If you’re stuck on this, you’re not alone. How to pay for IVF is a big and complex question many prospective parents face. After all, the financial side of fertility treatment is a significant part of the process, and roughly 75% of people do not have IVF coverage.  

As a trusted fertility lending expert, we want to offer you helpful insights—not only to help you find a practical and realistic solution to cover your costs but also to make your entire IVF journey less stressful and more joyful.

Learn the key differences between paying for IVF with a credit card versus a loan—and what the better option might be for you in the long run.

How Much Does IVF Cost?

The average cost of one IVF cycle typically ranges from $10,000–$15,000. These values do not include medication costs, which can be anywhere from $5,000–$8,000.

Making financial trade-offs and saving for IVF is ideal. But we understand this may not be possible, which is why many people look into credit cards and loans.

What’s the Difference Between Paying for IVF with a Credit Card Versus a Loan?

There are five key areas to consider when choosing between credit cards and loans.

1. Interest Rates

Credit Cards

Credit cards typically come with variable interest rates, meaning the interest fluctuates depending on the market.

For example, the Federal Reserve has been pushing interest rates higher amid its battle against inflation. When the Fed hikes rates, credit card interest rates tend to move with it.

Though some credit card companies offer appealing promotional rates in the beginning, those rates typically jump to onerous heights (20% or higher). Bear that in mind as you weigh your options.

Loans

Fertility loans generally come with fixed interest rates ranging from 0.00%–17.99%. Though the Federal Reserve push also impacts fixed interest rates, a fixed rate you’ve locked in will not change for the loan’s entire term. So in the long run, this might prove more advantageous in terms of cost and stability.

The fixed interest rate for your loan depends on various factors such as:

• The clinic providing your care
• Your credit score, income, and credit history
• Your borrowing amount
• The length of your loan

2. Payment Process

Credit Cards

You are usually required to make a monthly payment to keep your credit account in good standing. Making the minimum payment every cycle ensures you don’t carry incur:

• Late fees
• Penalty APRs
• Negative marks on your credit report

Keep in mind, credit card issuers continue to charge interest until your balance is paid in full. So even though making minimum payments ensures good standing with creditors, it also prolongs the payment timeline (sometimes by several years).

Loans

Your monthly payment depends on the loan amount you qualify for, and the interest rate. For instance:

• If you take out a loan for $18,000 with a fixed APR of 7.99% on a 60-month term, Future Family will pay out $18,000 to vendors on your behalf. You will then make 60 monthly payments of $364.89.

Each average payment Future Family provides covers a portion of your principal and interest. Our median payment term is 60 months—this allows payments to be smaller and spread out over a longer period of time. There is also no prepayment penalty.

Have a holiday bonus you want to pay toward the principal? You can do that directly on Future Family’s website. There is no prepayment penalty!

3. Impact on Credit Score

Credit Cards

Using a credit card for fertility treatment can both help and hurt your credit score. Establishing credit history is good, but watch your credit utilization—the amount of credit you are currently using, compared to how much you have available.

Expressed as a percentage, your credit utilization rate is a component creditors assess to determine how risky you are.

A low credit utilization rate indicates you’re doing a good job managing your credit assets. A high credit rate indicates to lenders/creditors you’re having trouble managing your finances.

The general rule of thumb is to keep your utilization rate under 30%. This may be challenging to do, as the cost of treatment tends to be close to credit limits (more on this in the next section).

Loans

Some are hesitant to apply for loans due to a hard credit check, which typically knocks off a few points from your credit score. The good news is, applications from fertility lenders like Future Family do not impact your credit score in any way.

Staying committed to your monthly loan payments can help build credit in the long term. FICO and VantageScore consider payment history as the most essential factor in calculating credit scores.

And with the interest rates incorporated into monthly payments, you don’t have to worry about fluctuating costs, helping you stay on track throughout the loan duration.

4. Credit Limits

Credit Cards

As aforementioned, credit limits tend to be similar to the cost of treatment. For example, the average person in the U.S. has access to roughly $31,000 in credit limits across all their credit cards.

So if an IVF treatment cycle costs $19,000, this means:

• Your credit utilization rate jumps to 61% and your credit drops.
• If you don’t pay off your credit card balance in time, you may not have enough credit to pay for a subsequent cycle.

Loans

Credit limits and utilization rates are based solely on revolving credit. So taking out a fertility loan would not impact your credit limit.

Additionally, fertility lenders understand IVF may involve multiple cycles, which is why they offer loans that provide funding beyond a single attempt.

5. Long-Term Savings

Credit Cards

Credit card companies offer reward programs that accumulate points over time. These earn cash rewards which can help foot the bill for your fertility treatment.

However, 40% of credit card holders have points they did not use in the past year. Points depreciate over time, so when life gets busy, you gain less value from them by the time you redeem the points.

Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an inflation rate of 7.5% from January 2021 to January 2022. This means for every $1,000 in rewards earned at the beginning of that period, the buying power is now closer to $925.

Loans

Future Family loans save you money right away with lower, fixed interest rates from the get-go. These fixed rates keep your payments steady and help you save more money in the long run.

Better yet, fertility lenders offer unique opportunities, like 0% Interest Rate Financing which provides a 0% interest rate for up to 12 months. Eligible patients pay the same amount as a cash purchase, but with the flexibility of spreading out payments over time.

How Will Future Family Help Me Save Money?

As indicated above, going with the right fertility loan keeps the payment process simple. Interest rates and payments are fixed so you have more control over your finances—and can rest assured you can pay off fertility costs in time.

The Future Family team provides borrowers access to a personal fertility care team. In addition to the financial commitments, we understand IVF is a physical and emotional investment as well. Thus, we offer our clients a holistic package that includes a personal nursing care team.

Learn more about the best way to pay for IVF.

Get Pre-Approved for an IVF Loan Today

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

The cost of fertility treatment is a significant part of the decision-making process—discouraging many prospective parents. Nearly half of fertility clinic visitors do not proceed with treatment due to the costs and complexities involved.

At Future Family, we take the intricacies and anxieties out of the picture so you can focus on the important part—starting the family you deserve. Below, we provide a comparison of the two main options for how to finance fertility treatment—loans and credit cards. Each comes with pros and cons, so you can thoroughly reflect on each and make the best decision.

Fertility Treatment Loans

Nearly 75% of Americans don’t have IVF coverage. Thus, many people lean on financing to start their families.

Luckily, there are fertility treatment loans that not only offer a simple payment plan but also access to a personal fertility care team. This holistic loan package is key to getting the most out of your fertility journey.

Future Family offers financing for the following treatments:

• IVF Loan Financing
• Egg Freezing Plans
• Gestational Carriers
• INVOcell
• Medications
• PGT Testing & Analysis
• Reciprocal IVF Surrogacy

Pros

• Fast pre-approval: Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes for up to $50K at Future Family. This pre-approval process does not impact your credit score.
• Access to a trusted care team: Some loan plans come with value-added benefits such as access to a team of registered nurses—medical professionals who have worked as fertility nurses for 8+ years. This care team provides educational and emotional support to make the process less overwhelming. Learn more about our nursing care team.
• Fixed interest rates, all in one payment: Lenders like Future Family offer fixed interest rates and pay clinics directly. For those who qualify, we offer a 0% loan interest rate financing program for up to 12 months.
• Less stress: As aforementioned, seeking a loan with favorable terms alleviates some of the financial stress and pressure in the fertility process.

Learn more about what’s covered in an IVF loan.

Cons

• Not everyone can qualify: There’s no guarantee everyone will qualify for a loan. Hopeful parents can improve their credit scores by making on-time payments, catching up on past-due accounts, and paying down revolving account balances—but that takes time.
  
• Loans strain your overall finances: You must ensure you can realistically take on a loan. Otherwise, your loan may create even more financial strain. Honestly assess your financial situation (i.e., cost of living, expenses, other loans, etc.), and use these values to determine if you can confidently meet the monthly payment and interest rates. The 0% interest rate financing mentioned above can ease some of that pressure.

Credit Card

Paying for treatments via credit card is a relatively common fertility treatment financing option. While certain benefits exist for credit cards, there are hidden factors to keep in mind.

Pros

• An easy option if one does not meet loan standards: If someone does not qualify for a loan, using a credit card is convenient and quick.
• 0% APR promotional offer: Some consumers qualify for a 0% APR promotional offer, which helps you cover a portion of the treatment. But it’s important to stay vigilant—once the promo period concludes, the rates often spike to over 20%. Thus, paying off the balance before that period ends is usually essential.

Cons

• Variable/high-interest rates: Credit cards come with variable interest rates, which are unpredictable. When interest rates in the market rise, so will yours. Additionally, interest rates are often high—especially if you have a low credit score. This can render credit cards a dangerous choice in the long run.
• Impact on credit score: A large (e.g., $20k) charge on a card increases your credit utilization percentage, which lowers your credit score.
• Low credit limits: Credit limits are often lower than the cost of treatment. While you may be able to charge your first treatment, you might not have enough remaining credit to charge a second.
• No access to fertility care team: Using a credit card to cover the cost of fertility treatment does not provide access to a fertility care team. Amidst the challenging fertility process, having an accessible care team can make all the difference.  
  

When planning to start a new family, optimizing your financial situation for everything that could come your way makes sense. This potentially includes the expenses of parenthood and buying a house.

So, it's important to be mindful of your credit score—and how much money you have available at any given time for unexpected expenses and down payments.

Apply for Financing Today

Are you ready for the next step of starting your own family? Apply for financing today and browse through our financing FAQs. Have any questions? Reach out to us at: financing@futurefamily.com.

We were referred to Future Family by our clinic, HRC Encino. Future Family was one of the first pamphlets we received.

What made you decide Future Family was right for you?

My mom actually did a little bit of research on this for me because I was overwhelmed with a lot of the medical information from the clinic. We decided on Future Family because it felt more personal and more comfortable than some of the other financing options out there. Our initial contact, Ryan, was so helpful and patient - he was able to answer all of our questions. From him, we learned that Future Family has a lot of perks [one-easy payment, bill management, nursing care team], as well. We were really drawn to the fact that the loan payment goes straight to our clinic so that we wouldn’t have to concern ourselves with finances during the IVF process.

Did talking to someone live help you navigate through the process?

Our initial conversation was with Ryan on the phone. You want to get a good feeling during that initial consultation especially with this process since it is so sensitive, and Ryan did a great job of making us feel comfortable. He answered all of our questions and helped us understand how Future Family could support us on this journey.

Did you look at any other payment options?

No, we didn't. We thought that Future Family was the best fit for us, and we trusted our clinic’s recommendation. Our clinic suggested considering a fertility-specific loan company because the process goes faster and the funds go directly to the hospital or the clinic. It's more streamlined that way and we didn't want to be bogged down with overseeing and managing the financial side of IVF. This streamlined financial element allowed us to focus on navigating the IVF process itself.

How is your experience with Future Family?

Future Family has been wonderful since day one - from talking with Ryan who made us feel really at-ease and helped us get set up, to monthly payments, and the transfer of funds to our clinic. At one point, there was an issue with the Future Family portal and I was able to call and connect with the billing department immediately. They were able to confirm that everything was on track. I really appreciated knowing that they were so responsive and helpful. That’s a big bonus, in my book!

By far, the most valuable part of my experience has been my coach, Katie. The IVF journey can be such an intimidating and emotional process, and my communication with her has been worth its weight in gold.

How is your experience with your clinic? HRC?

My experience with HRC has been great. In the beginning, there was a bit of a learning curve, but the doctors, nurses, and staff have been really wonderful and supportive.

What is the best part of working with Future Family’s Nursing Care Team?

To me, the Nursing Care Team is the core of what makes Future Family so unique and incredible. Katie and the Zoom Support Groups are a safety net that I would recommend to anyone going through this process.

Did you expect to rely on them as much as you did?

I didn't expect it at all. Upon our initial sign-up with Future Family, it was comforting to know that the support was available, but I did not expect that their support would become such a major part of our journey. I don't know if we could have done it without Katie and the Support Groups. Perhaps we could have, but it would have been a much more stressful and discouraging experience. The process would not have gone as smoothly without Katie’s guidance, experience, and genuine compassion. She’s THE Best!

How would you sum up your experience with Future Family?

Future family has been our safety net. It is a financial safety net because they were able to break up the loan amount into manageable monthly payments, and they seamlessly transferred funds to our clinic for treatment. I didn’t expect this in the beginning, but it has also been an emotional safety net because of the Nurse Care Team and support groups. It has been an all-around fantastic experience - something I would recommend to a friend or family member if they were starting on their own journey.

What advice would you give to couples going through this process?

You are stronger than you think you are. Everyone’s journey is different, but through it, you will undoubtedly learn that you are stronger than you think you are. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, cry, be hopeful, or discouraged. All of those feelings are normal and you are not alone.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Starting a family should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Want to be featured in a Future Family story? Reach out to us at marketing@futurefamily.com.

When it comes to IVF, every person’s process is unique. Thus, it’s essential to consider your personal, health, and financial circumstances to map out an IVF plan that is right for you. If you plan to use an egg donor, you’ll have to consider egg donation costs.

There are two options for donor eggs—frozen and fresh. Each comes with its own costs and success rates to consider. Below, we note all the key details on what the cost of egg donation is for IVF to help you make the right decision.

Who Can Benefit from Using Donor Eggs?

Overall, using donor eggs (frozen or fresh) carries up to a three times higher success rate than traditional IVF, particularly for women over 40.

Donor eggs can be a good option for women who:

• Have low egg quality or quantity
• Have a history of miscarriages
• Carry a genetic disease they do not want to pass on to their future children
• Have been undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment
• Have unexplained fertility or secondary infertility issues
• Have experienced premature ovarian failure

It’s also a great option for male same-sex couples and trans women.

For more information, read the donor egg IVF 101 guide.

Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Eggs Costs

Frozen donor eggs are more cost-effective than fresh eggs. While a frozen egg lot from Donor Bank USA costs, on average, $14,500, a fresh donor cycle costs roughly $25,000. Here’s why:

Fresh Donor Eggs

With fresh donor cycles, you have the option to synchronize the recipient and donor cycle for a fresh embryo transfer, or you can cycle the donor and create embryos for a future frozen embryo transfer.

During a synchronized cycle with fresh eggs, the menstrual cycles of the donor and the woman who will be carrying the embryo must be synchronized via medication and hormone shots. This can take approximately six to eight weeks. The entire treatment process can take up to six months or more.

In other words, the donor’s eggs must be retrieved when the recipient’s body is ready to receive the embryo. Thus, the fresh donor egg process requires time, medication, and travel, since both donor and recipient must be in the same geographic location.

Frozen Eggs

With frozen eggs, there is no travel involved or alignment in menstrual cycles. The eggs have already been retrieved and are ready when you are. One egg lot usually comes in groups of six to eight eggs per cycle.

A frozen egg donation cycle from start to finish takes about four weeks.

Additional Costs When Working with a Fresh Egg Donor

In addition to egg costs, there are also other fees involved in the egg donation process, such as:

• Agency compensation ($8,000–$17,000): Donor recruitment and vetting process
• Legal fees ($500–$1500): A legal contract between the donor and intended parents
• Egg donor screening ($500–$2000): Meetings with various support teams such as an agency coordinator, reproductive endocrinologist, psychologist, and genetic counselor, prescreening blood work, ultrasound and genetic carrier screening
• Egg donor fees ($10,000–$30,000): Compensation for the donor, travel expenses, and medical monitoring for the donor
• IVF ($17,000–$25,000): Medical testing, screening, medications, doctor visits, cycle monitoring at fertility clinic, egg retrieval etc.

Read about how much IVF costs.

Success Rates for Frozen vs. Fresh Donor Eggs

Fresh eggs cost more than frozen eggs, but they also have a better success rate.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the success rate for:

• Fresh eggs is 53.9%
• Frozen eggs is 45.8%

Fresh eggs are more likely to produce viable embryos than frozen eggs. Therefore, prospective parents may have better chances of success with fresh eggs.

Financing Options for Donor Eggs

Fortunately, there are financing plans available when it comes to egg donation IVF costs.

For example, Donor Egg Bank USA offers five different financial options. One is the Multi Egg Lot Refund Plan, where prospective parents can receive a full refund if they do not have a live birth after up to four cycles.

In addition, consider looking into:

• Grants: RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association offers a list of fertility grants you may qualify for. Some grants have requirements such as income level and geographic location.
• IVF plans: IVF financing organizations such as Future Family offer customized loan plans that can help make the cost of egg donation for IVF more manageable.
• Health insurance plans: Currently, 17 states require insurance to cover some of the cost of fertility treatments; the coverage varies by state. Speak with your insurance provider and read up on state infertility coverage laws to assess how much financial coverage you are eligible to receive.

Seek Financing with Future Family

If you’re looking for a fertility resource that provides customized financing, the Future Family team is here for you. Starting a family should not have to be stressful, and we want to help take the load off of the process. Prequalify for your fertility plan today.

Age is the single most important factor when it comes to conceiving and having a healthy child. This applies to both women and men. Fertility is highly complex, so it’s essential to understand what age is too late for IVF and how age, fertility, and pregnancy impact one another.

This guide walks you through all the key details you should know to give yourself and your loved one the best chance at having the family you deserve. If you have any questions along the way, reach out to the Future Family team.

Age, Fertility, and Pregnancy

Age and fertility play vital roles in conceiving. The best age for conceiving is in your 20s—this is a woman’s optimal reproductive years.

Egg supply decreases throughout a woman’s life. Around age 35, it begins to decline more rapidly. Additionally, around this same time, egg quality begins to more rapidly decline.  This can lead to an increased incidence of miscarraige due to chromosome abnormalities.

Let’s take a look at the statistics:

• For couples in their 20s to early 30s, one in four women gets pregnant in any single menstrual cycle.
• By age 40, roughly one in 10 women get pregnant during each menstrual cycle.

Is IVF Possible After 40? What Age Is Too Old for IVF?

IVF is possible after the age of 40. But as mentioned above, as women get older, the quality and quantity of their eggs decline, leading to lower odds of success.

Maternal Age

By age 45, a woman’s fertility has declined to a point where getting pregnant becomes particularly challenging. Women over 40 have a 7.9% chance of a successful live birth from IVF.

Women who get pregnant later in life also carry a higher risk of complications. For instance, pregnant women over 40 have an increased risk of preeclampsia—a serious blood pressure condition generally occurring after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

This is why women in their 40s may decide to use an egg donor—this increases the likelihood of a live birth by almost 50%.

Paternal Age

Like women, men’s fertility begins to decline as they get older. But it doesn’t decline as predictably as women. Studies illustrate IVF success rates start to decline when a man is over 51. Not to mention, 20% to 30% of infertility cases are attributed to male infertility.

More research needs to be done on male fertility. Still, studies indicate semen quality diminishes with age, and some fertility centers may want to consider setting an age limit for sperm donors. If you’re interested in learning more, read about sperm fertility tests.

IVF Success Rates by Age

To further expand on the above, here are the IVF success rate statistics across various ages per the CDC. These numbers reflect those who used their own eggs and who may or may not have previous IVF experience:

• 49.7% of women younger than 35 years of age
• 44.8% of women aged 35 to 37
• 39.6% of women aged 38 to 40
• 22.6% of women over 40

For more information, read our guide on IVF success rates by age.

Additional Insights on Successful IVF Later in Life

Rest assured, there are ways to give yourself the best chance at conceiving at a later age via IVF.

More Egg Retrievals

You may need to plan on doing more than one cycle of IVF to achieve pregnancy/live birth.

The younger you are, the fewer IVF rounds you will likely need for a successful pregnancy.

Lifestyle/Diet

Sticking to a Mediterranean diet promotes uterine health and hormone levels and can also enhance the likelihood of IVF success.

Here are some IVF dietary tips to incorporate into your lifestyle:

• Folic acid: Research links dietary folic acid with IVF success. Foods with folic acid include asparagus, corn, avocado, and whole grains.  Folic acid is also incredibly important during pregnancy.  Deficiencies in folic acid during pregnancy can lead to spina bifida.
• Zinc: Zinc promotes hormonal balance in the female reproductive system. Zinc-rich foods include nuts, dairy, potatoes, and seafood.
• Healthy fats: Studies note monounsaturated fats may help support IVF success. Healthy fats are found in soymilk, tofu, chia seeds, and fatty fish.

Begin Your IVF Journey with Future Family

Every person’s IVF journey is unique. The Future Family team strives to find the best care for you. We believe starting a family should not be stressful, so we specialize in IVF financing.

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

In this interview with Laura Weppler and Caryl Markus, we explore Future Family's fertility coaching and care team, available to our all our members. We discuss what you can ask your fertility coaches, the best ways to communicate, and other helpful advice for your fertility journey.

What is a Fertility Coach? How does it apply to me?

Our team is made up of Registered nurses, all who have worked as fertility nurses for eight or more years.  We have extensive experience in the fertility field and all have a passion for supporting individuals through their journey to building their family. All of our nurses have worked a significant portion of their careers in fertility clinics. We like to describe our coaches as nurse navigators, helping to support you on your journey. Laura Weppler has been a nurse for 12 years and has specialized in fertility nursing for the last 9 years. Caryl Markus has been a nurse for over 25 years and started in the fertility world in 2005. She has over 10 years working with clients for egg donor surrogacy, embryo donations and more. Laura “Future Family is such an amazing company because we provide support to people going through treatment and I think there are so many out there that are hesitant to try fertility treatment. It's scary and there’s not a lot of information out there so Future Family fills that gap. We are going to help you pay for treatment but also help support you through it.”

I already have a nurse at my clinic - why do I need you?

We aren't here to replace the team at your clinic. In fact, we want nothing more than for you to build a relationship with your nurse at the clinic as they will be the ones guiding you on timing and the logistics of your treatment.  Our team of fertility coaches are here to be an additional layer of support.  That support comes in three forms:  1) Educational support 2) Medication training/ordering support 3) Emotional support.  We know how easy it can be to turn to things like google and social media for support.  Unfortunately those sources can provide additional stress and wrong information.

Caryl: “think of me as your best friend who specializes in Fertility. Those questions you may think are silly, that you don't want to ask your nurse but would reach out to your best friend for.”

Fertility treatments can be complex and there is not a "one size fits all" approach.  It can be dangerous to compare yourself or your treatment to others online.  We want you to have a trusted source you can turn to.  No question is too big or too small!

"Having a nurse on call and available to answer even the strangest of questions is amazing! It truly gives you peace of mind knowing someone is always there for you." - FF Member

How and when can I get a hold of you if I have questions?

We are available Monday through Friday during the day.  However, we are all flexible to schedule calls outside business hours.  We understand that fertility treatments are a 24/7 operation and that many patient questions may arise during "off" hours.  We encourage our clients to reach out with questions any time and any day of the week.

How is the support different from what I am getting from my clinic?

Our team focuses heavily on the social-emotional aspect of your care with a mission to ensure your treatment is as stress free as possible.  Many of our clients enjoy the fact that they can schedule dedicated time with us, to discuss a multitude of topics. We are very easily accessible!  One great example of how we do this is through medication training.  Most clinics provide medication training in the clinic.  Many times this can occur days or weeks before you actually start the medications.  When it comes time to sit down and put the training to practice, many patients describe feeling overwhelmed.  Our coaches will happily get on a video call with you the evening that you start your injections and help you complete your injections in real time that first night!

How do you partner with my clinic?

We work in concert with your clinic.  We don't provide you with medical advice, nor do we access to your medical charts or lab results. Should you choose to share information with us, we can look at your results and what they mean. We won't cross the medical advice bridge but are there to help make sense of what you get.  

How long can I communicate with my Fertility Coach?

Our coaches will remain a resource for you through completion of your treatment at the clinic.  For clients who are undergoing treatment with the goal to achieve pregnancy, this usually occurs around the 8th-12th week of pregnancy.  At that point your clinic will release you to your OBGYN for continued care.  Our coaches are specialized in care up until about 10 weeks of pregnancy.  While you won't work directly with our coaches at that point, we still LOVE updates on our clients and their pregnancy journeys.  Nothing makes us happier than seeing our clients be successful and the final outcome!

If patient's utilize FF for their second, third cycle for whatever reason based on their unique journey, is there still benefit of working with the FF Care Team?

Take the initial call - services are available to you! What do you have to lose? Check our Trustpilot reviews for what people have to say about our care team.

What are some common questions you get from your clients?        

What is the importance of ovarian reserve testing?  What do the results mean? Ovarian reserve testing is critical for all patients, undergoing fertility treatments, to understand.  Ovarian reserve tests aim to measure the overall egg supply within the ovary. Testing consists of:  Antimullerian Hormone level (AMH), Antral Follicle count (AFC) and day 3 hormone levels (FSH & E2).  Your doctor will perform these tests, via bloodwork and ultrasound, and use the results to educate you regarding your treatment options.  Our fertility coaches can deep dive with you, further, into what each test means and why it is important.  

About our Care Team

Laura Weppler:  Laura is incredibly passionate about providing support and guidance for individuals looking to start and/or grow their family. After her own struggle with infertility, she became even more empowered to educate and support couples undergoing treatment. She has trained at some of the top fertility clinics in Illinois and brings over 12 years of healthcare experience to her role as Future Family Care Manager. Her specialties include: IUI, IVF, fertility preservation and donor services.”

Caryl Markus: Caryl discovered her passion for women’s health over 25 years ago and has been  working in the fertility field since 2005. She has guided thousands of individuals and couples through the various fertility treatment options available. "Every individual or couple I work with has a story, and I love to learn and get to know them not only medically but personally.  I am honored to be a part of the joy that successful treatments can bring, but also a source of support and encouragement during the sad/difficult times."    

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Future Family is the leader in fertility financing. We want to help you start your family without the inconveniences of cost and complexity. Pre-qualification is easy and risk-free. See what you qualify for today.

If you’ve decided IVF is the right option for you to have a baby, you are probably wondering how much IVF costs. We understand—it’s a big decision mentally, physically, and financially. Here, we break down the costs, so you know what to expect.

To give this guide a holistic approach, we’ll start with an overview of IVF—key questions you should ask or research—so you can begin your fertility treatments with peace of mind.

What Is IVF?

IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is an assisted fertility treatment where eggs are combined with sperm in a lab to create an embryo. This embryo is then transferred into the uterus to help an individual become pregnant. Individuals and couples generally pursue IVF when other fertility techniques have failed.

Many people choose IVF for the following reasons:

• Endometriosis
• Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
• Ovarian conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Sperm issues such as low sperm count
• Advanced maternal age
• Risk of passing on a genetic disease or disorder
• Using an egg donor or gestational carrier

Here are a few key facts that offer additional insight into IVF:

• Roughly five percent of couples with fertility problems will try IVF.
• In the United States, 12.2 percent of women (ages 15 to 49) have used an infertility treatment service such as IVF.
• Men are responsible for roughly 20 to 30 percent of infertility issues.

IVF Success Rates

According to research, the chances of a successful live birth improve with each IVF cycle. Here’s what IVF success rates look like:

• Of all women (regardless of age) beginning IVF, 33 percent have a baby during their first cycle.
• Women between the ages of 30 and 33 carry the best chance of IVF success during their first cycle compared to women of different age groups.

The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) offers IVF success estimators to help you assess the likelihood of having a baby upon IVF treatment.

SART offers two calculators:

• SART IVF Cycle 1 calculates your chance of having a baby over one or more completed IVF cycles.
• SART IVF Cycle 2 calculates your chance of having a baby over the second or third completed IVF cycles.

Keep in mind that the tool doesn’t intend to offer medical advice. We advise you to further speak with a physician about a customized treatment plan.

What Makes Someone a Good Candidate for IVF?

Every person’s health, circumstances, and bodies are different, which is why a healthcare professional will discuss the following four areas with you to see if you are a good candidate for IVF:

Medical Issues

You may have fertility issues due to circumstances such as:

• Unexplained infertility
• Recurrent miscarriages
• Endometriosis
• Male infertility
• Other reproductive issues

Age

Age significantly affects how successful someone might be when undergoing IVF treatment. Please note, the facts below are clinic-dependent—every clinic carries its own standards, so we recommend discussing these further with yours.

Individuals using their own eggs:

• Have a better chance of successful IVF if they’re under age 40.
• May be a good candidate if they are 40 to 42 years old and have a regular menstrual cycle.

Individuals using donor oocytes:

• May need to be 50 years of age or younger to use eggs from a donor.

Individuals using frozen embryos:

• May need to be 50 years of age or younger to use frozen embryos.

Individuals using a gestational carrier:

• May need to be under 55 years of age if they’re a single parent.

Mental Health

The IVF process can be challenging to your mental health. Individuals using any donor services or using a gestational carrier may undergo counseling before IVF treatment.

This is to ensure:

• You are thoroughly prepared
• Your doctor builds a customized treatment plan for you

Physical Health

Most clinics will allow individuals with chronic health issues to undergo treatment as long as they receive clearance from their medical provider treating said illness.

In addition:

• BMI must be under 50.
• STI screening must be conducted.
• Other tests, such as mammograms and pap smears, may be required.

What Does the IVF Process Look Like?

Once you've been cleared to begin IVF, you’ll begin a five-step process. Understanding the entire IVF journey can help alleviate some of the anxieties and stress you may feel. Future Family Fertility coaches are available to answer your questions and prepare for all that lies ahead. Here is a brief overview of the process:

Ovarian Stimulation

You are given fertility medications to help the body mature your eggs. The more mature eggs retrieved, the higher your chance of success.

Egg Retrieval

A minor procedure done under anesthesia, called follicular aspiration, will remove your eggs. Using ultrasound guidance, your doctor will use a thin needle to retrieve the eggs.

Sperm Sample

Your partner will provide a sperm sample on the day of egg retrieval. Donor sperm may also be used.

Fertilization

An embryologist will attempt to fertilize mature eggs with sperm. The embryologist may inject the sperm directly into the egg (aka ICSI) or allow fertilization to happen naturally by placing sperm and egg together in a petri dish in the lab (aka conventional insemination). It typically takes a few hours for the sperm to fertilize an egg.

Embryo Transfer

Approximately three to five days after fertilization, the physician will use a catheter to place embryos in your uterus. You will likely be asked to wait two weeks to take a pregnancy test.
To learn more, read about the five essential steps to prepare for IVF.

How Much Does IVF Cost?

In 2020, the average cost of one cycle of IVF was $10,000–$15,000. On top of that, there are medication costs, which typically average anywhere between $5,000–$8,000. There may also be costs associated with any unique treatment add-ons you require.

After your initial meeting with a fertility specialist, you’ll undergo a series of tests to determine the best fertility treatment for you. Both testing and treatment can be lengthy and sometimes expensive.

5 Tips for Navigating IVF Costs

If you’re considering moving forward with IVF but aren’t sure how to calculate the financial estimate, we offer five tips to help you make the best financial decision you can:

Tip #1: Check if your insurance covers fertility treatments

Currently, 17 states require insurance to cover some of the cost of fertility treatments. Still, there isn’t a clear definition of what that coverage includes.

For example, some states are required to offer coverage, while others must cover infertility treatment. Additionally, while many insurance plans may cover some of the first rounds of IVF, they may not cover subsequent rounds.

To get an idea of how much IVF costs with insurance, take a look at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) resource and review it with your benefits administrator.

Tip #2: Ask your fertility doctor about the medications you’ll need

One of the “hidden costs” of IVF is medications. Depending on your assessment and plan, you’ll be prescribed some fertility medications. These medications are a necessary part of the process and cannot be omitted within a healthy and safe IVF journey.

Unfortunately, the medications can be a bit pricey, ranging from $5,000–$8,000. Insurance often does not cover these medications, which can be frustrating and stressful.

Tip #3: Research the best way for you to pay for IVF

Unfortunately, many people decide against IVF simply because it seems financially impossible. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until you’ve saved $20,000 to start IVF. With some research, you can find great alternatives to save money.

Until recently, there haven’t been a lot of financing options to cover the cost of IVF. In the past, most people (54%) just paid with a credit card and took on the 20% interest rate. Fortunately, this is no longer the only option to pay for IVF. \

Find out more about different ways to pay for IVF.

Tip #4: Apply for IVF grants

Some organizations offer grants for IVF treatment. These grants pay either a portion or the entirety of your IVF plan.

Here are examples of organizations offering grants:

• Hope for Fertility Foundation: Awards one grant yearly from $250 to $5000.
• Baby Quest Foundation: Awards grants twice a year, depending on how much funding is available.

For more organizations, visit RESOLVE’s site, which lists several nonprofit organizations providing infertility treatment grants.

Tip #5: Learn how to take out a loan for IVF

Future Family has low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. We help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible. Since we consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment, you’ll have less to keep track of during an already intense phase of life.

Future Family IVF plans start around $300 to $475 a month. We even have a special loan called the Friends & Family Plan. This loan allows a loved one, whether a family member or dear friend, to take out a fertility loan on your behalf. Read our press release.

We’re in your corner. Every plan comes with support from our fertility coaches, all registered nurses with seven-plus years of healthcare experience. They are here to answer your questions during treatment, and will be with you every step of the way.

Pre-Qualify for IVF Today

The cost of IVF may seem high, but there are ways to make it happen with appropriate IVF financial planning. The cost of IVF shouldn’t prevent anyone from being able to have the family they deserve.

Get started on your family with help from Future Family. Don’t spend years trying to pay off credit cards and high-interest loans. Apply today for the help you need to get started.

Building a family may present challenges for you, or you might be concerned about conceiving a healthy child. IVF with preimplantation genetic testing may be a good option.

Here are six commonly asked questions about this testing to help you learn what it is and whether it’s right for you.

What Is Preimplantation Genetic Testing?

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) involves removing one or more cells from an embryo, via a biopsy. These cells provide information regarding the chromosome makeup of your embryo and may also detect rare genetic disorders.

PGT is performed before embryo transfer during the IVF process.

What Is the Purpose of IVF with Genetic Testing?

With genetic testing, you can:

• Assess possible genetic conditions or chromosome abnormalities in your embryo cells.
• Gain insight into the cause of frequent miscarriages or previously unsuccessful IVF cycles.

Chromosomal abnormalities account for the vast majority of all miscarriages. Therefore, PGT greatly reduces the chance of miscarriage—it improves the odds of IVF success by selecting an embryo with normal chromosomes for transfer.

Is Genetic Testing Necessary with IVF?

Genetic testing is not necessary with IVF—it’s optional.

PGT can be especially beneficial for those with inherited familial diseases who want to see if their child would have the same condition.

Examples of these disorders include:

• Single-gene disorders (e.g., cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia)
• Genetic disorders (e.g., Fragile X syndrome)
• Musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., Duchenne muscular dystrophy)

What Are the Different Variations of PGT Available?

There are three main variations of PGT available:

• PGT for aneuploidy (PGT-A): This exam screens for extra or missing chromosomes.
• PGT for monogenic disorders (PGT-M): PGT-M looks for specific gene mutations the embryo may be at risk of inheriting (i.e. cystic fibrosis).
• PGT for structural rearrangements (PGT-SR): This exam is performed when you or your partner carries a rearrangement of their own chromosomes (e.g., translocation or inversion). These rearrangements can lead to producing embryos that are chromosomally abnormal.
  

What Is the Cost of Embryo Genetic Testing?

PGT may cost anywhere from $1,800 - $6,000. The cost varies depending on the clinic, testing company, and how many embryos are being tested.

How Do You Know If Embryo Genetic Testing Is Right for You?

As every patient’s IVF journey is different, we recommend speaking with your fertility specialist about PGT.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, good candidates for PGT typically comprise:

• Women over the age of 37
• Those who are at risk of having a child impacted with an inherited genetic disease
• History of recurrent miscarriages

Learn More from Future Family

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score. If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

In the meantime, we encourage you to look into these helpful IVF resources:

• How Long Does IVF Take?
• 5 Steps to Prepare for IVF
• What’s the Best Way to Pay for IVF?

Sorting out your IVF journey is challenging. One of the most significant pain points? Cost.

As you begin to navigate the process, the first thing to consider is whether IVF loans are the right option for you. Here, we navigate critical questions to help you feel more confident about your IVF journey.

Learn what an IVF loan entails and whether it’s worth pursuing.

What Is an IVF Loan?

An IVF loan is a loan payment provided to you to help pay for a portion or all of your fertility treatment.

The amount, terms, and conditions of a loan typically depend on your credit score. The stronger your score, the more you can qualify for a low-interest IVF loan.

For more information, read what is covered in an IVF loan?

What Is the Average Cost of an IVF Loan?

Interest rates for IVF loans vary by lender. The amount of an IVF loan ranges from $5,000  - $50,000.

The average clinic cost for an IVF cycle is about $15, 434. This cost does not include medications which can be anywhere from $4,000 - $11,000, depending on your treatment plan.

If you’re looking to finance your IVF treatment through a personal loan, lenders may offer loans up to $100,000. Keep in mind interest rates depend on where/with whom you decide to take out a loan and your credit score.

Is It Worth Taking Out a Loan for IVF?

Making financial trade-offs and saving for IVF is ideal. But we understand that may not be possible, depending on your circumstances. For those eager to pursue IVF with minimal savings, financing your fertility treatment may be the best option.

Whether you can get a loan for IVF generally depends on:

• Your credit score
• Your income level

We recommend gathering all the relevant information before taking out an IVF loan. These steps may include:

• Calling your healthcare insurance company to determine if you qualify for any type of fertility coverage and what is covered. Please note there are currently 17 states that require insurers to either cover or offer coverage for fertility treatment.
• Calculating how much you’ll have to spend on the treatment total (depending on how much your insurance will cover).. Keep in mind, there is a large patient population that may need one IVF egg retrieval but could need multiple embryo transfers. Embryo transfer cycles are significantly cheaper than a full IVF cycle, which includes an egg retrieval.  

An IVF cycle (that includes the initial embryo transfer) is around $18,000 - $20,000 with medications (not including pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT)).  The cost of an embryo transfer cycle—with medications—is somewhere in the ballpark of $4,000 - $6,000 per cycle.

• Making a financial plan based on cost information. If you take out a loan, you want to ensure you can pay it off. Consider your other debts, cost of living expenses, and savings. Use these considerations to help you assess whether you can realistically take on an IVF loan.

What Types of Places Offer IVF Loans?

There are fertility clinics that offer loans for IVF.

Future Family offers low-interest fertility loans that typically start at $300 to $475 a month (over 60 months). Focused on accessibility, our team will work with you to help spread out the cost of your treatment.

Some organizations even offer grants for IVF treatment. If you qualify for grants, this can help make your IVF loan more manageable.

Learn More about How Future Family Can Help.

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

Like any fertility treatment, intrauterine insemination (IUI) has a steep learning curve. Whether you're uncertain about the costs of the procedure or wondering how your age affects your likelihood of success, navigating all the details can be overwhelming.

When considering fertility treatments, nearly everyone feels an unsettling combination of possibility and nervous anticipation. While the prospect of starting fertility treatments can feel exciting, jumping in too quickly, and facing health or financial hurdles can add unnecessary stress and complexity.

For this reason, it’s essential to strike a balance between "analysis paralysis," where you're learning so much about a topic you struggle to take action and moving so quickly that you overlook important details.

This guide covers everything you should know about IUI, a non-invasive assisted reproductive technology (ART) with a long history of use in medicine. If you're wondering about how IUI is done, its risks, likelihood of success, and more, this guide is for you.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) in a nutshell: An overview

IUI is done by placing a highly concentrated sperm sample directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. By bypassing the cervix and vagina, the goal of IUI is to reduce the amount of distance healthy sperm has to travel to fertilize an egg.

After preparing the sperm for insemination, a practitioner places the sperm concentrate through the cervix using a catheter, a sterilized, thin and flexible tube. After the procedure, conception proceeds as it would with natural fertilization. Many people repeat IUI cycles until it results in pregnancy, usually undergoing no more than three to four cycles.

The process is non-invasive and painless, with the most common symptom being light cramping after the procedure.

When is IUI the right choice?

Thanks to its straightforward timeline and process, the medical community regards IUI as a non-invasive, low-complexity procedure best done before more intensive and costly interventions, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Fertility specialists usually recommend IUI to heterosexual couples struggling to get pregnant after a year of regular unprotected sex. Conversely, IUI is often the first choice for same-sex couples or single women interested in conceiving a child.

If you have any of the following diagnoses, you may want to investigate IUI.

Unexplained infertility: Certain aspects of IUI, such as sperm washing, can increase the chances of pregnancy with or without medication. The sperm washing process strips away fluids, enzymes, proteins, and other features of sperm that can interfere with fertilization.

Oligospermia (low sperm count), ejaculation issues, etc: The health of a male partner's sperm can be a driving force behind fertility issues in some cases. IUI mitigates problems with sperm movement (motility), quantity, and/or shape abnormalities, improving the likelihood of pregnancy.

Inhospitable cervix: IUI also helps in instances where the cervix may create a barrier to pregnancy. During ovulation, the cervix produces mucus to create an environment where sperm can travel seamlessly from the vagina and into the fallopian tubes. Thick cervical mucus or cervical scarring can cause the cervix to thicken and obstruct the sperm’s passage. By inserting sperm directly into the uterus, IUI can allow a person to become pregnant by bypassing the cervix.

Endometriosis-caused infertility: Endometriosis causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus to grow where it shouldn't; for example, around the ovaries or intestines. Infertility affects a large percentage of people with endometriosis. In mild cases, IUI combined with fertility medications has helped individuals increase their chances of pregnancy.

IUI is ultimately an assistant to, rather than a replacement for, natural conception. Because sperm still needs to travel through the fallopian tube, fertilize an egg, then implant within the uterus, certain health conditions are incompatible with IUI, including:

• Moderate to severe endometriosis
• Moderate to severe male factor infertility
• Diseases of the fallopian tubes

Types of IUI

Your reason for doing IUI determines whether your procedure will be natural or stimulated. Since fertility issues aren't always the motivating force behind same-sex couples seeking IUI, they often do a natural IUI, meaning that they don't use medication to induce follicle growth and ovulation. In these cases, clinicians time the IUI procedure according to an individual's natural ovulation cycle.

However, even in natural IUIs, your fertility specialist may recommend that you use human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone, such as Ovidrel (an injectable medication), to increase the chances of implantation by synchronizing egg release with the introduction of sperm during IUI.

Fertility specialists often prescribe oral medications like Clomid or off-label letrozole as well as gonadotropins, a class of injectable medications that help stimulate egg development. Your doctor will prescribe these medications shortly after your period begins, monitoring for signs of ovulation to determine the best time for the IUI.

IUI risks

As with nearly any medical procedure, IUI comes with a small risk of infection. However, your doctors will sterilize their instruments before your IUI, which greatly minimizes the risk of infection.

Multiple pregnancies: Some fertility medications, namely gonadotropins, may increase the chances that you'll release multiple eggs at once, leading to twins, triplets, and beyond. Since multiple pregnancies pose risks to both mother and child, your doctor will prescribe an appropriate dose with this risk in mind, monitoring for signs of overstimulation through bloodwork and ultrasounds. In circumstances where the chance for multiples is high, cycle cancellation may be considered.

Ovarian hyperstimulation: On rare occasions, fertility medication may also lead your ovaries to become hyper-responsive, causing a phenomenon known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). In very rare cases, this syndrome can cause issues with blood clotting, kidney problems, or fluid build-up in the abdomen. Report symptoms like severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and lightheadedness when taking fertility medication.

IUI alternatives

IUI vs. IVF. Whereas the earliest recorded IUI procedure occurred in the 18th century, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is only around 40 years old. IVF is a more invasive, higher-tech series of procedures.

A physician collects eggs directly from an individual's ovaries before fertilizing them with sperm in a lab. One or two fertilized eggs, now embryos, are then transferred into the uterus. Excess embryos may be frozen for future use. IVF is the most effective form of ART, but it's also the most time-consuming and costly.

IVF may be better than IUI for people with the following conditions:

• Severe male-factor infertility
• Blocked fallopian tubes
• Multiple miscarriages
• Severe endometriosis

IVF has an increased rate of success over IUI, but it should be noted that individual success rates vary depending on age, diagnosis, as well as other factors. However, IVF is also significantly more expensive than IUI.

The cost of an IVF cycle can be around $12,000 to $20,000, while the medications can average between $2,000 and $6,000. Depending on your circumstances, fertility specialists usually recommend trying three to four IUI cycles before moving on to IVF treatment.

IUI vs. timed intercourse. Another alternative to IUI is timed intercourse. A couple can increase their chance of pregnancy by timing intercourse during the ovulation window, a six-day period in a menstrual cycle where pregnancy becomes most likely.

Working with a fertility specialist to devise a plan to time intercourse, or tracking your cycle with a fertility monitoring device, are two straightforward and cost-effective ways to get pregnant if fertility isn't an issue.

What to expect during IUI: The psychological, the financial, and the logistical

Before starting their journey, many people understandably want to know what to expect from IUI on a day-by-day or appointment-by-appointment basis. Anticipating the IUI process from a logistical, financial, and psychological standpoint will help your experience flow much smoother.

Logistical IUI: testing and timing

The first step when considering IUI is consulting with a fertility specialist. They'll take you through a series of fertility tests measuring your hormone levels, assessing your ovarian reserve, monitoring for structural abnormalities within the uterus or fallopian tubes, and if relevant, checking your partner's sperm health.

For people seeking IUI for fertility issues, these tests provide insight into the causes behind your struggle to get pregnant. Before you and your doctor confirm that you're a good candidate for IUI, you'll do some of the following infertility testing:

Ovarian reserve testing: These tests measure what's known as your ovarian reserve, aka your remaining egg supply. Lab testing includes measuring the amount of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the bloodstream on day three of the menstrual cycle, along with an anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) level. Your physician can also do an ultrasound where they can count the number of eggs (seen as follicles) in the ovaries in a given month.

Testing for Structural Abnormalities: If your fallopian tubes are blocked, missing, or dilated, it's impossible to do an IUI. A hysterosalpingogram (HSG), an ultrasound-guided X-ray of the uterus or pelvis, is a fundamental part of testing: it lets your doctor know whether your fallopian tubes are capable of transporting eggs from the ovaries to the uterus to result in pregnancy.

An HSG will also help to identify issues within the uterine cavity, such as polyps, scar tissue, fibroids, or other structural abnormalities (such as a uterine septum), all of which can impact and interfere with implantation. Practitioners might also recommend that a saline sonohysterogram (SIS) or hysteroscopy be used in place of the HSG. Your doctor will determine which test is right for your circumstances.

Thyroid testing: One driver of infertility is thyroid dysfunction. Your provider will test for abnormalities with a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level and a prolactin level. Issues with either of these hormones can interfere with ovulation and contribute to infertility.

Semen analysis: Sperm quality or health depends on factors like sperm count and motility and is an important puzzle piece in diagnosing the source of your fertility issues.

Testing is primarily relevant to people seeking IUI for fertility or other reproductive health-related challenges. Same-sex couples or single women may choose not to undergo the same tests. They can obtain donor sperm from certified labs, which will be frozen and thawed shortly before the procedure.

For individuals using sperm from a male partner, your partner will provide a sperm sample after two but no more than five days of abstinence to evaluate sperm count, health, and motility.

Sperm washing

Sperm washing is a fundamental part of IUI, regardless of your reason for getting the procedure. The process mimics events that occur during natural conception. Before meeting the eggs, healthy sperm swim through cervical mucus after entering the vagina through semen.

Similarly, the washing procedure separates dead or non-motile sperm, fluids, proteins, enzymes, and other materials from viable, healthy sperm. After the separation process, specialists concentrate it into a medium known as human tubal fluid (HTF), which protects and preserves the sperm before fertilization.

The procedure

IUI itself takes no more than a few minutes. Like a pap smear or an IUD insertion, you'll lie on an exam table with your legs in stirrups. Using a speculum, the doctor or nurse attaches a vial with the sperm concentrate to a catheter, a long thin tube. The catheter is inserted through the cervix and sperm is placed directly into the uterus.

After the practitioner removes the catheter and speculum, you'll lie down for a brief observation. You can then carry on with your day as you normally would. The visit typically only takes 15-20 minutes.

The psychology of IUI: Timing your pregnancy test

If your IUI is successful, the fertilized egg will travel through one of the fallopian tubes and implant within the uterus, just as it does after sex. The transition from fertilization to implantation typically takes six to 12 days.

Thanks to this gap, the hardest part of IUI may come after the procedure and during the "two-week wait," or the period between ovulation and the earliest you can expect an accurate pregnancy test.

When you're taking fertility medication, carefully timing your pregnancy test becomes even more critical. To enhance the timing of your IUI, your doctor may prescribe a trigger shot, which stimulates the ovaries to release mature eggs in preparation for an IUI. They contain human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy-detection hormone used in pregnancy tests.

Trigger shots are helpful for people who don't ovulate or in cases where you want control over ovulation timing. Physicians normally instruct the trigger shot to be taken 36 hours before the IUI procedure. The injection may be done in a doctor's office or self-administered at home. Since trigger shots contain hCG, taking a home pregnancy test too early after the IUI may result in a false-positive result.

Pregnancy tests measure levels of the hormone hCG in the urine. It's important to note that these tests can only detect hCG when it reaches a certain threshold, or approximately between 20 to 25 milli-international units per milliliter (mIU/mL).

Even after the six to 12-day period, your hCG levels might not reach that threshold until a few days after implantation. Testing too soon can create false positives, putting a deeper sting into an initial failed try, or false negatives, causing you to become disappointed only to find a few days later that you are, in fact, pregnant.

During the "two-week wait," many people become hyper-aware of every sensation, wondering whether their symptoms are signs of pregnancy or just hormonal changes from their fertility treatments. If you're feeling tense during the two-week wait, remember that you're not alone: you’re experiencing emotions shared by almost everyone at some point along their fertility treatment journey.

The following mind-body practices can help support emotional balance during this time.

Breathing exercises. Most people have heard instructions to "take a deep breath" when they're feeling anxious, but did you know the length of your exhales affects the way you feel the most? Slowing down the rate of your exhales compared to your inhales reduces your heart rate, engaging the parasympathetic or "rest-and-digest" branch of your nervous system.

During moments of anxiety or tension, set a 10-minute timer, and focus on your breathing, extending your exhales for about twice as long as your inhales. As you continue, you'll feel more peaceful and grounded in your body.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). EFT, also known as tapping, can soothe your mind and body during times of emotional turmoil. Based on the idea that negative emotions interfere with energy meridians throughout the body, EFT is like acupuncture without the needles, a practice with a great deal of anecdotal use in relieving fertility-related stress. It focuses on illuminating hidden layers of emotion behind physical and psychological pain. Read more about tapping here.

The financial side of IUI: The costs

For many people, IUI is an excellent first-choice fertility treatment because it’s non-invasive and relatively affordable. However, the costs of IUI can range widely, costing anywhere from a few hundred to thousands for a single cycle. The cost of IUI varies based on whether testing, monitoring, and medication are part of your protocol.

Foundational IUI

In every case, IUI involves two key steps: sperm washing and insemination. These foundational steps cost between $150 to $500. For those doing natural IUI, these may be the only costs associated with the procedure. But couples or individuals using donor sperm may incur separate costs for that procedure at the donor agency of their choice.

For individuals and families using IUI as a treatment for infertility, the factors that impact cost include:

Medication: Providers will prescribe meditation to stimulate ovulation and egg growth. Medication costs depend on the overall protocol you've chosen and on your provider. Some individuals choose to take just one oral fertility medication, such as letrozole or Clomid, which can range from $30 to $100 per cycle.

For people with more significant fertility issues, gonadotropins can cost up to $6,000, while trigger shots typically cost anywhere from $50 to $250.

Monitoring: If you're taking fertility medications, your doctor will monitor for multiple pregnancies or ovarian hyper-stimulation. Pricing models depend on your insurance but generally cost between $500 and $1,000 per cycle.

Does insurance cover IUI?

In many cases, insurance will cover parts of IUI they consider medically necessary. For instance, insurance providers might cover things like medications, testing, and blood work even if they don't cover the costs of the IUI procedure itself.

The following factors can factor into whether insurance covers your IUI:

• State of residence
• Medication types: In some cases, an insurance company will cover IUI if it does or does not include specific fertility drugs
• Gender: Some insurance will cover the costs of the sperm wash, but not the procedure itself
• Origin of sperm: Many insurance providers cover the cost of donor sperm but not sperm washing

Will it work for you? IUI success rates

Understanding IUI success rates can be tricky. Measures of success vary across studies and depend on a variety of factors. Researchers also study success rates using different variables, such as the live birth rate or pregnancy. However, the following are some of the most pivotal keys to a successful IUI.

Age. Fertility specialists usually don't recommend IUI after age 40. Pregnancy at age 40 becomes more difficult and brings with it a higher likelihood of pregnancy loss. That said, age is just one of many factors, and it may still be worth talking to your doctor about how you can raise your chances of success by optimizing your diet and lifestyle.

Health conditions: IUI increases the chance of pregnancy by placing concentrated sperm directly into the uterus, but it still requires a natural conception process. As a result, pre-existing diagnoses that interfere with implantation, such as uterine polyps or scar tissue, for example, affect the likelihood of success with IUI and may require you to try more extensive procedures, such as IVF.

Cycle quantity. The majority of success with IUI occurs within the first three to four cycles. If you're struggling to get pregnant after four IUIs, exploring other options might be more cost-effective.

If any of the above factors pertain to you, you might find it worthwhile to explore lifestyle optimizations that can increase your chances of success with IUI. Some factors you may want to consider:

Diet: A study in Obstetrics & Gynecology analyzed the diets of 17,544 women for eight years as they attempted to become pregnant. The authors found that participants who ate plant-based protein, mono-unsaturated fat, vegetables, and full-fat dairy, while avoiding processed foods and trans fats, had higher fertility rates.

Thanks to the link between infertility and vitamin D deficiency, eating foods high in vitamin D, such as salmon, egg yolks, or mushrooms, may also improve success rates with IUI. Your doctor may also recommend that you take a vitamin D supplement. Recent research in Advances in Nutrition also points to the positive impact of diets rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and vegetable proteins, vitamins, and minerals (like the Mediterranean diet) on fertility.

Consistent sleep: The hormones responsible for ovulation in women and sperm maturation in men are also involved with the body's sleep-wake patterns. Research has shown that inconsistent sleep habits can disrupt the menstrual cycle. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day are critical for immune, cellular, and hormonal regulation. As an added benefit, sleep and wake cycle consistency also reduces grogginess and insomnia.

How Future Family can support your fertility journey

If you're interested in IUI, Future Family can help you navigate the process with a customized plan designed for your unique situation. You can keep track of and pay for all the costs and procedures associated with your IUI treatment within a single online dashboard.

Our Fertility Coaches can also provide emotional and practical support throughout your journey. Fertility treatments aren't just daunting for price alone: the logistics, time, and other complexities can prevent people from taking action, causing them to delay their dreams of starting or growing a family.

As Registered Nurses (RNs) with over a decade of experience in the fertility field, our Fertility Coaches can give you a big picture outlook on your entire IUI treatment journey. Think of your coach as a personal nurse navigator: they’re easily accessible and able to answer all your questions related to your fertility journey.  

Our nurses have all worked in clinical fertility settings before becoming coaches at Future Family. From helping you understand your treatment results to video chatting with you 1:1, our nurses do it all!

Still, our coaches aren’t here to replace the amazing team you’re already working with at your clinic. Instead, think of our coaches as an additional layer of support. Here are just a few of the services our coaches provide:

• Medication training & support
• Fertility education to help you interpret your test results
• Someone to lean on for support during the emotional up and downs of treatment
• Support groups, which are hosted bi-monthly

Our coaches are here to help you focus on what matters most: optimizing your health and mindset so you have as stress-free a journey as possible.

Get Pre-Approved for an IVF Loan Today

If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact financing@futurefamily.com.

Taking steps to ensure a safe pregnancy and healthy delivery can be an emotional time full of anticipation. It helps to understand the process so you feel prepared and arrange for the proper support system. For example, one cycle of IVF takes six to eight weeks from consultation to embryo transfer. The time frame depends on various factors such as:

• Your age: Women under age 35 have a higher egg retrieval success rate than those 35 and over.
  
• Your health: Unique health conditions may prolong IVF timelines.

Let’s dive deeper into how long IVF takes, so you can thoroughly prepare for what lies ahead. If you have any questions, contact the Future Family team. We are happy to help with whatever you may need.

Month-to-Month IVF Timeline

IVF involves five key areas: ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, sperm retrieval, fertilization, and embryo transfer.

Here’s how these components fit into a six-week timeline. Again, your IVF timeline may differ, so we encourage you to speak with your fertility specialist about your plan details.

Month 1

During the consultation process, you’ll be required to complete health screenings such as:

• Uterine cavity evaluation
• Preconception screening
• Semen analysis
• Preconception genetic carrier screening

Some of these screenings are done at a specific time of your menstrual cycle, so they take about a month to complete.  Genetic carrier screening results can take 2-3 weeks.

Month 2

Most IVF cycles require one month of birth control pills for "suppression" or a combination of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone for priming.

Month 3

Individuals take a series of injections at a specific time and frequency (this varies from person to person). You will likely receive transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests to check on your eggs, ovaries, and hormone levels during this time. The purpose is to help the eggs reach final maturation.

Depending on how your eggs develop from the injections, your fertility specialist may recommend you continue injections for another week. Egg stimulation generally takes seven to 14 days.

Your fertility physician will retrieve the eggs. This is a minor surgical procedure called follicular aspiration. It is considered an outpatient procedure and will be done at the doctor’s office.

Your partner will provide a semen sample, or you may choose to use donor sperm. An embryologist will try to fertilize your eggs with sperms. It typically takes a few hours for a sperm to fertilize an egg.

Month 4

Depending on your situation, your physician may conduct additional procedures before the embryo transfer:

• Assisted hatching: Doctors often recommend this for those who have had multiple failed IVFs. A hole in the zona pellucida is created to help the embryo hatch from its hard outer layer and implant in the uterus. This is done five to six days after fertilization.
• Preimplantation genetic testing: Embryos may be tested for specific genetic diseases, typically five or six days after fertilization.  

About three to five days after fertilization, your physician will place the embryos in your uterus. This procedure is done in the doctor’s office, like the egg retrieval process.

Fertility specialists generally recommend waiting two weeks after your embryo transfer to take a pregnancy test.

How Many Rounds of IVF Does It Usually Take?

As we noted earlier, age impacts IVF success rates. The younger you are (35 or younger), the fewer IVF rounds you’ll likely need for a successful live birth.

According to research:

• The chances of giving a successful birth improve with each IVF cycle.
• For women of all ages (median age in the study was 35), there is a 65.3 percent chance of birth after six rounds of IVF.

While IVF is an exciting time, it can feel stressful and overwhelming, especially if a cycle does not work out. Self-care is an important part of the process for both your physical and mental well-being. Be patient and kind to yourself with IVF stress management practices.

How Many Days Do You Take IVF Injections?

Women typically take IVF injections from seven to 14 days. This timeframe aims to encourage follicles in your ovaries to produce more eggs.

Learn about Future Family’s IVF Plans

Though learning how long IVF takes from start to finish can seem daunting, Future Family is here to help. We have access to fertility coaches who can be your support system and loan plans that can help you determine the best way to pay for IVF.

We are here for you. Learn more about Future Family’s IVF plans today. If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved within two minutes, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you’ve been having trouble conceiving, know there are options available to you. And discovering the right one starts by evaluating your situation to identify the root cause. This is where Future Family comes in.

We’re here to help make your fertility journey a bit easier by discussing the primary types of fertility tests. Keep in mind, fertility testing and treatment differ for women and men, which is why we’ve broken down the types of fertility tests by female and male.

Female Fertility Exams

There are different types of fertility tests for women that may be recommended by a physician. Below are just a few:

Blood Tests

Blood tests can assess areas such as:

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels: FSH stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries. An FSH blood test can look at the ovarian reserve and how well your ovaries respond to hormonal signals coming from your brain.
  
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin levels: These areas are useful in identifying thyroid disorders and hyperprolactinemia, both of which can cause menstrual irregularities, fertility issues,  and miscarriages.

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)

A hysterosalpingogram is used to determine whether:

• The fallopian tubes are open
• The uterine cavity is normal

The physician will insert a speculum into the vagina and clean the cervix. A device called a cannula is then placed into the cervix where a liquid containing iodine fills the uterus. The iodine will show up white on the X-ray image and trace the uterus.

The iodine will travel through the fallopian tubes; if the tubes are open, the fluid will trickle out of the ends. If the flow of iodine is disrupted, this may indicate abnormalities. An HSG exam usually takes less than five minutes and is done after menstruation ends and before ovulation.

Transvaginal Ultrasonography

Transvaginal ultrasonography can examine the uterus and ovaries for any abnormalities. This is conducted via an ultrasound probe, which is inserted into the vagina. The healthcare provider will gently move the probe around to examine your pelvic organs.

Urinary Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

LH testing helps identify the times of greatest fertility—the days when luteinizing hormone levels rise plus the two days that follow. The test looks at whether you have LH in your urine and helps predict ovulation (when conception is most likely to happen).

LH is conducted through over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits. These kits come with test sticks, which you’ll need to urinate on for a few to several days. The stick will turn a specific color or provide a positive sign if an LH surge is detected.

Male Fertility Exams

20-30% of infertility cases are attributed to male infertility. If you and your loved one are having trouble conceiving, it’s important to also explore male fertility exams.

Here are two main types of tests that are available:

Semen Analysis

Semen analysis is a non-invasive exam where a semen sample is collected via masturbation. The sample is examined to evaluate the quantity and quality of the sperm.

More specifically, a semen analysis looks at the following factors:

• Concentration: the number of sperms per milliliter of ejaculate
• Volume: the amount of fluid that is ejaculated
• Motility: the movement of the sperms
• Morphology: the size and shape of the sperms

DNA Fragmentation

Depending on the outcome of the semen analysis, further tests may be done to identify less common fertility issues. One of these exams is DNA fragmentation.

DNA fragmentation occurs when there is a break in a sperm’s DNA structure.  This fragmentation can be attributed to things like:

• Infections
• Cigarette smoking
• Drug use
• Exposure to environmental toxins
  

A DNA fragmentation exam entails evaluating a semen sample under different testing methods such as sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and single-cell electrophoresis assay (COMET assay).

For more information on male infertility, be sure to read up on Sperm Fertility Tests: What Are Your Options?

Preparing for Your Appointment

If you’re having difficulty conceiving, discuss your situation with a fertility specialist who can determine the best fertility exam option for you. A fertility specialist will provide expertise, compassion, and a plan for the next steps.

When it’s time to see a fertility specialist, have a list of questions prepared. These questions should help you gain a comprehensive understanding of what lies ahead. Moreover, these questions should help you initiate thoughtful and honest discussions with your specialist.

Reach Out to Future Family

IVF can help those who are struggling to start a family. At Future Family, our IVF services can connect you with fertility coaches who are all registered nurses (RNs). The coaches are here to personalize your care, debrief you after appointments, and provide knowledgeable support throughout your fertility journey.

Learn more about our IVF loan and other viable payment options today or prequalify in under 2 mins to get all the benefits of Future Family.

There’s a common misconception that infertility is a woman’s concern, but the reality is, 20 to 30 percent of infertility cases are solely attributed to male infertility. So if you and your partner have been struggling to start a family, it might be time to explore sperm fertility tests. Future Family is here to help with this quick guide to navigating this journey.

When Should You Consider Getting Tested?

In general, it’s time to see a fertility specialist when you and your partner have been trying to conceive for over 6 to 12 months. And the older one’s female partner is, the earlier sperm fertility exams should be sought out.

However, conducting sperm fertility tests earlier in the conception journey (before the 6 to 12-month time frame) may be beneficial. As men can often improve their fertility via lifestyle changes, taking steps to enhance it early on may save time and money in the long run.

What Types of Male Fertility Testing Options Are Available?

Overall, there are three main types of male fertility tests. What direction you take typically depends on your body, circumstances, and the fertility clinic you decide to partner with.

Semen Analysis

A semen analysis is the first step to male fertility testing. It’s a non-invasive test where a semen sample is collected via masturbation. The semen sample is then examined under a microscope to assess the quantity and quality of the sperm.

The semen analysis looks at:

• Concentration: The number of sperm per milliliter of ejaculate
• Volume: The amount of fluid that is ejaculated
• Motility: The movement of the sperms
• Morphology: The shape and size of the sperms
  

DNA Fragmentation

Depending on the outcomes of your sperm and semen analysis, your fertility specialist may recommend additional exams to identify less common fertility conditions. One of these exams is DNA fragmentation.

DNA fragmentation evaluates the genetic health of your sperm. Some of the main causes of DNA fragmentation are infections, cigarette smoking, drug use, and exposure to environmental toxins.

Testing involves examining a semen sample and using various testing methods like sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (COMET assay).

Anti-Sperm Antibody Testing

Some men may produce abnormal antibodies which attack their sperm and deter it from making its way to the egg. This condition is often attributed to trauma in the male reproductive system (via testicular biopsy or vasectomy, prostate gland infection, etc.).

The exam requires a sample of sperm, which is given a substance that helps identify antibodies.

Once your fertility specialist has discovered the root cause of your fertility issue, they will suggest changes or procedures that can help overcome your specific fertility challenges.

What Are the Cost Differences for Each of the Sperm Fertility Tests?

Test costs will vary depending on your insurance coverage and the fertility clinic you decide to go with.

Here are the general estimations on a couple of the male fertility test costs:

• Semen analysis: $50 - $300 (this may depend on whether you go with an in-office or at-home test)
• DNA fragmentation: $250-$500

In-Office vs. At-Home Testing

There are at-home and in-office testing options available. But before you decide to pursue one over the other, be aware of their differences to ensure you make the best choice for you and your future family:

In-Office Testing

With an in-office test, you’ll receive a sterile specimen cup to collect your semen sample in a private room. You may be instructed to come back to collect more semen on different days, so your doctor can gain a more comprehensive picture of your sperm health.

At-Home Testing

The idea of producing a semen sample at the office might be uncomfortable for some men, which is why some clinics offer at-home sperm testing kits. With this, you can collect a sample in the comfort of your own home and mail it to the lab.

One thing to keep in mind with at-home tests: You likely won’t have as attentive an experience as in-office testing. At-home tests generally only check for sperm count, which, as we discussed earlier, is only one piece of the fertility puzzle. So if you decide to pursue this route, be sure to find a test that offers a comprehensive report.

Partner with Future Family

If you’d like to learn more about fertility and the options that are available to you and your partner, feel free to get in touch with Future Family. Everyone deserves to have the family of their dreams, and we can help mitigate the costs and complexities involved in making these dreams become reality.

Chances are, if you’re considering IVF, you’re probably wondering how much your age will be a factor in getting the results you are hoping for. Is there an IVF age limit? Honestly, this is a totally natural thing to think about when you’re considering any medical procedure, particularly one that involves your body’s ability to reproduce.

Rather than focus on “ivf success rates by age,” we thought we’d break down some considerations that will factor into your experience at different ages. The truth is, everyone’s IVF journey is different and we like to think there is no “best age” for IVF treatment - just different options and expectations depending on your personal situation.

35 and Under:

When should you start considering IVF treatment?

If you have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year you should probably start thinking about reaching out to a fertility specialist. At this age, it generally takes five to six months to conceive. Of course everyone is different, so if it’s been more than a year and you still haven’t gotten pregnant, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need IVF, it just means it’s time to start investigating.

35 and Under Success Rate of IVF: In women under 35 the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 54.5%.

35 to 40:

When should you start considering IVF treatment?

If you have been trying to conceive for more than 6 months. As you likely know, as women get older it not only becomes harder to get pregnant because egg quantity and quality can decline, but it can also be harder to bring a baby to term. A fertility specialist can walk you through options for your individual situation which may include IVF.

35 to 40 Success Rates of IVF: This is where things start to get a little bit harder to predict. ​​For women ages 35 to 37, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 41.1%, however for women ages 38 to 40, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 26.7%.

Though these percentages may look a little bleak out of context, please don’t be discouraged. It’s important to remember that, on average, most people go through two to three cycles of IVF before they have their baby. Instead try to mentally prepare for the experience of going through multiple cycles of IVF to help manage your expectations.

40 to 50:

When should you start considering IVF treatment?

Generally speaking women in this age range are at a much higher risk of serious complications with their pregnancies. For this reason we recommend seeking the advice of a fertility specialist before trying to conceive to get a realistic sense of what their options are and what a realistic approach would look like.

40 to 50 Success Rate of IVF: From 41-42 the likelihood of achieving a live birth from one egg retrieval is less than 20%. In women above age 42, the rate is less than 5%. This is why many women decide to use an egg donor which can increase the live birth rate up to nearly 50%.

50 and Above:

When should you start considering IVF treatment?

The likelihood of conceiving, having a successful pregnancy and birth at 50 or older is very low. For this reason we strongly recommend that you consider seeing a fertility specialist before trying to conceive and even then, you will likely need to use an egg donor.

Other Considerations:

How does your partner’s age factor into IVF treatment?

While not as dramatic, age still has a significant impact on men’s fertility. While women start to notice a significant decline in their 30s, men begin to see a decline in their 40s - dropping to about a 43% chance of fertilization. By the time they reach 50 that number drops down to 30%.

Does your insurance cover IVF treatment for people in your age group?

If your insurance covers IVF there is a chance that there might be some qualifications for eligibility. These usually have to do with how your insurance provider defines “infertility,” but can also include considerations regarding age. We actually wrote a blog with an extensive list of what to ask your insurance provider on the topic.  

Regardless of if your insurance covers IVF, you should know that there are financing options that can make it accessible for you. Future Family offers low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. Not only do we help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible, we also consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment so you have less to keep track of during an already intense period.

Best Age for IVF Treatment?

In addition, when you work with Future Family you have a team of fertility specialists in your corner who have been through it countless times before and will be by your side every step of the way. Pre-qualify for a fertility loan today.

It’s normal to be a little nervous before your embryo transfer. The key is to understand how to thoroughly prepare for it so you can feel more at ease and confident about what’s ahead. A central part of preparation is being conscientious about what you’re putting into your body.

Sticking to a well-balanced diet not only helps you look after your uterine health and hormone levels but can also enhance your chances of IVF success. Here’s what you should eat after your embryo transfer.

Best Foods after Your Embryo Transfer

A helpful way to remember the central nutrients required in your IVF journey is by thinking of the Mediterranean diet. Research shows a Mediterranean diet can increase your chances of IVF success. It consists of healthy fats, leafy vegetables, and zinc- and folic acid-rich foods.

Let’s pick apart the nutrients in the Mediterranean diet and discuss how each helps maintain an optimum balance of hormones and energy levels required for a smooth IVF treatment.

Folic Acid

Also referred to as B9, folic acid is vital to the synthesis of DNA, production of red blood cells, and brain and immune function.

Research has linked dietary folic acid intake with IVF success. In addition, studies indicate folic acid is linked to a lower risk of congenital heart and neural tube defects in babies. The CDC recommends women take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.

Here are foods that carry folic acid:

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Corn
• Whole grains (e.g., brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, barley)
• Citrus fruit (e.g., oranges, grapefruit, berries)
• Leafy greens (e.g., spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts)
• Sunflower seeds
• Beans (e.g., pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas)
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
  

Zinc

Zinc is pivotal to cell division and progesterone production. It helps balance out hormones and may thicken the endometrium, which helps nourish and sustain the embryo.

Zinc-rich foods include:

• Nuts (e.g., peanuts, cashews, pecans)
• Dairy products
• Potatoes
• Mushrooms
• Seafood (predominantly oysters)
• Lentils

Healthy Fats

A research study found that women who consumed a high amount of monounsaturated fats were three times more likely to have a live birth.

Overall, healthy fats that are derived from fish and plants are great options for your fertility diet. We need fat in our diet to support a healthy hormonal balance and control inflammation. Moreover, fish is loaded with protein and iron, which promote fetal growth and physical changes you undergo during pregnancy.

Healthy fats include:

• Soymilk
• Tofu
• Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, canned light tuna, pollock, catfish)
• Avocados
• Whole eggs
• Chia seeds
• Olive, canola, and peanut oils
• Nut butters
• Olives

If needed, you can enhance your nutrient intake by taking the necessary supplements. Be sure to consult with your doctor before taking any.

Foods to Avoid after Your Embryo Transfer

Avoid eating foods that contain:

• Saturated Fats: As we discussed earlier, sticking to healthy fats is key to maintaining hormonal balance in your body. Eating a lot of saturated and polyunsaturated fats can reduce the chances of a successful IVF. Saturated fats can be found in pastries (biscuits, cakes, etc.) and processed meats (sausages, bacon, salami, etc.).
  
• Simple Carbohydrates: Simple carbs contain high amounts of sugar, interfering with the body’s hormonal balance. Simple carbs include white flour, white rice, and sugary drinks and snacks. Go for whole grains instead.
  
• Mercury: Though fish is a good part of your diet upon embryo transfer, it’s important to stay attentive to mercury levels. For example, albacore tuna has more mercury content than canned light tuna, so be sure to opt for the latter.

Be sure to also avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks. Soda and energy drinks have been linked to lower fertility.

Lean on Future Family

If you have any questions regarding your IVF treatment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Our goal is to eliminate the barriers of cost and complexity so you can focus on building the family of your dreams. We are happy to offer IVF plans beginning at $300 per month and rates as low as 0% APR, plus fertility specialists who can provide the personal care you deserve. If you’re interested in pursuing an IVF loan, see if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: financing@futurefamily.com. We look forward to helping you start your journey.

]]>https://blog.futurefamily.com/embryo-transfer-process-tips-to-increase-your-success-rate-future-family/Ghost__Post__614e0e4c42e2fa0001ca05f7Tue, 12 Oct 2021 23:01:54 GMT

As the final stage of IVF, the embryo transfer process can be both thrilling and nerve-wracking. For many people, a successful embryo transfer could fulfill their lifelong dream of becoming a parent—so it’s understandable if emotions are running high throughout the process.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to increase the chance of having a successful embryo transfer. Check out this guide to learn more about what to do before and after the embryo transfer to boost the chances of success.

Frozen Embryo Transfer Success Rates

Embryo transfer success rates vary depending on the type of transfer chosen. Frozen embryo transfer success rates are higher than fresh embryo transfers. And, patients who are 35 or younger have a 60% pregnancy rate per transfer, while women 40 or older have a 20% pregnancy rate per transfer.

What to Do Before an Embryo Transfer to Increase Success Rates

Boosting the odds of a successful embryo transfer starts well before transfer day. In fact, many practices can increase the odds if started 30-90 days before the stimulation phase of IVF.

Here’s what to do before your embryo transfer to increase success rates:

• Eat a diet that is high in fat and low in carbs. This type of diet can help to reduce inflammation throughout the G.I. tract and reproductive system. It can also improve hormone function by increasing good cholesterol levels.
  
• Take over-the-counter supplements. Several supplements can boost success rates, including:
  
• Prenatal vitamin with folic acid
• Vitamin D
• Co-q10
• DHEA
• Inositol
  
• Take prescription medications as prescribed by your doctor. A doctor may prescribe certain medications to aid the embryo transfer process. These prescriptions are particularly helpful for those who have already had a failed embryo transfer. Here are some of the common prescriptions shown to improve odds:
  
• HGH
• Prednisone
• Intralipids
• Metformin
• Antibiotics
• Orilissa
  
• Take over-the-counter medications. Some over-the-counter medications can also boost transfer success rates, such as aspirin and antihistamines.
  
• Surgery or immune therapy. Women who have had several failed IVF cycles may be candidates for surgery or immune therapy, which can increase the rate of successful embryo transfer. Some of these procedures include:
  
• LIT: During lymphocyte immunization therapy, white blood cells are taken from the father’s blood and injected into the woman’s skin to improve the immune system.
  
• Endometrial biopsy: Also known as a scratch procedure, this biopsy may improve the lining development.
  
• Hysteroscopy: This procedure can stop abnormal uterine bleeding, which can cause miscarriage or unsuccessful embryo transfers.
  
• Holistic therapy. Procedures like acupuncture, massage, and yoga may be linked to higher success rates of embryo transfer.

What to Do After an Embryo Transfer to Increase Success Rates

After the embryo transfer has taken place, most of the things that might influence the procedure’s success have already been done. Now, it’s simply time to exercise patience and wait for the results.

However, there are a few practices that could help boost success, including a second round of acupuncture and adhering to the following precautions:

• Take any medications prescribed by a doctor
• Act as if you’re pregnant, following pregnancy guidelines for diet and exercise
• Avoid strenuous activity
• Abstain from sex
• Avoid extreme heat or cold, which can alter the temperature of the uterus

Finance Your Embryo Transfer with Future Family

The expense of IVF can be a financial burden for many couples. Many insurance companies do not cover IVF, and costs can vary drastically from one clinic to another. For this reason, it’s crucial to find the right financing to help support your dream of becoming a parent or growing your family.

If you’re seeking financing for your embryo transfer or IVF cycle, apply for Future Family today. We can help ease the costs of embryo transfer and guide choosing the best fertility clinic for your needs. Our flexible financing plans allow you to focus on your fertility goals and avoid the stress of worrying about bills and treatment costs. Get in touch today to learn more.

Egg freezing is generally not fully covered by insurance, but some providers will cover certain parts of the procedure. Therefore, if you are interested in freezing your eggs, we recommend speaking with your insurance provider first to learn what parts of the process may be covered.

Egg freezing is an emotional and financial investment that takes a lot of time, so it’s important you are thoroughly prepared for it. Future Family is here to help. Let’s walk through the details of egg freezing, insurance coverage for egg freezing, and the options available.

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is a process in which a woman’s eggs are extracted, frozen, and stored for later use. The goal is to preserve the woman’s ability to get pregnant in the future.

Why Freeze Your Eggs?

Egg freezing allows women the autonomy to delay having children until they are ready.

As female fertility begins to decline around age 35, egg freezing can increase your chances of a successful pregnancy later in life.

When Should You Freeze Your Eggs?

The timing for freezing your eggs does matter. According to The American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the optimal time to freeze your eggs is in your 20s and early 30s. This ensures your eggs are viable and that you have the best chance of a successful pregnancy and birth in the future.

How Much Does It Cost to Retrieve and Freeze Eggs?

The egg freezing process generally costs between $15,000 to $20,000 for one cycle. One cycle of egg freezing takes about four to six weeks.  

This cost range typically includes:

• Initial tests
• Doctor visits
• Medication and injections
• Vitrification (a rapid cooling technique to freeze the eggs)
• Egg retrieval surgery
  

The $15,000 to $20,000 range does not include the annual egg storage fees, which starts around $600 per year.

Does Insurance Cover Freezing Eggs?

Since egg freezing is generally not considered a medical necessity in most cases, the procedure and treatment are not covered by most insurance plans.

There are some exceptions to this:

• If you have a diagnosed fertility problem or are about to undergo treatments that will limit your fertility in the future (radiation, chemotherapy, etc.), you may receive partial or full coverage for your egg freezing procedure.
  
• Some employers offer coverage for egg freezing. For instance, if you work in the tech industry, you may be in luck—27 percent of tech companies cover advanced reproductive procedures (including egg freezing), compared to just 14 percent of companies outside of the tech field.

What Is the Success Rate of Egg Freezing?

Keep in mind, freezing your eggs does not guarantee future pregnancy. The success rate of egg freezing has generally proven to be higher in younger women than older women. Women have a lower egg supply as they get older, and thus, younger women are able to freeze more eggs per cycle, increasing their chances of pregnancy.

For example, in one study, each egg retrieved from women under 30 had an 8.67 percent chance of resulting in the birth of a child. For women over 40, the chance is reduced to less than three percent per egg. Therefore, a woman over 40 will need to freeze significantly more eggs than a woman under 30 to increase her chances of achieving pregnancy in her future.

Is Egg Freezing Worth It?

As egg freezing does not always guarantee a successful pregnancy or birth, women may need to go through multiple cycles of egg freezing to achieve their family-building goals. With that said, egg freezing can become a costly endeavor.

Depending on your circumstances, egg freezing can still be well worth the costs. As egg freezing is both equally a financial and personal decision (i.e., will you be ready to be a mother by the time you’re 40?), you should carefully weigh both sides and decide.

Again, the sooner you decide to freeze your eggs, the better chances you’ll have at conceiving later in your life. You may also be more financially stable at a later time to manage the egg freezing costs—according to data from the Census Bureau, women who delay having children end up earning more throughout their careers. Not to mention, there may be viable financial options available to you, which brings us to our next point.

How Do You Finance Egg Freezing?

Financing your egg freezing can be quite overwhelming. Though the initial costs can cause hesitation, rest assured that if having a child is your priority, there are a couple of options for you to consider to help you build your future family:

• Health insurance: Though egg freezing is generally not covered by insurance, it is still well worth reaching out to them to discuss your options. As we noted earlier, depending on your health condition and employer, you may qualify for a certain amount of coverage.
  
• Loans: Though most insurance does not cover freezing eggs, there are fertility clinics that offer financing options. For example, Future Family offers fertility treatment loans to help pay for your fertility care. Our fertility finance experts price out your custom treatment plan into a simple monthly payment.

Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company

It can feel daunting speaking to your insurance company about your coverage. Here are four useful questions to help you get started on the right foot:

1. What exactly do my benefits cover for egg freezing (tests, treatments, and/or procedures)?
   
2. Do I need a referral for my reproductive procedure? May I use the fertility clinic of my choice?
   
3. What is my annual or lifetime maximum benefit for egg freezing treatment and procedure?
   
4. Is there an age limit for my treatment and procedure?

Plan Your Future with Future Family

Our goal is to remove the barriers of cost with egg freezing. Future Family’s egg freezing plans begin at $150 a month with rates as low as 0% APR, and are customized based on your needs. See if you prequalify today. Applicants can be pre-approved in 90 seconds, and this process does not impact your credit score.

We look forward to helping you on your journey.

Usually when someone starts considering IVF they go on a bit of a research binge (totally understandable) trying to figure out their best course of action. If you’re new to this it can be easy to feel a little overwhelmed just figuring out where to start, so we wanted to give you a list of questions to ask your insurance provider to help ease your mind.

While it may seem daunting at first, please remember that no matter how your insurance provider answers these questions nothing is a deal-breaker and there are always options out there for you. These are just helpful for understanding where to start your financial planning.

Broadly speaking, it’s good to start by simply asking if IVF is covered by your insurance to get a sense of what your options look like. From there, here are some other questions you may want answers to:

How does your insurance define infertility?

It’s good to know how they define infertility in the first place and if they have a process that you need to go through inorder for them to unlock your coverage. Do they need specific tests? Does your age impact how they define infertility? Are infertility diagnosis procedures covered (ex: office visits, blood work, ultrasounds)?

Are there any automatic disqualifiers for insurance coverage?

Unfortunately some insurance providers have qualification parameters that actually disproportionately impact people who would need IVF the most. It’s important to ask if there are any age limit cut offs or if they cover LGBTQ people?

What does your coverage actually cover and what does that process look like?

We mentioned this before, but it’s worth revisiting with a few more helpful details that might impact you. Here are some things you’ll want to get specific details on: Do you need a referral for infertility treatment? Can you use the clinic of your choice? Are infertility treatments covered (ex: intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation)? Do you need prior authorization for certain treatments? What is your annual or lifetime maximum benefit for infertility treatment?

Are medications covered?

Medications are one of the hidden costs of IVF, and in many cases make up 40-50% of the total cost of your IVF journey. With that said, some insurance providers do cover some of the costs, so it’s important to ask a few clarifying questions like: Are fertility drugs covered or reimbursable? Are there any exclusions? Can you use the pharmacy of your choice?

Finance with Future Family

Remember, your IVF journey doesn’t have to end because your insurance doesn’t cover all, some or any of your treatment. There are some incredible financing options through Future Family that can make whatever fertility treatment you may need accessible. We offer low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. Not only do we help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible, we also consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment so you have less to keep track of during an already intense period.

In addition, when you work with Future Family you have a team of fertility specialists in your corner who have been through it countless times before and will be by your side every step of the way. Pre-qualify for a fertility loan today.

Piechna joins as Vice President of Sales and Account Management to Scale the Revenue Team as the Company Expands Its Clinic Network

San Francisco - July 13, 2021 – Today, Future Family, the category-leading fintech and healthtech platform for fertility, announces the appointment of Mike Piechna as its Vice President of Sales. In his new role, Piechna will lead the company’s sales strategy and grow the sales organization.

“Future Family is doing something extraordinary in delivering a highly differentiated patient financing solution to the fertility space to help more consumers build families,” said Piechna. “I strongly believe in the power of Buy Now Pay Later to revolutionize elective healthcare in this country. There is no more important space than fertility, and with Future Family’s solution clinics can serve even more patients.”  

Leveraging over 14 years of experience in technology sales and management, Piechna brings a significant track record of success. Prior to joining Future Family, Piechna led the inside sales department and the account management department of Medely, growing sales by 337%. Piechna also held a leadership role at Brighter, where he served as Vice President of Sales and Client Services, and before that, key positions at Wiredrive, and Appfolio.

“As a growing company at the intersection of healthcare and fintech, we need a sales executive with a proven track record of growth in the tech space,” said Claire Tomkins, CEO and founder of Future Family. “We’re excited for Mike to bring his leadership to Future Family, along with his forward-thinking strategy on scaling the revenue team.”

Future Family was founded by Tomkins, with a goal to remove the two of the biggest barriers to fertility treatment – cost and complexity. In 2018, Future Family raised a $100M fund for fertility, the largest dedicated fund in the U.S. Future Family recently announced a $9MM extension on their series-A fundraise.

About Future Family

Future Family is where people start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and heathtech to empower people throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women.

The leading fintech solution for fertility treatment with services like egg freezing, IVF, and concierge care prepares to meet booming demand as fertility treatments resume after COVID-impacted clinic shutdowns

San Francisco, May 24, 2021 — Future Family, which combines fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey, today announced a $9 million round of series A-1 financing. With the fertility sector set to face record demand after a year-long shutdown of fertility clinics nationwide, the company is using the funds to accelerate its clinic partnership network and meet demand.

Future Family is the only fintech platform to offer a simplified monthly payment for fertility that can be customized as you go with services like egg freezing, IVF, and concierge care. Their personalized buy-now-pay-later plan offers the most flexible financing option on the market today, uniquely equipping individuals seeking fertility treatment to move forward without having to pay costly out-of-pocket expenses upfront.

Key features include:

• Customizable plan to cover as much or as little as the upfront cost as you choose
• A dedicated Fertility Coach to work with as you go through treatment. All Fertility Coaches are registered nurses with clinical fertility experience who are available on-demand for consultations and to answer questions and support clients.
• Bill payment management
• Medication ordering support and training
• 24/7 on-demand support
  

Despite suspension of fertility treatment during COVID-19, the company doubled its clinic network nationwide including the recent addition of CCRM Fertility with nine locations across top metros in New York City, Houston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Northern Virginia, Denver, and Minneapolis. The company continued to support couples while they waited for clinics to reopen and then to pursue care as clinics came online again over the summer.

“At a time when so many fertility treatments have been put on pause due to the pandemic, Future Family is proud to expand its clinical offering and reach even more people in need of accessible, affordable fertility services,” said Future Family CEO and founder Claire Tomkins. “We could not be more thrilled to have partners who recognize the impact our team has made for families struggling to navigate this costly, emotional process.”

"Future Family was instrumental in helping us move forward with our IVF plans in 2020," said Sunny Stephens, Future Family client who delivered a healthy baby in February of 2021. "The support I received from my fertility coach was a life-line during the intense time of COVID coupled with going through IVF. In fact, she was one of the first people we called after we gave birth. I'm so thankful to this company."

According to recent studies, the global fertility market size is predicted to hit around $47.9 billion by 2030. This rising consumer demand for fertility treatment globally is driven by a shift in demographics with an increasing number of people wanting children later in life, single parenting, and more LGBTQA+ couples starting families. Affordability is considered the biggest barrier to more people moving forward with IVF.

“At Mindset Ventures we pride ourselves on being long-term partners for the companies we invest in. We were attracted to Future Family because it meets our criteria of having a breakthrough approach with embedded finance for the fertility sector,” said Jules Miller from Mindset Ventures who joined the funding round.  “Claire and her team are building something extraordinary that is delighting patients and clinics alike, and we look forward to helping build the company.”  

To learn more about Future Family, please visit www.futurefamily.com.

About Future Family

Future Family is where people start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women.

If you’re interested in pursuing reciprocal IVF, gaining insight into it is key to making the right decisions for yourself and your partner. Reciprocal IVF is a big time and financial investment, so you want to ensure you’re both thoroughly prepared for it.

Here’s everything you need to know about what reciprocal IVF is and how it works. Use this guide to take your next steps with confidence and ease.

What Is Reciprocal IVF?

Reciprocal IVF—also known as co-maternity, partner IVF, or ROPE (Recipient of Partner Eggs) —is a fertility treatment option for lesbian or trans-men couples. It provides the opportunity for both partners to be involved in the conception process.  

Reciprocal IVF is a variation of in vitro fertilization—partner A undergoes the necessary testing to retrieve their eggs for fertilization, and partner B has the fertilized embryo placed in their uterus to carry and give birth to the baby. This means partner A is genetically related to the child, while partner B is biologically connected with the child via pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.

In the past, same-sex couples were limited to standard IVF, where only one person could be bonded with the child. Though creating a child by combining two eggs is still not yet possible, reciprocal IVF is a great option, as both parents play an intimate role in the conception and development of their baby.

How Long Does Reciprocal IVF Take?

One full reciprocal IVF cycle takes approximately nine to 12 weeks. This includes:  

• Synchronization of both partners’ menstrual cycles (approximately 4 weeks)
• Stimulation of Partner A for egg retrieval (10-12 Days)
• Egg retrieval (typically one day)
• Fertilization and embryo development (approximately5 days)
• Embryo transfer (one day for the transfer and 9-14 days to wait and determine if pregnancy has been achieved)
  

If you get pregnant after the 9 to 14 days, prenatal care begins.

If you or your partner does not get pregnant, don’t worry—you can keep trying. Reciprocal IVF is a complex procedure; there are several variables that must be ideal for the procedure to be successful.

Therefore, IVF often requires more than one cycle—33 percent of women have a baby after their first cycle, while 54 to 77 percent  Need additional cycles.How Much Does Reciprocal IVF Cost?

On average, one cycle of reciprocal IVF is approximately $10,000-$15,000. The exact price depends on your insurance coverage, health condition, and the treatment center that facilitates your IVF.

In addition, there are medication costs. Reciprocal IVF medication (prescription medications that help improve your chances of IVF) can range from $7,000-$10,000. This can vary depending on your unique needs and circumstances.

The total cost of one IVF cycle can be broken down into three areas:

• Pre-treatment workups: These IVF prep costs can include  fertility consultation, blood work, ultrasound, medications, and follow-up blood work.
• IVF procedure: Embryo costs include egg retrieval, anesthesia, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ISCI), embryo biopsy, NexCCS genetic testing, and embryo freezing, as well as the cost associated with the placement of the embryo in the uterus.
• Medications: Medications can be a huge cost in the IVF cycle
• Possibly additional cycles: Most additional cycles are less expensive than the original, but still need to be a part of your overall budget estimates
  
  
  
  
  

For the full breakdown of these reciprocal IVF finances, read our guide on how much IVF costs.

Though the cost of reciprocal IVF may seem intimidating, rest assured, there are providers, such as Future Family, that offer affordable financing options. Be sure to look into these options to map out a stress-free family-building experience.

How Do You Know If Reciprocal IVF Is Right for You?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to reciprocal IVF. Every individual, partnership, and family is unique. Not to mention, reciprocal IVF involves a lot of time and financial commitment.

If you are interested in reciprocal IVF, we recommend seeking the guidance of a fertility coach. With expertise and compassion, a fertility coach can answer any questions you may have and can walk you through your options.

Lean on Future Family for Your Financing Needs

Building a family shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive. Future Family aims to remove the barriers of costs, complexity, and convenience in creating the family of your dreams. Our $100MM financing fund allows us to proudly offer IVF plans beginning at $350. Learn more about our plans today.

One in eight couples has difficulty in getting or staying pregnant. If you’re having trouble starting a family, you are not alone. Know there are options and help available to you and your partner.

Here’s what you should know about when it’s time to see a fertility specialist and the key questions you should ask them.

The 4 Reasons You Should Seek Help

If you’re experiencing fertility issues, seeking a fertility clinic that offers personal specialists is a great path to pursue. But of course, identifying fertility issues can be challenging.

Here are four common signs that indicate you should seek the help of a fertility specialist:

You’ve Had More than One Miscarriage

Miscarriages can happen for the following reasons:

• The fertilized egg fails to develop normally. This often occurs when the egg or sperm carries chromosome abnormalities.
  
• The egg does not implant properly in the uterus or has structural defects.

• Health conditions, such as diabetes and thyroid disorders. These conditions can lead to abnormal conception and pregnancy.

If you’ve had more than one miscarriage, reach out to a specialist who can monitor your health during conception. They can identify underlying conditions you should be aware of.

You’ve Been Trying to Conceive for a Long Time

What is considered a “long time” depends on your age:

• You are under 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year. It generally takes five to six months to conceive, so if it’s been more than a year, it’s time to contact a fertility specialist who can discuss your experience and guide you on next steps.
  
• You are over 35 and have been trying to conceive for more than 6 months. As women get older, their egg quantity and quality can decline, making the chances of miscarriage higher. A fertility specialist can walk you through options such as IVF.
  
• You are 40 or over. If you fall in this age range, you are at a high risk of having a miscarriage or stillbirth. As women age, they have higher chances of getting health conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. These conditions can be harmful to pregnancy. We recommend you seek the advice of a fertility specialist if you are 40 or over.
  

You Have a Chronic Medical Condition

As we indicated earlier, chronic medical conditions can inhibit a healthy conception and pregnancy. The most common medical condition is thyroid problems. Up to 60 percent of women who have thyroid disease are not aware they have it.

If you have thyroid or other chronic medical conditions, speak to a fertility specialist. They can work with you on monitoring your health and help promote a healthy pregnancy.

You Have No or Irregular Periods

Having no, irregular, or heavy periods can indicate a fertility problem.

• No periods can mean you aren’t ovulating (ovulation is required for fertilization).
• Irregular periods can mean you have a hormonal imbalance or ovulation issues.
• Heavy periods can indicate uterine or endocrine abnormality.

You can speak with a specialist about these issues to assess next steps.

Meeting with a Fertility Specialist

As every person and family has unique needs and circumstances, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to building a family. Therefore, a fertility specialist or coach offers the individualized care you deserve.

What to Expect

Here’s what you can expect when seeing a fertility specialist:

• Expertise: A fertility specialist has the required credentials to answer your questions and guide you through options. At Future Family, all our fertility coaches are registered nurses (RNs). They will debrief you after doctor visits and personalize your care, explaining all options available to you.
  
• Compassion: A fertility coach offers you and your partner support and compassion. Alternative fertility options, like IVF, are big commitments; you want to make sure you’re working towards the best outcome. A fertility specialist will ensure everything (your doctor appointments and treatments) goes smoothly.
  
• A plan: Based on your labwork, a fertility specialist will be able to offer you personalized options and possible next steps to help you move forward on your fertility journey.
  

For more information, learn about how fertility coaches can improve your IVF experience.

6 Key Questions to Ask Your Fertility Specialist

During your first meeting with your fertility specialist, you’ll discuss your needs, conditions, and options. It can feel overwhelming going into this initial meeting, so to help you prepare and feel more comfortable, below are some key questions to ask your coach. These questions are intended to initiate honest conversations that can strengthen your relationship with your specialist and steer you in the right direction.  

• Based on our history, what are our chances of getting pregnant?
• What are the tests/procedures required in the conception process? How long will it take?
• How and when can I contact you if I need anything?
• How often should we meet/have a call?
• What resources do you recommend my partner and I look into to help us avoid misleading information?
• Can you kindly provide an outline as well as timeline of our options and treatment plans and what we can expect?

Future Family Is Here to Help

At Future Family, we are proud to work with fertility specialists and clinics across the U.S. to offer their patients financing so they can move forward with their fertility treatments like IVF or egg freezing. If you have questions on next steps please email us directly at info@futurefamily.com or apply to one of our loans at www.futurefamily.com.  

If baby number one was a breeze but you’re having a harder time getting pregnant with baby number two, we have some good news - you’re not alone. Did you know that 10% of women trying to have a second baby experience secondary infertility? In fact, 50% of all IVF treatments are actually for people who already had a child.

What is secondary infertility?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Secondary infertility is the inability to become pregnant or to carry a baby to term after previously giving birth to a baby.”

You might be experiencing secondary infertility if you are under 35 and have been trying to conceive through sex (TTC) for more than a year or if you are over 35 and have been TTC for more than six months.

What causes secondary infertility?

What’s important to remember is that secondary infertility isn’t your “fault.” It is just a thing that happens and you didn’t do anything wrong or bad to make it happen. While that doesn’t change anything, we hope it makes you feel a little better about what you are going through.

Honestly, a ton of things can contribute to secondary infertility, here are just a few:

• Impaired sperm production, function or delivery in men
• Fallopian tube damage, ovulation disorders, endometriosis and uterine conditions in women
• Complications related to prior pregnancy or surgery
• Risk factor changes for you or your partner, such as age, weight and use of certain medications

Can I afford fertility treatments?

The short answer is yes, yes you can.

The long answer is - there are some incredible financing options through Future Family that can make whatever fertility treatment you may need accessible. We offer low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. Not only do we help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible, we also consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment so you have less to keep track of during an already intense period.

In addition, when you work with Future Family you have a team of fertility specialists in your corner who have been through it countless times before and will be by your side every step of the way.

What can I do about secondary infertility?

While it may feel a little scary or unnatural if your first pregnancy happened without any assistance, there are a ton of treatment options for secondary infertility. Talking to a fertility clinic is an easy first step. They can give you a thorough assessment and help you determine the best plan of action - which may or may not include IVF.

For more information on how to choose a fertility clinic click here.

Last thing

Look after yourself. Secondary infertility can be a lot to deal with emotionally, especially if your first baby came relatively easily. Here are a few tips that might help:

Secondary infertility is more common than you might think

Secondary infertility is incredibly common and impacts one in seven women trying for their second baby. In fact, if you ask any of your friends, you might find out that they also dealt with the issue.

Trust the process

If you decide to pursue fertility treatment (congrats!), know that your team only wants the best possible outcome for you. Control the things you can control - take your meds, look after your health - and trust the process.

Build your support network

Find the people you and your partner can connect with and rely on to support you through the highs and lows of your fertility experience.  

Remember, secondary infertility isn’t the end of your journey, it’s just a bend in the road, and with the right help you can have the family and future you want and deserve.

Without the ability to see into the future, it can be difficult to predict when you will be ready to have children. Understandably, many women have questions about the process or timing for egg freezing and whether it is the right option for them.

How do I know if I should freeze my eggs? At what age should I freeze my eggs? How long will my eggs last?

Having eggs frozen and available for later use can be a huge blessing if you run into fertility complications or do not have an opportunity to have children naturally. However,  retrieving and storing the eggs can be a daunting and expensive, so you’ll definitely want to do some research, speak with your doctor, and make a plan for fitting it into your budget.

At What Age Should I Freeze My Eggs?

One of the most popular questions is, “When should I freeze my eggs?”

There is no right or wrong time to freeze your eggs, but there are better times. The younger you are, the more eggs you will be able to retrieve; the older you are, the more likely you will have a lower quantity and quality of eggs and may desire a second retrieval. If you were to freeze your eggs in your 20s, you would have the highest success rate, but you would likely end up storing them much longer or not needing them at all.

According to The American Society of Reproductive Medicine an optimal time to freeze your eggs is in your 20’s and early 30’s. Is It Too Late to Freeze My Eggs at 45?

The longer you wait, the lower your chances are of having enough high quality eggs. As you age, your body not only produces fewer eggs, but those eggs may be of lower quality. This is why women in their late 30s and beyond are more likely to experience miscarriages.

Many women around the age of 37 or 38 choose to freeze their eggs and use them in their early 40s. However, waiting until you are 45 to retrieve  eggs for freezing may be too late. The best way to know for sure is to set up a consultation with your doctor and discuss ovarian reserve testing.

How Long Do Frozen Eggs Last?

It is common to freeze eggs for five to ten years in long-term storage. Frozen, or Cryopreserved eggs can last indefinitely!

Is It Worth It to Freeze My Eggs?

It’s important to remember there are no guarantees when it comes to egg freezing and IVF. You can’t assume that if you have your eggs frozen, you will definitely use them later in life. You also can’t be entirely sure that using your frozen eggs will be successful. With that in mind, however, your odds certainly increase if you have at least given yourself the option.

If you are ready to have kids and have not been able to conceive through traditional methods , it is a huge comfort to know you can still use your frozen eggs.

Answering the question: “should I freeze my eggs?” will be a personal decision. You will need to weigh out the costs and benefits and discuss the decision with your doctor.

How Much Does It Cost?

When estimating the cost for freezing eggs, remember to factor in all the steps. For example, the freezing process alone may cost around $7,000, but that doesn’t include the cost of hormone therapy, harvesting the eggs, storing the eggs, preparing them to be used, or IVF. You can expect to spend at least $20,000 for everything, but that number will vary. Fortunately, some clinics provide financing options, so make sure to ask all your questions, including those related to cost, at your consultation appointments.

How Can I Qualify for IVF?

If your doctor has approved your egg retrieval procedure and you are prepared to take on the risks and costs associated with egg freezing, contact Future Family to get started. The process is similar to qualify for IVF. You will need to meet with your doctor to make sure your body is ready, and then you will move forward with a fertility specialist.

At what age should you freeze your eggs? Ultimately, that’s between you and your doctor, but when you’re ready, Future Family is here to help. Learn more about Future Family and how we can support you through the fertility process.

This blog post was written by our partner, Donor Egg Bank USA, a network of the most respected and premier fertility practices in the United States and Internationally.   In response to the growing need for a nationwide database of diverse egg donors, Donor Egg Bank USA was launched by Heidi Hayes, a donor egg mom herself to assist fertility patients in their dream of having a baby, with the added convenience of a quicker treatment process.

Infertility.

A feared diagnosis, one that seems final and absolute.

Fortunately, thanks to advances in assisted reproductive technology (ART), infertility doesn’t need to be an insurmountable mountain. Rather, it could be a small stumbling block on your path to parenthood.

If common fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) haven’t been successful for you, it may still be possible to overcome your infertility and build the family of your dreams using donor eggs.

If you’re in the LGBTQ+ community, you may have known since childhood that one day this would be the path you take. For others, using donor eggs may represent earlier decisions in life that make typical fertility options more difficult to pursue.

What is Donor Egg Treatment?

Donor egg treatment is when the eggs of young women are used to pursue pregnancy. The donor eggs are obtained from young, healthy women between the ages of 21 -33 who are rigorously screened before their egg donation. The success rates using a young woman’s eggs are significantly better than with typical IVF cycles. [1],[2],[3]

As a woman ages, not only does her number of eggs decrease but so does the quality of those that remain. Some women’s eggs are no longer as viable as they once were. This can be due to age, premature menopause, decreased ovarian reserves, a history of medical treatments such as cancer, or other reasons. As egg quality decreases, there’s an increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, and the chances of a successful pregnancy are slim, even with traditional IVF. [4]

Fresh vs Frozen Donor Eggs: What’s the Difference?

Donor eggs can be acquired in either a fresh or frozen state. While both boast similar success rates, there are distinct benefits to using frozen donor eggs over fresh ones. [5]

Cycle Synchronization

With fresh eggs, the menstrual cycles of both the donor and woman who will be receiving the embryos (recipient) must be synchronized. The donor’s eggs need to be retrieved at approximately the same time that the recipient’s body is ready to receive the embryo(s). This requires a significant amount of medication and time, and both participants must be within the same geographical area. Because it is difficult to share eggs with more than one woman, intended parents often pay more in additional costs when undergoing a fresh donor egg IVF cycle.

Cost

Comparatively, using frozen eggs is more cost-effective than fresh, as there’s no need for menstrual cycle synchronization or travel. Since the eggs have already been retrieved, they are ready when you are, and the procedures can easily fit into an already busy schedule. In fact, by choosing frozen donor eggs you can save over half of what you would have spent on a fresh cycle. The biggest reason for these savings is that one donor can share her eggs with multiple intended parents. This allows the intended parents to also share in the cost of the IVF cycle, donor screening, and donor compensation. Overall, you can expect to pay $14,500 for a frozen egg lot from Donor Egg Bank USA versus an average cost of $25,000 or higher for just one fresh donor egg cycle. [6],[7]

Donor Selection

Typically, fresh egg donation requires your egg donor to live within your local area or travel to your clinic for an extensive two-week period of time, which significantly limits your choice of donors and can increase your costs. In contrast, frozen egg donors don’t need to be confined to your geographical location, since their eggs can just be shipped to your fertility practice. Frozen donor egg banks have hundreds of egg donor candidates from across the United States and the world, providing you with more choices and the best possible opportunity to find your perfect donor match.

Number of Eggs Retrieved

With frozen donor eggs from Donor Egg Bank USA, you can rest assured that you’ll receive 5-8 mature eggs per cycle. If using fresh donor eggs, you may receive more or fewer eggs depending on how many eggs are retrieved from your donor.

Timeline

In a fresh donor egg IVF cycle, cycle synchronization between donor and recipient can last 6-8 weeks, with the entire treatment process taking 6 months or more. Conversely, a frozen egg donation cycle can take as little as 4 weeks from start to finish.

Why is there such a significant time difference? Since donors with frozen eggs have already undergone the egg retrieval process, their eggs are ready to be thawed and fertilized at any time.

Guarantees

While fresh egg donor programs rarely offer guarantees to donor egg recipients, frozen donor egg programs often do. Most egg banks provide a blastocyst guarantee, and some offer a full refund if a baby is not brought home from the hospital. For example, our partner, Donor Egg Bank USA, offers an Assured Refund Plan of up to six cycles of egg lots and treatments — and the promise that you will bring home a baby or receive a 100% refund.

Success Rates

Thankfully, IVF using donor eggs has success rates of up to three times higher than traditional IVF.[8],[9] Besides being an ideal option for women with low egg quality or quantity, using an egg donor can be a great alternative for those who have experienced:

●   Prior miscarriages

●   A genetic disease they don’t want to pass on to their children

●   Chemotherapy or similar medical treatment

●   Premature ovarian failure

●   Unexplained fertility or secondary infertility

●   Are part of the LGBTQ+ community

Beginning the Donor Egg IVF Process

Choose an Egg Bank

Both fresh and frozen donor egg banks can be found throughout the United States. Most egg banks offer several financial plans, and a few, like Donor Egg Bank USA, offer money-back guarantees, making donor eggs financially attainable for families from all walks of life.

Find Your Egg Donor

After registering with your fresh or frozen egg bank, you’ll be free to browse egg donor profiles and find your perfect match. Some intended parents look for characteristics they feel are valuable or advantageous, while others look for physical traits that match the intended mother, so the child may bear some physical resemblance to her.

Next Steps

The next steps in the process differ depending on whether your donor eggs are fresh or frozen.

If fresh, you’ll need to ensure your donor is fully screened. This can take a few months to complete. Once your donor has been screened, you will begin cycle synchronization before the fertilization and embryo transfer.

If you choose frozen donor eggs, you can simply select your donor’s egg lot, because the screening will already be complete. The egg lot will be shipped to your fertility clinic for thawing, fertilization, and embryo transfer.

Undergoing Embryo Transfer and Implantation

Preparing for Transfer

To prepare the recipient’s uterus for potential implantation, you’ll be prescribed fertility hormones (progesterone and estrogen) for approximately 4 weeks. If you have ever completed an IVF cycle, you will find this part easy in comparison. In a donor egg treatment, the donor does the heavy lifting and takes the follicle-stimulating injections.

Once your uterus or your gestational carrier’s uterus is nearly ready, your donor’s eggs are thawed and fertilized with your partner’s sperm (or donor sperm) using a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This process inserts a single sperm into each egg to ensure fertilization.

Newly fertilized eggs are allowed to develop and divide under the care of an embryologist, who observes the growing embryos and chooses the most favorable ones for implantation. On Day 5 or 6, they may perform genetic analysis to look for any chromosomal defects.

Transfer and Implantation

Once the recipient is ready for implantation, a catheter is used to insert one or two embryos into the uterus, where they’ll hopefully implant into the uterine wall. Roughly two weeks later, a blood sample is taken to test the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone indicating pregnancy.

If successful, you’ll receive a positive test result and be able to experience a pregnancy.

Building Your Family with Donor Eggs

Couples facing infertility once had only very limited family-building options, the most common being surrogacy or adoption. Fortunately, with education and professional support — along with ongoing advances in reproductive technologies like donor egg IVF — hopelessness is being replaced with optimism.

You have a greater likelihood of experiencing pregnancy by taking advantage of the benefits of donor eggs.[10] You can look forward to seeing your baby develop and grow, savoring all the joys that new parenthood has to offer.

Thank you Donor Egg Bank USA for breaking down the ins and outs of donor egg IVF for our community! For more information about Donor Egg Bank USA, you can visit their website.

[1] https://www.sart.org/patients/third-party-reproduction/

[2] https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptCSR_PublicMultYear.aspx?reportingYear=2017#

[3] https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/third-party-reproduction-sperm-egg-and-embryo-donation-and-surrogacy/

[4] https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/age-and-fertility/

[5] https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptCSR_PublicMultYear.aspx?ClinicPKID=2410#donor-fresh-egg

[6] https://www.shadygrovefertility.com/blog/affording-care/shared-egg-donation/

[7] https://www.whattoexpect.com/getting-pregnant/fertility-tests-and-treatments/donor-egg/

[8] https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptCSR_PublicMultYear.aspx [Accessed 2016]

[9] https://www.cdc.gov/art/

[10] https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/third-party-reproduction-sperm-egg-and-embryo-donation-and-surrogacy/

If you’ve thought about having a family in the future, but aren’t sure exactly how that’s going to happen just yet, don’t worry. If you’re approaching your 30s and haven’t met your soulmate, no problem. And if you’re in your 20s, but have a medical condition that might make future pregnancies difficult, you still have options. Whatever personal reasons you have for considering it, extending your fertility window is a possibility. Find out how you can extend your fertility below.

How Can I Extend My Fertility?

There are a few different things you can do to help your body remain fertile as long as possible. There are also medical procedures that can enable you to use your eggs at a later time. The important thing to remember is that the eggs your body produces will decrease in both quality and quantity as you age. To extend fertility, you’ll need to look at methods that help with one or the other, or both. Research your options and speak with your physician to determine which route is best for you and your unique circumstances.

Egg Freezing

One way that women extend fertility is with egg freezing. This process involves retrieving eggs and flash freezing them for cryopreservation. In other words, you can save them for use at a later time. This is a surgical procedure that can be pricey, but for many women and families, it is a great way to improve the chances of having a baby. Since eggs can be stored for quite a while, you may be able to extend your fertility for several years using this method.

Lifestyle Choices

Another way to extend fertility is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A healthy body is more capable of sustaining a healthy pregnancy, so it’s important to remain active and regularly eat whole foods like fruits and vegetables. This also includes getting regular, quality sleep so your body can rest, replenish, and fight disease. Women who maintain a healthy weight and generally take good care of themselves increase their chances of a successful pregnancy.

Quit Smoking

It is pretty common knowledge that smoking has adverse effects on the respiratory system, but did you know that it can also affect fertility? Smoking can reduce the number of eggs, as well as lower the quality of the eggs that remain. If you are hoping to have children in the future and are a smoker, don’t wait until you get a positive pregnancy test to quit.

Get Tested

Your doctor can help you evaluate whether you are a good candidate for egg freezing with some medical testing.If you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but do not anticipate getting pregnant right away, you may want to consider fertility egg freezing as a way to improve your chances in the future. You’ll need to meet with your doctor to discuss the pros and cons for you.

Women in their 20s and low-30s are more likely to have a higher quantity of high-quality eggs to extract. However, the younger you are when you freeze them, the higher chances of you not needing them. The highest success rates (where the eggs are actually used and also result in a pregnancy) tend to be from women who froze their eggs in their low to mid-30s and used them before hitting their mid-40s.

How to Get Started with Fertility Egg Freezing If you are ready to learn more about fertility egg freezing as a way to extend fertility, contact Future Family. We’ll provide you with plenty of information, support, and even financial assistance to help you make a plan that is right for you and your family.

If you are considering going to a fertility clinic, congrats! Fertility clinics have helped millions of people grow their families and can help figure out how to help you have a baby. But when should you see a fertility doctor?

We recommend speaking to a fertility doctor if you:

• Have had more than one miscarriage
• Are a woman under 35 who has been trying to conceive for more than a year
• Are a woman over 35 who has been trying to conceive for more than six months
• Are a woman over 40 who is trying to conceive

You may be thinking, “Are all fertility clinics the same?” or “How do I find the best fertility clinic for me?” Based on working with some of the best clinics in the U.S., we can tell you that they are all different and have unique approaches and advantages.

Narrow Your Search: 10 Tips on How to Choose a Fertility Clinic

The right fertility doctor will be able to tell you which fertility treatment is most effective and how it can help you become a parent. While deciphering which fertility clinic to choose can seem overwhelming, here are some easy tips to help you narrow your search and find the perfect one for you.

#1: Determine What’s Important to You

While the obvious first objective is to bring a healthy baby into the world, taking care of yourself is just as important when going through IVF.

Do you want a more personal relationship with your team? Then you may want to consider a smaller clinic. Are you more interested in having a bigger team with more resources? If so, you may want to consider a larger, more researched-based clinic that’s connected to a university.

#2: Ask a Friend

Referrals play an impactful role in choosing the best IVF clinic. While everyone’s IVF experience is unique, you can learn a ton from asking someone who’s been through it before. What clinic did they go to? What were they looking for? What did they like and dislike? Not only will this help you decide if you want to go to their clinic, but also help you figure out what exactly you’re looking for in a clinic.

"Obviously, success rates are incredibly important to us, but we definitely take a great deal of pride in how many of our clients come from referrals," says Dr. Natalia Grindler at Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado. "IVF is a deeply personal experience, and referrals let us know that we are trusted providers in the community."

If you can’t get a friend recommendation, you can always check with your OBGYN for references.

#3: Location Location Location

Regardless of the specifics of your treatment, IVF requires quite a few visits to your fertility doctor. So think about how far you want to travel.

Even though it may not seem like a huge deal at first, planning around a long trip for every appointment is an easy stress to avoid if you prioritize location in your search. Some people are fine with a longer commute if they personally connect with their doctors.

#4: Office Hours That Work for Your Schedule

Finding time for all the fertility clinic appointments can be very hard if you are working a full-time job. It’s important to see if they have some days with earlier hours or evening hours that can fit it into your schedule. If not, what are their weekend office hours, and can they perform embryo transfers on the weekend as well?

#5: Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Certified

The Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART) is the primary organization of professionals dedicated to the practice of IVF. The mission of SART is to establish and maintain standards for fertility treatments so that you receive the highest possible level of care.

For a fertility clinic to be approved by SART, it must meet the highest standards for quality, safety, and patient care. Think of SART certification as the gold standard for professionalism and medicine in fertility treatments.

#6: Ask What Are the Fertility Clinic’s Success Rates

Most fertility clinics are more than happy to talk about their success rates, but make sure to ask about their success rates around any specific areas that will impact you specifically, like success rates in your age group or dealing with IVF patients with PCOS for example.

#7: Live Birth Rates to IVF Cycles

Just as success rates matter, so does the number of cycles it took to get the live birth. Are those live births connected to multiple implanted embryos to yield the higher live birth rate? Asking how many embryo transfer cycles it took for IVF to succeed is a key question to ask. You should look for a fertility clinic that has a high success rate with a low number of cycles.

#8: Specialties

When you’re researching a clinic, keep in mind any specific circumstances you have and see if you can find a place that has had some success in that area. Do they have partnerships with egg donors? Do they have experience with surrogacy? More importantly, what do their success rates look like for IVF treatments similar to what you think you’ll need?

#9: Trust Your Gut

On your quest to find a fertility doctor, don’t forget to do a gut check. For many people, IVF is unlike any medical procedure they’ve ever experienced. It can be beautiful, intense, and emotional. It’s really important that you do a gut check with your clinic, that you feel welcome and safe, and that you are receiving the best possible care.

• Tour your clinic before you decide (if you’re comfortable with that). What’s their bedside manner like? Do you feel like you could ask the fertility doctor any questions? How does it look inside? Do you feel comfortable here? How is the front desk staff?
  
• Check out the clinic’s social media. Does it feel authentic? Do the people seem like professionals you can trust? Sometimes they’ll even host live virtual events on their social channels like IVF 101. Sit in on one and see how they behave. Remember, it’s totally ok to pass on a clinic simply because you don’t feel good about them - your comfort is key.
  

#10 Cost and Financing

Budget should not prevent you from pursuing fertility treatments (that’s literally why we’re here), but figuring out your fertility financing can help you feel empowered to move forward with IVF. It’s easy to get sticker shock when you are told IVF can cost upwards of $10,000-$15,000, but there are solutions.

Some states require insurers to cover some costs, and some states don’t offer IVF insurance at all. When researching a clinic you should make sure they accept your insurance. You should also check to see if your insurance covers your IVF medications or just the cost of your treatment.

Future Family can help make the financial side of things less complicated and daunting with our fertility financing. We offer low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. Not only do we help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible, we also consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment so you have less to keep track of during an already intense time.

In addition, when you work with Future Family you have access to our Fertility Coaches, who are all registered nurses and can answer your questions. They are in your corner and will be by your side every step of the way.

What Can I Expect at My First IVF Appointment?

You can expect four things at your first IVF appointment. Your doctor will discuss:

• You and your partner’s (if applicable) medical histories and fertility issues. Your physician will map out appropriate fertility tests you or your partner may need to take to further understand the root cause of infertility.
  
• Your goals. When would you like to become pregnant? Are you looking for a sperm donor? Do you need to achieve a specific BMI to ensure your body achieves healthy fertility?
  
• Your options. Depending on your situation, your doctor will discuss possible fertility options available to you. These options may be further defined once your test results are available.
  
• Your questions and concerns. Every person’s situation is unique when it comes to fertility. The right doctor will ensure they have enough time for you to take charge of the conversation and ask questions.

How Do I Prepare for My First Fertility Appointment?

It’s normal to get jitters before your first fertility appointment. Ease those nerves by thoroughly preparing. Here are a few tips to get you started on the right foot:

• Do some research on your doctor. Check online reviews and forums to get a sense of the doctor’s personality and treatment methods.
  
• Call your insurance provider. It’s a good idea to call in advance to understand your coverage details. If a specific part or portion of your fertility appointments are covered, call the fertility clinic to ensure these coverage details align with the information they have on their end.
  
• Reach out to the fertility office about preliminary processes. The office will likely require you to fill out a questionnaire regarding your health history and fertility experience. If they don’t provide this to you before your first appointment, ask them for one. It can save you time at the office and give you a chance to provide thorough answers.
  
• Track your cycle. If you haven’t already, track your periods using a mobile cycle-tracker. Keeping track of your cycle will give an idea of when you’ll ovulate so you can share these details with your fertility specialist.
  
• Bring a notebook. There will be a lot of ground to cover during your first appointment. It’s best to take notes to ensure you retain essential information to help you throughout your fertility journey.
  
• Prepare a list of questions. IVF is a big journey, so it’s important to set aside time for any questions you might have. Be sure to write these down and bring them with you.
  

What Should I Ask at My First IVF Appointment?

Your IVF appointment is all about you, so don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure you thoroughly understand what lies ahead and whether or not the clinic/doctor is the right fit.

Let this set of questions guide you:

• Based on my history, what are my chances of getting pregnant?
• What are the tests and procedures required? How long will it all take?
• Where will all of the testing and procedures be conducted—on-site or at another facility?
• Can you provide a written outline and timeline of our options and treatment plans and what we can expect?
• How many patients have you currently worked with who are in my age group and have had similar fertility issues?
• Does your fertility clinic offer emotional counseling, or can you refer me to someone?
• What role does your nursing staff play in patient treatment and contact?

The Takeaway

Choosing an IVF clinic might seem a little overwhelming, but prioritizing what you want and need specifically will really help narrow down your choices. Remember, regardless of who you end up choosing, trust that they want to help you succeed in IVF and have your best interest at heart.

Future Family Announces New Board Director, Nav.com’s Levi King as Company Prepares for Next Phase of Growth

King brings 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience in the startup and fintech space

San Francisco, California – March 22, 2021 – Today Future Family, the fintech platform driving access to fertility care in the US, announces the appointment of Levi King as Board Director. A self-taught, serial entrepreneur who has started eight different small businesses in the last 20 years including Nav, Cake, and Lendio, King will bring his deep understanding of marketplace credibility and startup growth.

"Future Family is creating access to fertility care by offering easy loans for IVF and egg freezing that we finance through our dedicated $100MM Fertility Fund. We’ve seen demand increase significantly in the last four months in our clinic channel,” said Claire Tomkins, CEO of Future Family. “Levi has scaled not one but two amazing fintech companies, and we’re thrilled to be adding his deep expertise to the Board at this important time.”

"Future Family is in a position to change the way millions of Americans experience their quest to build a family, by making it accessible and affordable for all,” said King, “This is a company that has insight into a major trend in fintech as the industry moves towards integrated, vertical lending solutions and I’m looking forward to working closely with Claire and the team to grow this business."

There is rising consumer demand for fertility treatment globally driven by a shift in demographics, with an increasing number of people starting their families later in life and more LGBTQ couples starting families. However, affordability still presents a major gap and the U.S. significantly lags other developed countries with respect to babies born via in vitro fertilization (IVF).

About Future Family:

Future Family is the leading fintech platform in the fertility sector, offering consumers easy monthly plans to cover the cost of IVF and egg freezing. The company launched the first dedicated Fertility Fund to exclusively finance fertility treatment for consumers and has a growing network of premiere fertility clinics. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all.

Learn more at www.futurefamily.com

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An embryo transfer is the final stage in IVF treatments. It can be done using a fresh embryo or a frozen embryo, and fortunately, both are equally safe and effective. You can have them all frozen for use at a later time, or you can choose to have an embryo transfer right away.

Your doctor may advise you to use only one embryo, leaving you the option to freeze and store any remaining embryos for possible future use.

If you’re not sure what to expect after a frozen embryo transfer, it’s normal to be a little nervous. Learn more below about the frozen embryo transfer (FET) process and how you can be more prepared.

What Happens After a Frozen Embryo Transfer?

The procedure is generally painless and performed in your physician's office., but you will likely need to rest afterward. You may be put on some medications to relax you and your muscles. Your doctor will give you specific instructions, but typically you will remain at the clinic lying down for about an hour and then head home and take it easy for the rest of the day. Some physicians recommend 24 hours of bed rest, while others simply restrict you from participation in moderate to heavy activities. Be sure to check with your provider on their specific protocols.

The post frozen embryo transfer timeline (also known as the two week wait until your pregnancy test) from this point can seem impossibly long. You’ll be anxiously wondering whether you are pregnant and probably thinking of little else. If possible, surround yourself with supportive friends and family, and plan activities that you enjoy to help pass the time.

It is recommended to wait until your pregnancy test date before taking a pregnancy test to avoid false-negative results.

How Soon After Your Frozen Embryo Transfer Do You Feel Symptoms?

During this two-week time frame, you may experience symptoms similar to pregnancy (mood swings, fatigue) or your period (cramps, light spotting). Try to avoid agonizing over what this may mean. It is most likely your body reacting to the procedure and medications – nothing more. If you experience severe symptoms of any kind, talk to your doctor right away.

What Should You Avoid After FET?

Your doctor will give you instructions following your FET for what you need to avoid. It’s important that you follow them closely to make sure you don’t interfere with the implantation of the embryo. Common examples include avoiding:

• Intercourse
• Heavy exercise
• Hot tubs
• Any food or drink that you would typically avoid when pregnant, such as alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine
  

These restrictions are for your protection, as well as the safety of the embryo. Intense exercise can lead to complications, such as twisted ovaries, and intercourse may cause the uterus to contract and affect implantation.

How Long After Frozen Embryo Transfer Is Implantation?

When the embryo is created, it is grown in the lab for approximately five days and either transferred immediately in or frozen for future use. Once it is transferred, it typically takes between one and five days to implant in the uterus and begin to develop.

Future Family Fertility Financing

Consult with your doctor to find out if frozen embryo transfer is right for you. Make sure to bring a list of questions so you’ll have a good idea of what to expect after your frozen embryo transfer. Ask about the cost of FET and keep in mind that collecting the embryos and transferring them constitutes only part of the total. You will need to store frozen embryos until you are ready to use them, so if it won’t be right away, you will likely incur a monthly fee.

If FET is the best course of action for you after discussions with your endocrinologist and you are considering different ways to pay for it, we suggest you check out Future Family, a smart way to pay for IVF that features low interest rates for customized fertility loans. Every IVF loan comes with bill pay management to save you stress as well as access to fertility coaches, who are all registered nurses with years of fertility healthcare.  We suggest you start by creating your Future Family account for information about financing for your procedures. We’ll guide you to a plan you can afford and provide community support to help you every step of the way.

Denver (March 8th, 2021)— CCRM Fertility, a global pioneer in fertility science, research and treatment, today announced an alliance with fintech company Future Family, the leading provider of affordable fertility plans for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and egg freezing patients. This partnership will allow CCRM Fertility patients to access care starting at just $350 a month, with the goal of making it easier for more patients to move forward with cutting-edge fertility treatments.

"Careful financial planning is an integral part of the journey for many patients who are seeking fertility treatments, and it is especially important amidst the current economic climate," comments CCRM Fertility President and CEO Jon Pardew. "Through our partnership with Future Family, even more families will have access to high-quality fertility care through affordable monthly plans specifically tailored for fertility patients.”

Although IVF is becoming more mainstream in the U.S., many people aren’t able to move forward with treatment due to the cost, which averages $23,000 per cycle and is often not covered by insurance. CCRM Fertility’s partnership with Future Family will allow more individuals and couples seeking fertility treatment access to innovative programs such as its One Day Work-Up℠. This one-of-a-kind program allows CCRM Fertility patients to complete most fertility testing in a single day, minimizing office visits and expediting treatment in one efficient appointment. A typical fertility work-up consists of more than half a dozen appointments which take place over the course of several weeks or months.

Future Family was founded by Claire Tomkins, who went through IVF herself, and saw that the biggest barriers to people moving forward with IVF were cost and complexity. Future Family offers low-interest rate monthly plans to cover the cost of fertility treatment and a built-in fertility coaching service to address the complexity of the patient journey. Every Future Family client gets access to their unique fertility coaching service, staffed by registered nurses with clinic fertility experience, for support and guidance. This service includes video consults, text support, medication training, after hours care, and a number of other features designed with the fertility patient in mind.

Future Family’s patient support services also features financing bill pay management, which includes coordination of payments with CCRM Fertility, the pharmacy, and other service providers, allowing patients to focus more on their treatments and less on finances.

“CCRM Fertility has a stellar reputation in the industry. They’re known for their leadership and groundbreaking fertility treatments that make parenthood a reality for so many couples,” said Tomkins. “We are excited to partner to make this truly world-class care available to more aspiring parents across the nation.”

Future Family offerings include the Friends and Family Plan, a monthly plan that allows a family member or friend to sponsor the patient undergoing fertility treatment by making the monthly payments on their behalf.

Financing through Future Family is available to CCRM Fertility patients in Atlanta, Boston, Colorado, Dallas Fort-Worth, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, Northern Virginia and San Francisco. To schedule a telehealth or in-person appointment with a CCRM Fertility physician, visit CCRMIVF.com. Visit futurefamily.com to learn more about its fertility financing options.

About CCRM Fertility

Founded by Dr. William Schoolcraft in 1987, CCRM (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine) Fertility is the nation’s leader in fertility care and research. CCRM Fertility specializes in the most advanced fertility treatments, with deep expertise in in vitro fertilization (IVF), fertility assessment, fertility preservation, genetic testing, third party reproduction and egg donation. Unlike many other fertility clinics that outsource their specialists and testing needs, CCRM Fertility leverages its own data, as well as a dedicated team of in-house reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and geneticists in order to deliver industry-leading outcomes. CCRM Fertility operates 11 fertility centers (including 28 offices) throughout North America, serving prospective parents in major metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York, Northern Virginia, Minneapolis, Orange County, San Francisco Bay Area, and Toronto. For more information, visit www.ccrmivf.com, become a fan on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

About Future Family

Future Family is where women, men, and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. It combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family is headquartered in San Francisco and operates nationwide.

IVF while exciting can feel stressful when you are going through it. The medications, the exact timing, all the doctor’s appointments, and all of the emotions can make it feel overwhelming. While we can't take away all of the pressure, and stress of IVF, we want to offer you some tips that can lighten the load of IVF stress and get you set up for a better journey from the start.

1) Start preparing your lifestyle

During your IVF journey, there will be some things you cannot control, which might feel frustrating. There are however many things you can control, and getting your lifestyle set up for IVF is a great way to help you feel empowered before you even start.

Things like healthy food choices, cutting out all alcohol and tobacco consumption, and staying active, are just a few of the steps you help make your IVF journey healthy and lower IVF stress.  

2) Come up with some stress management tools

It will be really helpful to come up with some go-to methods to help manage your stress before you start your process. These can be as simple as going for walks, playing video games or watching mindless TV. This also might be a good time to take up a meditation practice, and we’ve got a lot of anecdotal evidence that acupuncture actually helps people going through IVF relax quite a bit on their IVF journey.

3) Build your support team

Teamwork makes the dream work. There will be peaks and valleys along your IVF journey and like any journey, it helps to have a group of people you can turn to to help you get through the next stretch. It’s important to consider who you want in this group because it might be a different group of people than you’ve turned to in the past. For example, you may not feel comfortable sharing this experience with your parents or usual group of friends, because of the personal and unpredictable nature of the process. Instead, you may want to seek out other people you know who have gone through IVF as they will likely be more familiar with what you’re experiencing.

One plus of working with Future Family is that we’re in your corner. Every plan comes with support from our Fertility Coaches, who are all registered nurses with years of healthcare experience helping thousands of people go through IVF and deal with IVF stress. They’re here to answer your questions during treatment so we’re with you every step of the way.

4) Think of strategies to stay on top of your meds

This is one thing that you can control and will dramatically improve your chances at a successful IVF cycle. That said, we know that staying on top of your medications - taking the correct doses at the right time, consistently - can be a lot to manage. So before you start your IVF journey, think about some tricks you know work for you. Try setting alerts on your phone and creating some calendar reminders (and enable push notifications). You can also place a post-it on your phone before you go to bed so that you see it first thing in the morning. The idea is to find some things that work for you before you start so you’re already ahead of the game.

If keeping track is too much for you to manage alone ask your partner to set reminders to remind you. This may seem like overkill, but it’s one of the few things that is 100% in your power to control and can really improve your chances of a successful IVF cycle.

5) Make a financial plan

Ok, so this is probably the least exciting but most stressful part of the IVF experience - financial planning. It’s easy to let the worry of how you are going to pay for your IVF overshadow your journey. This is why it’s great to start thinking about financing before you start.

Future Family has low-interest fertility loans that make paying for your fertility treatments much easier. Not only do we help spread out the cost of your treatment to make IVF more accessible, we also consolidate all of your bills into one simple payment so you have less to keep track of during an already intense period.

6) Now just trust your team (and yourself)

You did all that hard work of researching the best doctors and clinic for you, now trust that you did a good job and let the team take the lead. It is SO tempting to turn to Dr. Google whenever something happens or feels different. It’s so tempting to look for new homeopathic solutions or home remedies that will improve your chances of a successful IVF cycle, but the internet can be a scary place when you’re searching for medical advice.

It’s best to trust your doctors and Fertility Coach to do their job, so that you can do yours - taking good care of yourself, keeping up on your medications and looking after your mental health. In essence, you want to give yourself the space and tools you can to experience this moment.

Of course, if some alternative medicines give you peace of mind, by all means, treat yourself. Just know that your doctors and Fertility Coaches are doing everything in their power to make sure you get your desired result, so you don’t have to go out and find the magic fertility solution on some stranger’s blog.

The Takeaway:

We want you to feel empowered on your IVF journey so you can enjoy the excitement with less stress. With a little prep work, you’ll be able to let go of some of the IVF stress, and focus on what matters.

Fertility IQ estimates the total cost to freeze eggs is around $15,000 to $20,000 per cycle, and many women opt for two cycles. However, planning and researching providers will help you find the safest and most affordable options.

If you’ve been having trouble conceiving, rest assured, this doesn’t mean starting a family is no longer an option. You can take action now to invest in your future family and give it your best shot when the time is right. Consult with your doctor to find out if freezing your eggs is a good option for you.

In the meantime, take a few minutes to learn about the process, including how much it costs to freeze eggs.

The Cost to Freeze Your Eggs—6 Factors to Consider

How much it is to freeze your eggs involves understanding the various components. Factor in the following items when estimating the cost of your egg retrieval and storage:

1. Preliminary Doctor Visits - Before your eggs can be retrieved, you will need to have some tests and monitoring done, including bloodwork and ultrasounds.
   
2. Stimulation Medications - Your ovaries will require some stimulation before your eggs can be retrieved. This is done using prescription medication.
   
3. Egg Retrieval - Egg retrieval is the visit when your eggs will be collected.
   
4. Anesthesia - Egg retrieval is a mild outpatient surgical procedure, typically using some form of anesthesia.
   
5. Cryopreservation/Vitrification - Once retrieved, your eggs will be frozen in liquid nitrogen to preserve them for use at a later time.
   
6. Storage - When the procedure is complete, you will need to store your eggs until you are ready to use them. You will need to pay the storage facility fees until you are ready to use your eggs.

Payment Options for Egg Freezing Expenses

For many women, a potentially five-figure price tag causes hesitation. Before ruling out the procedure due to cost, find out what options are available to you for payment.

• Employee Benefits - Find out if your employer provides any fertility assistance and if it includes egg freezing.
  
• Health Insurance - This procedure is not typically covered by health insurance unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as cancer. However, some portion of the process may still be covered and will lower your total cost.
  
• FSA/HSA - There may also be instances, such as infertility, that allow you to use a flex spending account or health savings account to pay for egg freezing.
  
• Family Members - You may not enjoy asking people for money, but keep in mind that your parents probably want grandchildren as much as you want children. Find out if they are willing to contribute a portion of the cost to freeze eggs.
  
• Financing - You can also pay for this type of expenditure with a personal loan or other financing option.
  

What Is the Best Age to Freeze Your Eggs?

The best time to freeze your eggs is in your late twenties, since fertility tends to decline around age thirty. However, many women in their early-to-mid twenties freeze their eggs.

According to The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), an optimal time to freeze your eggs is in your 20’s and early 30’s. Simply put, the longer you wait, the lower your chances of having enough high-quality eggs.

If you have an underlying condition that can minimize your eggs’ quality and quantity, you may want to consider freezing your eggs sooner rather than later. These conditions may include:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Sickle cell anemia
• Upcoming medical treatments such as chemotherapy

And of course, many women choose to pursue egg freezing for other reasons such as career or personal matters. Whatever the reason, freezing your eggs can be a viable way to control the timing of your pregnancy.

How Long Does Freezing Eggs Take?

It takes about three weeks to complete the egg freezing cycle. The process of retrieving your eggs is similar to the first phase of IVF. It includes:

• One to two weeks of birth control pills
• Nine to ten days of hormone injections

When your eggs mature, they are removed while you are under intravenous sedation, and the eggs are immediately frozen. Most women freeze their eggs for five to ten years. But some babies have been born from frozen eggs stored for over 14 years.  

When you are ready for pregnancy, the eggs are:

• Thawed
• Injected and fertilized by sperm in a lab
• Transferred to your uterus as an embryo

Is Egg Freezing Worth It?

Yes, egg freezing is worth it. It’s a great option for those looking to control the timing of their pregnancy, and more importantly, it gives them the opportunity to start the family they deserve.

Here are some more benefits to egg freezing:

• It gives you the opportunity to become a biological parent.
• If you have a genetic condition such as ovarian aneuploidy, egg freezing can help you reduce the risk of having kids with chromosomal abnormalities.
• It’s an option for women who want children but do not have a partner yet.
• It takes away the pressure to find the right partner in time so you can focus on your priorities.
• It puts things under your control. The idea of having children can feel like a lot with societal and familial pressures. Egg freezing puts these at ease and ultimately does what matters most—putting you and your choices first.

Finance Your Egg Freezing

Future Family provides customized financing to enable you to have your eggs frozen. We can help you with an affordable payment plan to cover the cost to freeze eggs, as well as clinical visits, medication, and storage. We’ll even handle the payments you owe to multiple providers, leaving you with just one payment and significantly less stress.

Get started today to learn more about how much it costs to have your eggs frozen and how Future Family can help you fit egg freezing into your financial plan.

Women struggling with fertility issues can often have complicated relationships with their bodies. Women have been told for centuries that their bodies are built to get pregnant, but what happens when it’s not working?  For Ellaine Laboy, her fertility journey changed from being frustrated with her body to loving it.

Ellaine and her husband Joel were high school sweethearts who met more than 16 years ago in Puerto Rico. Early in their marriage, Ellaine was determined to focus on her education with a goal of being a psychologist instead of starting a family.

When the couple moved away from their family in Peurto Rico to Utah for Joel’s career, Ellaine was focused on her education more than getting pregnant. However, when Joel was offered a job in Houston, which was much closer to Puerto Rico, something in Ellaine changed. She had only a year left on her Masters in industrial psychology, but for some reason, her drive for her career wasn’t as urgent as she once felt. She realized that what she wanted more than anything was a baby and to become a mother before she turned 30.

Joel was ecstatic with this news, and they started trying to get pregnant immediately. After several months of trying, Ellaine went to talk to her OB/GYN, who told Ellaine that at her age of 27 and her body being in such good health, she should have no problem getting pregnant. But when Ellaine returned to her OB/GYN not pregnant a year later, she was referred to a fertility clinic.

Initially, going to a fertility clinic was too scary and expensive for Ellaine to consider. It took her almost five months to finally schedule an appointment. She and her husband felt overwhelmed during the first consultation and the diagnosis of “unexplained infertility”. Joel had a good sperm count and Ellaine had a high egg count and no fibroids.  IVF felt like a big undertaking, so they decided to wait.

During this time, Joel’s mother became sick and unfortunately died on Christmas 2018. When Joel and Ellaine returned to Puerto Rico, they were surrounded by family. Although he felt at peace with his mother passing, being around his family again made him realize he was still missing something. Joel wanted to be a father and start his own family.

Ellaine and Joel committed again to fertility treatments. To help improve her mind and body for the next stage, Ellaine focused on eating more healthy, using organic products and started therapy as well as acupuncture.

She went to Houston Fertility Institute, and under the careful guidance of Dr. Kim started with IUIs, but there were issues because Ellaine was an “over responder”, meaning her ovarian reserve was so good, that she was producing too many eggs. This meant there was a high risk of Ellaine becoming pregnant with multiple babies. However, this response is great for IVF. The couple decided to move forward with IVF so they could control the number of embryos and have a higher chance of success.

Houston Fertility Institute recommended Future Family as a possible way to finance Ellaine’s IVF treatment. She had heard about the company through her Facebook fertility groups, who loved Future Family for its additional fertility coaching support as well as the low-interest rates and bill pay management.

“We could have used credit cards or taken the money out of our 401K, but neither of those options included access to a fertility coach. I had so many questions of what is normal and instead of going down a Google rabbit hole, I could talk to a Future Family fertility coach, which calmed me down so much. IVF looks so scary from the outside, but having someone to hold your hand while going through it was a lifesaver.”

During the egg retrieval prep time, Ellaine had a lot of doubt about IVF. But on the day of the retrieval, she decided to do something extraordinary. She thanked her body and focused on loving it. It was with this step that changed her mindset because she knew her body was working hard for her. Her body responded with 29 eggs that led to 18 frozen embryos.

On Oct. 23rd, she had her egg transfer and waited almost two weeks before succumbing to an at-home pregnancy test. To her amazement, two strong lines appeared in seconds. After four years of trying, Ellaine was finally pregnant.

For Ellaine, the rest of 2019 was spent with morning sickness and joy knowing that her body was caring for her baby. In 2020 the pandemic turned her weekly doctor appointments into zoom calls. Every month her body made room for her growing baby, making Ellaine more connected to her body and filling her with gratitude.

One day in June, Ellaine had a bad case of heartburn, which had never been an issue during her pregnancy. Something deep down in her body told her that something was off. She called her doctor, who asked her to go to the hospital. For some reason, Ellaine packed her hospital bag and headed there. It turned out that she had an inflamed liver and needed to have her baby that night. Induction would be too much stress on the baby, so she had a c-section and a couple of hours later, she was holding her perfect baby boy weighing in at 5 lbs and 6 oz. Ellaine listened to her body and it made all the difference in delivering her healthy perfect son.

Over the past few years, Ellaine’s relationship with her body changed from frustration to love during her journey to become a mother. She trusted and loved her body even when it was challenging to do. Almost five years later, the end result of her sweet baby boy was well worth the wait.

Like many couples, Ebonee and Daniel met through mutual friends. But it was when they started following each other on Instagram that sparks started to fly. Ebonee was immediately charmed by Daniel’s pictures of his daughter, Hayden from a previous relationship. When Daniel asked her out on a date, Ebonee said yes. That first date went so well, many more followed and soon they were moving as a couple to Las Vegas from their original home town of Los Angeles.

Ebonee not only fell into love with Daniel but with his daughter and started to think about having a baby. She discussed it with Daniel and they decided to start trying to get pregnant. After a year and a half of negative pregnancy tests, they knew they needed help. At the Fertility Clinic of Las Vegas, the couple took several tests, including a simulation test, where they discovered that Ebonee’s left tube was closed, making it very hard to conceive.

It was time to start looking at alternatives ways to get pregnant, like IVF.

Ebonee and Daniel felt overwhelmed by IVF. Not just the actual process itself, but also how to pay for it. While online one night, Ebonee read about Future Family.

“When I heard about Future Family I thought it was too good to be true,” Ebonee said, “I didn’t think It was real. I didn’t think someone actually cared about my situation. They gave me hope when I felt hopeless.”

Ebonee talked with Claire Tomkins, CEO and founder of Future Family, about her situation and the two bonded over wanting to become mothers. Future Family provided not only a manageable financial plan for Ebonee and Daniel to start IVF treatments, but also partnered her with a dedicated Fertility Coach, Christy, to support her through the IVF cycle.

For Daniel and Ebonee, Christy became an essential guide through the IVF process. When they left the pharmacy with multiple medications and needles, they didn’t know what to do. Fearing he would do it wrong and hurt her, Daniel was nervous about giving Ebonee her first injection. Christy came to the rescue, walking him through the first injection, watching him on Facetime to make sure he got it right.

Their Fertility Coach also set them up on a schedule making sure they took the right meds at the right times so that there would be no margin for error going into the embryo transfer.

Christy was also there to answer Ebonee’s many questions. Everything from, “what is the difference between hCG and HSG” to “is this a symptom of pregnancy?”

Soon after the embryo transfer, Ebonee had to find out whether or not she was pregnant. She took a pregnancy test and when it came back positive she almost couldn’t believe it. She was pregnant!  Ten days later, it was confirmed by the doctor. At the first sonogram, they saw their baby, as small as a jelly bean and knew it was real.

Even though Ebonee suffered from nausea and couldn’t stand the smell of meat, she cruised through her pregnancy with ease giving birth in October to a beautiful baby girl, Kali.

The past year has been a whirlwind for Daniel and Ebonee of swaddling, hugging, kissing, loving and enjoying this wonderful little person.

Kali just had her first birthday and is clearly a beloved addition to her family. According to Ebonee, Kali lights up a room with her big smile and happy personality and says that she just started walking and recently sprouted two perfect little teeth. She also loves playing with her big sister and dancing to Baby Shark.

“Future Family became my support and ultimately allowed me to feel what it feels like to experience unconditional love . . . A beautiful baby girl. I can not thank them enough for her.”

Thank you, Ebonee, for sharing your story with us and we hope it inspires others. We look forward to more updates and seeing how Kali, Ebonee, and Daniel are doing in the future.

Photography by: Drew Bird Photography

When Sabrina was trying to have a second child with her husband, Robby, they weren’t sure if they were going to be able to afford IVF in the timeline they wanted. An ad on Facebook led her to Future Family, who created a plan to not only help finance their IVF cycle but offered her a full team of experts to make her IVF experience as easy and smooth as possible. Future Family’s digital solution allowed her to manage her care from the comfort of her own home. Here’s her story.

Photos by Drew Bird Photography.

When Sabrina moved back to her home town in Texas to be closer to family, she didn’t know she was going to meet the love of her life. She started hanging out with her old high school friends, but one friend, Robby, a strawberry blonde landscape architect, quickly stood out.

Sabrina was immediately charmed by not only how sweet Robby was to her, but to her son, Ryan, from a previous relationship. Whether it was watching the Dallas Cowboys together or working on his race cars, Robby included Ryan, which created a strong bond between them.

In 2016, Sabrina and Robby began building a house together with family in mind. From the large living space for entertaining relatives to a potential nursery, the house was going to be the perfect home for Sabrina, Robby, Ryan, and hopefully a new baby. They finished their new home just in time to have their wedding ceremony in the backyard with Ryan as the ring bearer in January 2017.

Once Sabrina and Robby were married, they started tracking her ovulation to conceive a child together. However, after several months of trying and negative pregnancy tests, they began to think about getting help. That’s when Sabrina and Robby turned to the Fertility Center of San Antonio. After extensive tests, they realized that IVF was going to be their best option for having a baby.

How Future Family was  so much more than a loan, but the IVF solution they needed

As is often the case, IVF is a more expensive option but does have a higher success rate than IUI or other options. Financially, it wasn’t the best time, since they just finished building their house, so they made a goal of saving money specifically for the IVF treatment and waiting a year before moving forward with IVF. That timeline wasn’t working for Sabrina as Ryan was already eight and she and Robby wanted their children to be closer in age.

One day on Facebook, Ryan’s aunt tagged Sabrina in an ad for Future Family and she knew that this was the missing link to creating the family she dreamed about. She and Robby had a “rainy day fund” that they could use to move forward with IVF immediately, but there was something about letting go of that huge chunk of money. It just didn’t seem like a prudent financial decision to empty out their savings. But monthly payments like a car payment? That seemed doable and it worked with her tighter timeline.

Sabrina had a team of experts to help her through IVF

One of the best benefits of working with Future Family is your dedicated Fertility Coach. Each Fertility Coach at Future Family is a registered nurse with an average of 5+ years in fertility healthcare. This means that Sabrina had someone she could call after clinic hours or on the weekends when she had questions. It also means that someone else was making sure she was taking her medications to lower any chances for medication issues to occur. Sabrina was set up with her Future Family Fertility Coach, Christy, who created special color-coded spreadsheets to make sure that she was taking the right medicines at the right time. Sabrina loved how organized Christy was and that she had a direct line to someone to answer all of her IVF-related questions.

Future Family also handled another stress point for Sabrina and her family as they were going through IVF: bill pay management. Sabrina didn’t have to even go to the payment desk at the fertility desk because Future Family took care of paying the bills directly, saving time and stress, so she could focus on her IVF treatment.

Sabrina had a positive feeling...

After the IVF treatment embryo transfer, Sabrina felt she was pregnant and couldn’t resist taking a pregnancy test that proved that her feelings were correct.  During the first ultrasound, Robby was blown away to actually see his baby that was roughly the size of a pin.

In October 2018 Sabrina, Robby, and Ryan welcomed the newest member of their family, Brooklyn. It was love at first sight for each member of the family. Big brother, Ryan had been asking for a baby sister for years and presented Brooklyn with a bear he made for her. One of the best parts of that day for Sabrina has been watching Robby soak up being a parent and the deep pride that emanated from him just holding his first-born child.

“In that hospital room, I watched love multiply immediately to become a family of four from a family of three,” Sabrina said. “It felt so right.”

Brooklyn just turned one with a big safari-themed birthday party. She loves to climb everything from the couch to the little slide her grandparents bought her. Although Brooklyn can be a little shy when meeting new people, once she is comfortable, she’s all smiles and giggles. She likes to spend her days with family, laughing and smiling and walking all over the house. Whether she’s dancing to “Hot Potato” or following her big brother around the backyard she’s added so much joy to her family.

With doting grandparents and relatives so close by, Robby and Sabrina have all the babysitters they need, but they enjoy being home with each other in the lovely house they built, spending time together with the family they wanted.

Sabrina and Robby’s home may get a bit of remodeling soon, as Sabrina is currently pregnant again! A surprise but very welcome addition to the family is expected in 2020. It might be a tight fit for three children in their home, but Sabrina and Robby are happy to expand their love to fit a new family member. After all, this house was built to be a home filled with love.

Photos by Drew Bird Photography.

How much does IVF cost with Future Family

The average cost of IVF treatment cost per cycle is $12,000, but that is just the clinic cost. It doesn’t include pre-testing, medication, genetic testing, or any donor services, which can increase the cost of IVF by thousands of dollars per cycle. Although there are many ways to prepare for IVF treatment, figuring out how much does IVF cost can potentially make the dream of having a baby seem further out of reach. However, we are here to help.

Our Mission: Reducing the Cost of IVF

and Fertility Treatments

We want to make IVF and Fertility Treatment more accessible and more affordable. Why? The number of women, men, and couples that are seeking fertility treatments is rapidly increasing. It’s also personal – many of us at Future Family have been through fertility treatments, so we are creating affordable IVF financing options and support that we wish we had had while seeking IVF and fertility treatments.

Lowering the Cost of IVF

We understand the frustrations of trying to conceive and the last thing that needs to be on your mind is suffering an outlandish fee. Below we explore how Future Family can help lower the cost of IVF:

1. Medication planning and discounts: The cost of IVF medications can range from $4,000-$11,000, depending on your treatment plan. Your fertility coach will help you order the necessary amount so you don’t waste money on fertility medications. To save even more money, you will receive up to 15% discount on fertility meds from our partner pharmacies.
   
2. Low-Interest rates and no prepayment penalties: If you put the full IVF cost on a credit card or personal loan, you run the risk of paying up to 28% in monthly interest. We’ll save you the added cost with some of the lowest interest rates you will find. And if you’re ready to pay off your loan or pay it down faster, there are absolutely no prepayment penalties.
   
3. Share the cost with a family member: Our Grandbaby Loan allows a family member to take out a fertility loan in their name, to help you pay for IVF. With an average cost of $15,000 per cycle, the Grandbaby Plan opens up doors to all family members who want to help financially, and in turn, allows more people to qualify for Future Family’s financing plans.
   

We get it. Infertility treatments can be overwhelming – that’s why we want to help make it easier. When you get started with Future Family, we will walk you through the total IVF cost and every line item of your plan, so you have peace of mind from the get-go. Starting with a Future Family loan can help in the long run as you can save money for things you will need once you get pregnant like doctor visits.

Get Started With Affordable IVF and Fertility Treatment Plans From Future Family

The high cost of IVF is the number one barrier why most don’t end up moving forward. Let us take off some of the financial burden so you can focus on you and your future family.  Get Started today and learn how much IVF costs and how Future Family can help you get an amazing rate!

Prequalify today

Prequalify today

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.

Picture this: You’ve just finished an appointment at the fertility clinic, and as you are packing up to head out, your nurse says nonchalantly, “Make sure to swing by the billing desk before you leave.” A feeling of dread overcomes you. The last thing you want to deal with after being poked and prodded for the nth time is medical bills. You approach the billing desk feeling anxious and uncertain about what your bill is going to be and if you will be able to pay for it.

Now, picture this same scenario, but you are a Future Family client. No sweat – your bills are covered. You pack up your things and are on your way back to your life.

But how does this all work after you sign your Agreement? We get this question a lot – so let’s walk through the process.

1. Your Initial Consultation with your fertility coach. Get to know your coach, discuss your calendar, and chat about everything you need to know about the journey ahead.
2. Clinic Payments: Your fertility coach will contact your clinic to make sure all upfront payments are made on time before you get started.
3. Medication: Once your meds have been prescribed from your doctor, we will order them from our preferred pharmacy so you can get 15% off. These will be delivered overnight to your front door.
4. Third party costs: (i.e; testing, agency, or travel fees) covered in your plan will also be paid for directly.
5. Didn’t use your full financing amount? Any money not spent will go towards an automatic prepayment to your plan.

It’s time to part ways with the billing desk.

Still looking to get started? Prequalify today.

One question we get a lot is: “What is included in a Future Family plan?” We get it – figuring out what IVF financing is needed to cover IVF costs can give anyone a headache. That’s why Future Family assigns every client a dedicated account manager to make sure that you understand where every dollar goes as part of the cost of IVF.

Since everyone’s IVF treatment journey is different, our personal fertility loans are built and customized to our clients’ specific treatment. That’s why we work directly with your IVF clinic near you to make sure that we have the exact IVF costs, so the loan covers the right amount. We also take into account your IVF insurance coverage to make the most of all your available financing options.

The key treatments and procedures that can be included in your Future Family plan are:

• All in-cycle monitoring, blood work, and ultrasounds
• Medications
• Egg retrieval
• IVF surgery fees
• ICSI/PICSI (this is when the embryologist injects the sperm directly into the egg, which helps with fertilization rates)
• Genetic embryo testing (biopsy, analysis, and shipping, if your clinic uses a third-party lab)
• Cryopreservation/storage
• Frozen embryo transfers (including Monitoring, Blood work, and ultrasounds.)

We are also able to finance:

• Embryo adoption
• Fresh donor cycles: We currently can only finance fresh donor cycles that are handled directly through your clinic - we are unable to support fresh donor cycles using a third party agency
• Frozen donor cycles: We can finance the purchase of frozen eggs from third party egg banks
• Travel: we offer up to $750 of financing for travel if your clinic is more than 50 miles away from your home

Once you have a Future Family affordable IVF financing plan, you get access to our dedicated Fertility Coaching program. Your Fertility Coach is one of the favorite things past clients love about our IVF treatment plans. All Future Family Fertility Coaches are registered nurses with years of experience at leading clinics nationwide. Having an additional advocate and resource while going through IVF can be a huge help and relief. Think of her as your own personal fertility specialist. You can read more about what our Fertility Coaches do in this blog post. You can read some of the review of our Fertility Coaching here.

Since Future Family is specifically focused on loans for IVF, here are some of the procedures and costs Future Family does not cover:

• OBGYN Expenses
• Surrogacy Fees (we can finance the clinic costs of a surrogacy cycle, just not the surrogate themselves)
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
• Tubal or Vasectomy Reversals surgery
• Legal Fees and Psychological Fees associated with Donor Cycles
• Fresh Donor Cycles handled through an Agency
• Surgeries completed outside of a standard Fertility Clinic
• Foreign medication

I hope this post helped shed some light on what’s included in a Future Family loan for in vitro fertilization financing. If you have questions or would like more information about how Future Family can create a fertility loan for you, please feel free to email us at customercare@futurefamily.com.

Thanks, and we hope to hear from you soon!

More and more celebrities and high-profile women are openly sharing their IVF stories, but not necessarily their complete how-to-guide.  In addition to boutique clinics and on-call doctors, many work with a Fertility Coach.

At Future Family, we provide all of our clients with a dedicated Fertility Coach, which is a wonderful added layer of support in addition to the amazing team at your fertility clinic.

So, what is a Fertility Coach exactly and how does it work?

Think personal coach with a degree in fertility. Coaches do many things to support you from helping you prepare for all that’s ahead to answering questions (early in the morning or late at night) to personalizing your care. Not to mention debriefing after doctor visits and coming up with a plan to handle the nerve-wracking wait to the final pregnancy test.

Importantly, coaches are all about the personal side of fertility. It’s not one size fits all, and you’ll have many, many questions along the way.

Yes, you have other supporters on this journey (most importantly, your fertility clinic team) – but your Coach brings her expertise along with her compassion.

And because IVF is a big time and financial investment, you’ll want to make sure you’re working towards the best outcome.

Here are just some of the ways our Fertility Coaches make a difference in your experience.

1)   Get all your IVF questions answered by a trusted expert

Doctor Google is notorious for leading people looking for health answers on a downward spiral. That’s why it’s important for you to have an expert on hand to answer your questions. All our Fertility Coaches are registered nurses who have worked at top fertility clinics across the country. No question is too big or too small, so you’ll have the insight and the answers you need. Our Fertility Coaches are available on the weekends and after hours, making it a great back up when you have burning questions outside of your fertility clinic hours.

2)   Feel supported throughout IVF

Our Fertility Coaches are 100% focused on you. They’ll help you understand and prepare for each step of the process – from diagnostic testing, to what meds you’ll need and why. Worried about giving yourself the first injection? Your fertility coach can be by your side via video to make sure you are doing everything correctly – no judgement!

3)   Take off the stress

Real talk: IVF is one of the most stressful experiences one can go through. Your Fertility Coach can help alleviate your stress by not only addressing issues you’re worried about, but helping manage your care, so you can focus on your treatments. Your Fertility Coach will go the extra mile to help you with things like: letting you know when you’ll require medication refills, checking up on you, and be in constant contact during your stimulation, egg retrieval, and implantation phases. This person is like the mentor you never knew you needed.

4)   Have an advocate to help you understand all your options

The key word is “your,” because a Fertility Coach is all about your individualized care. Sure, you may have read about what worked for someone else on a blog, but your Fertility Coach is there to explain the options that make the most sense for you.

“My fertility coach was available to me whenever I had a question big or small, or just needed some encouragement. I’m grateful to have had her support every step of the way.” - Ashley B

Our Fertility Coaches have been called by past clients the best part of their IVF experience, and are only one (but incredibly important) member of your team. You can read some of our positive reviews here.

Hi! I’m Kailey Klein. As an Account Manager here at Future Family, my specialty is helping our clients understand the financial benefits of our IVF Plans. There are lots of questions – and we get it, because investing in IVF is a really big commitment.

The question I get asked the most is how Future Family is different from other options including online lending companies, banks, or even a credit card. And trust me, there are A LOT of differences. Afterall, our CEO, Claire Tomkins, went through IVF herself and understands the particular stresses around paying for fertility and getting the support you need.

With that in mind, here are the key differences between Future Family and other options:

1. You only pay one low monthly bill and we take care of the rest

Wouldn’t it feel great to go to your fertility clinic, pharmacy, or the lab and not worry about paying the bill? That’s how our IVF Plans work. We roll all your third-party bills into plan. You don’t have to stress over managing and paying multiple bills. We handle everything so you can focus on your treatment.

Our plans typically start around $300/mo, but will vary based on your clinic costs, credit score and income.

We understand that your treatment protocol is unique to you, and will differ based on the clinic you choose. Our team creates a financing plan tailored to your specific IVF needs and clinic, while keeping in mind your financial priorities.

2. You’ll get the full financial picture

It’s notoriously hard to get the full picture in IVF. There are all the “extras,” the clinic costs are separate from pharmacy and other providers, and so on.  Our team is specializes in this area. We will  walk you through a full estimate. Pro tip: your initial medication estimate is often going to be on the low side. There are many reasons you need more meds and we can help you figure that out and decide how much coverage you want in your IVF Plan.

3. We offer the lowest monthly plan out there

Our average our payment plans are lower per month than other options thanks to competitive interest rates, flexible terms (up to 60 months), and our discounts for medication and labwork. We are proud to offer interest rates starting at 7.99%* and vary based on the credit score and plan.

4. Our Friends and Family Plan let a friend of family take out a loan on your behalf

We now offer  a new way your friends and family can help sponsor your fertility treatments. Our Friends and Family Plan lets a family member or friend take out a fertility loan on your behalf. combining all your treatment costs into one easy monthly payment. Like all Future Family plans it features the same services as our classic IVF and egg freezing plans but with more flexibility in who pays.

What else can you expect?  Complete flexibility to manage the plan how you want. No prepayment penalties. No hidden fees. In a nutshell, at Future Family we’re all about improving the financing of IVF.

We look forward to helping you move forward!

Sign in to prequalify.

* Terms and Conditions Apply. Your interest rate will depend upon credit score, income, loan amount, loan term, and credit history. APR ranges from 7% to 15%. For example, if you take out a Future Family loan for $18,000 with an APR of 8% and a 60-month term, Future Family will disburse $18,000 to vendors on your behalf and you will make 60 monthly payments of $364.98. Alternatively, if you take out a Future Family loan for $18,000 with an APR of 15% and a 60-month term, Future Family will disburse $18,000 to vendors on your behalf and you will make 60 monthly payments of $428.22. No down payment is required and there is no prepayment penalty. Our financing plans do not charge upfront loan fees, but there are membership fees associated with our membership and concierge offerings. Closing of your loan is contingent upon your agreement of all the required agreements and disclosures as required by Future Family or A-Frame Capital, LLC.

Starting your IVF journey can feel daunting, especially when you consider the financial commitment you’re about to make. Luckily, there are many financing options available to help you pay – personal loans, credit cards, borrowing from a friend/family member – but only Future Family financing is developed with you in mind. Why? Because most of us have been there. And we want to make sure that you have the smoothest IVF or egg freezing experience possible.

According to NCBI, stress and anxiety during IVF can compromise the success of the treatment. We take out the upfront financial burden, and provide support beyond what you would receive anywhere else, so you can have the best chance of success.

How Future Family compares to other financing options

Here are the ways Future Family’s financing is less stressful than a loan from a bank or credit card:

• Our plan is personalized just for you. After you have finalized your IVF plan and next steps with your fertility doctor, our account managers will meet with you to create the best financing plan for your needs, taking into consideration your specific IVF journey.
• Future Family financing is transparent, so you understand exactly what you are paying for: Our account managers walk you through all of the different costs, such as lab work, medication, or clinic appointments, so you understand where every dollar of your loan goes.  Having clarity in your financing, so you know you are making the right choice.
• Your loan is locked and loaded and doesn’t change. Once your loan is finalized, your monthly payment won’t change, meaning you can manage your monthly budget without worrying about unexpected additional IVF expenses. You don’t have to worry about potential financial changes in the loan.
• We manage all the IVF or egg freezing related bills for you. Future Family will manage and pay all of your IVF related bills – from your medications to your clinic bills to your genetic tests – so you don’t have to worry about it. You simply pay your monthly Future Family payment and we take care of the rest.
• You have access to our Fertility Coaching Service. Our Fertility Coaches are great resources throughout your IVF or egg freezing journey. Considered one of the best parts of working with Future Family, your Fertility Coach is available 24/7 to help answer any questions you might have to make sure you feel informed and empowered to make the best decisions throughout this process. You can read some of the ways our Fertility Coaches have helped past clients here.

In the end, flexible financing, plus constant support makes Future Family the best loan offering in the industry. We hope you’ll take the first step and reach out today to see how we can support you in your IVF journey.

Get started with our easy to use application process today.

Hi, I’m Nicole, head of Care Management for Future Family and I work with all of the Fertility Coaches to make sure our clients received the best support possible throughout their IVF journey.

First off, let me say that choosing to move forward with IVF means you have made an empowering choice to take control of your own fertility, leaning into cutting-edge science to bring you closer to your goal of having a baby. You aren’t alone in your decision to seek fertility assistance. More than 6 million women in the U.S. are turning to IVF to grow their families. Although it is very tempting to turn to the Internet for answers and read others’ IVF experiences, it is not always helpful.

Stories about what families have gone through trying to conceive, can be enriching. But these stories can be discouraging, too, especially when you are experiencing so much uncertainty about what might happen next in your own story.

When you start to compare your experience to others and question yourself, it’s good to remember the following:

1)   Your IVF journey will be as unique as you are

No two fertility experience will look the same. Reading about and talking to others who have done IVF may help you feel less alone. Just as you are unique, the reasons you came to IVF are unique, and so too will be your experience.

2)   You are not alone, but this is all about you

At Future Family, we know everyone has a unique story to tell, and that each person who comes to IVF has walked a different path to get here. While it’s comforting to know others are right there with you, choosing IVF is also a deeply personal decision. Ultimately, this is all about you. Focus on your care plan, and personal fertility goals.

3)   Stay focused on your personal journey by:

• Limiting the number of fertility blogs you read. Try not to overdose on IVF stories (Okay—maybe just a couple blogs...)
• Saving your questions for your Fertility Coach at Future Family.
• Finding a way to release tension, like yoga, meditation, reading, writing, or cooking, and make this a part of your daily routine.
• Surrounding yourself with people who support and lift you up.

And above all, remember, no one compares to you, your story, or the journey you are about to embark upon.

Having trouble trying to conceive and turning to alternative ways to get pregnant, like IVF, is nothing to be ashamed of.

Having trouble trying to conceive and turning to alternative ways to get pregnant, like IVF, is nothing to be ashamed of.

Finding out you have fertility issues often makes women and men feel discouraged. There is no need to feel discouraged or ashamed of receiving this kind of news. Since everyone is different and has different circumstances, consider that 1 in 8 couples need some form of fertility help to conceive. The average age women start their families may be one of the reasons fertility treatments are becoming increasingly common. Statistics tells us more women than ever are having babies later in life. In fact, according to the CDC, women in their 30s are now having more babies than women in their 20s in the U.S.

And yet so many women find it hard to discuss their fertility issues with others. Or that they are even looking into alternative ways to try to conceive, such as IVF (in vitro fertilization). You may not know it, but if you have turned to IVF for help getting pregnant, you are part of a rising trend. According to the U.S. Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), an astonishing 1 million babies were born via IVF, or other assisted reproductive technologies between 1987 and 2015.

Meanwhile, we owe Michelle Obama, Chrissy Teigen, Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields, and many more women in the spotlight a debt of gratitude for opening up about the IVF journeys that lead them to their children. This can give you confidence as you are going through your own personal journey that it is not just you having a hard time.

Why is it hard to talk about infertility?

Despite the multitude of information and stories that reflect the growing number of couples who seek fertility assistance, there seems to be a lingering sense that using IVF to conceive is somehow taboo. The proof? It’s rarely talked about, sometimes even among close friends. This only serves to fuel the feeling that you’re alone walking this path. So it’s no wonder IVF is only discussed in whispered tones, if at all. It’s a vicious cycle.

No one denies that going through IVF can be emotionally and physically challenging. Paying for expensive treatments of the IVF costs often adds to the burden. You may feel stressed and oversensitive, which is normal. So if you have caught yourself feeling hurt, angry, or resentful that some other people get pregnant with no effort, it’s OK. Don’t let those emotions spiral into shame or discouragement.

Instead, remember that the moment you get to hold your beautiful baby in your arms, it won’t matter how he or she got here. Your baby will not be any different because you needed help to conceive. But you’ll be different; a bit braver, stronger, and more grateful! Because you are an IVF warrior.

Think differently with infertility

Ultimately, you realize your dream to have a family is no one else’s business, unless you’d like it to be. But if you are like so many couples in the U.S. who turn to fertility treatments, there is also no reason to feel anything but pride about your path to parenthood.

So, when someone asks if you are trying to have a child, why not be open and honest about the work you are doing to become pregnant. By being open about your fertility issues, you are helping open the door for someone else to talk about their fertility issues.

Get help where you need it.

With a wide range of professionals that can help you along the way, it is important for you to be ready for that jounrey both emotionally and financially. Your personal infertility journey may be long, but there isn’t anything you can’t handle! At Future Family, we love to be with you along the way. Learn more about our affordable loan options that can help you with the financial woes that can come with treatment. View our IVF Plans today!

Written by Nicole Fry, head of care management, Future Family

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif -- December 12, 2018 -- Future Family, the female-founded company making world-class fertility care accessible to women and couples nationwide, today announced a $100MM credit facility from Atalaya Capital Management to finance fertility patients on their platform. With recent reports of the U.S. fertility rate sharply declining and women having fewer children than they’d like, due in part to starting families later in life, the demand for IVF and overall access to fertility care has risen considerably.

The partnership with Atalaya Capital Management enables Future Family to meet this rising demand and handle volumes required by even the nation’s largest clinics by financing thousands of families that cannot afford the high upfront costs of fertility care. This news arrives on the heels of Future Family’s $10 million equity fundraise and the launch of its industry-first subscription model. Under the subscription model, Future Family clients receive concierge healthcare that includes a dedicated ‘nurse concierge’ and a customized bundle of medical services through one easy monthly payment.

“Since launching our subscription model earlier this year, we’ve seen overwhelming demand, which only highlights how underserved this market has been to date,” said Claire Tomkins, the CEO and co-founder of Future Family who launched the startup based on her own fertility struggles. “With Atalaya as a partner, we’re now able to remove any limits on meeting this demand. We’re incredibly excited for this next level of growth.”

“Future Family is leading financial innovation in this important healthcare market and creating access where none existed,” said David Aidi, Partner at Atalaya Capital Management. “We’re thrilled to partner with the team to help women and couples across the country start and expand their families.”

Future Family’s subscription service tackles the financial and emotional burden of IVF and egg freezing. With subscription plans for IVF starting at $250 per month, fertility patients no longer have to worry about the crushing initial costs and can instead get started right away. Each subscription plan from Future Family includes:

• 24/7 on-demand support and a dedicated nurse concierge for emotional and logistical support
• The ability to cover all medical costs associated with egg freezing or IVF
• Customizable options to include services like genetic testing, holistic treatments such as acupuncture, and other items such as travel
• Digital health management
• An easy monthly payment

“We often see women and couples give up because of the financial or emotional toll it can take,” said Dr. Lynn Westphal, Future Family’s Medical Advisor and the Director of Fertility Preservation. “The Future Family subscription model addresses both of these concerns, making it much easier for clinics to help women and couples work through these challenges and keep working toward their goal of having a child.”

To learn more visit: www.futurefamily.com.

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men, and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family is headquartered in San Francisco and operates nationwide.

About Atalaya Capital Management:

Atalaya Capital Management is a privately held, SEC-registered alternative investment advisory firm. Atalaya focuses on making private credit and special opportunity investments across three principal asset classes – specialty finance, real estate, and corporate. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York City, Atalaya has approximately $4 billion in assets under management.

Media Contact

Emma Baron

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futurefamily@vscconsulting.com

Image Credit: Drew Bird

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - October 18, 2018 - Future Family, the female-founded company making world-class fertility care accessible to women and couples nationwide, today announced it has raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Aspect Ventures, with participation from iNovia, BBG Ventures, LaunchCapital, RiverPark Ventures, Ulu Ventures, Day One Ventures, and Portfolia. The company will use the funding to expand its new subscription service to top-rated fertility clinics across the country. Aspect Ventures Partner Lauren Kolodny will join the Future Family Board of Directors.

Our goal at Future Family is stress-free care. For us, that starts with easy subscriptions that make it affordable, accessible and personal, with all the support systems you need to navigate a complex healthcare journey. - Claire Tomkins, Founder and CEO

Unlike traditional financing plans for fertility care, which are rigid and charge high upfront costs, Future Family plans are more akin to services like Netflix: they are convenient, offer the most flexible financing option on the market today, allow clients to get started right away, and are cancelable at any time. With the addition of concierge care, women and couples are getting personal, supported care with their subscription. The company can also offer plans for IVF, egg freezing, 24/7 on-demand support, and all the medical costs associated with these procedures into one monthly payment. Plans can be customized to cover the cost of elective services like genetic testing–as well as travel expenses if needed.

The company was born out of CEO Claire Tomkins’ personal fertility struggles, which inspired her to change the experience for other women and couples. After undergoing six rounds of IVF costing more than $100,000 to conceive her daughter, Claire dealt firsthand with the fragmented, expensive, and isolating fertility service. Applying her background in consumer finance as a former SolarCity executive, Claire created Future Family to remove the stress associated with fertility care.

“Going through IVF was the most stressful period of my life, not knowing if it would work and failing through multiple rounds,” said Claire Tomkins, founder and CEO of Future Family. “Our goal at Future Family is stress-free care. For us, that starts with easy subscriptions that make it affordable, accessible and personal, with all the support systems you need to navigate a complex healthcare journey. I’m thrilled to be partnering with the team at Aspect Ventures, who share our passion for solving this problem.”

Through personal passion and deep experience, Claire and her team at Future Family are addressing many of the pain points of fertility care head-on and are offering millennials the choice, flexibility, and affordability that is currently lacking. - Lauren Colony, Partner - Aspect Ventures

Aspect Ventures is a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley founded in 2014 by two industry veterans - Theresia Gouw and Jennifer Fonstad. The firm raised its first institutional fund of $150 million in 2015 and a second investment fund of $181 million in 2017. Aspect invests across a broad array of industries including cybersecurity, future of work, digital health, and several other emerging technology areas.

“As we see more and more families choosing to have children later in life, the pain of navigating the complex, emotional and expensive process of fertility care only becomes more pronounced,” said Lauren Kolodny, Partner at Aspect Ventures. “Through personal passion and deep experience, Claire and her team at Future Family are addressing many of the pain points of fertility care head-on and are offering millennials the choice, flexibility, and affordability that is currently lacking.”

“We look for companies with the potential to leverage technology to develop exceptional consumer experiences and drive business model innovation. Future Family does both,” said Antoine Nivard, Principal, iNovia Capital. “Claire and her team have created a strong community behind their unique end-to-end solution for fertility care that perfectly addresses the needs of millions of people throughout the entire journey. We are excited to be part of Future Family’s next phase of growth as they reinvent fertility care for consumers and clinics across the country.”

We look for companies with the potential to leverage technology to develop exceptional consumer experiences and drive business model innovation. Future Family does both,” - Antoine Nivard, Principal, iNovia Capital.

Over the past year, Future Family has tripled its network of expert fertility nurses and expanded its clinic partnership program to top clinics across the country, including CCRM, Vios Fertility, and HRC.

Future Family’s team has truly gone above and beyond in making us feel supported. Without them, we wouldn’t have our son. - Heather Olivas, Future Family client.

“Before my husband and I found Future Family, we would have had to wait at least another year to start IVF because we couldn’t afford any other options -- we just didn’t have $15,000 to spare up front,” said Heather Olivas, a Future Family client who gave birth to her son in September 2018. “Future Family’s team has truly gone above and beyond in making us feel supported. Without them, we wouldn’t have our son.”

To learn more visit: www.futurefamily.com

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men, and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women and Eve Blossom, a serial entrepreneur in social impact and technology companies.

Media Contact

Emma Baron

VSC for Future Family

futurefamily@vscconsulting.com

San Francisco, CA - September 7, 2018 - Future Family, the female-founded company making fertility care accessible to all women, men and couples in the US, today launches the first fertility care subscription service. Subscription fertility is a new way for people to manage all of their fertility needs in one place with an easy monthly plan that can be canceled at any time. Instead of paying out of pocket and navigating their care on their own, women and couples can now sign up for a flexible subscription plan for IVF or egg freezing.

Although the fertility sector is experiencing rapid growth, considerable barriers remain around affordability, accessibility, and comprehensive support. The average round of IVF costs $23,000, about 40% of women of reproductive age have limited or no access to fertility care, and there is a lack of support systems that help people navigate the complex healthcare system. With more and more Millennials choosing to have children in their thirties, but lacking insurance coverage for fertility care, savings to support the high cost of care, and access to supportive care, fertility is on track to become the most pressing stressor and health expense for this generation.

Future Family’s subscription fertility service seeks to alleviate this stress by removing the upfront costs of treatment and offering flexible and affordable monthly subscription plans that bring all fertility care needs into one simple solution. Clients who subscribe to a Future Family plan are able to start their treatment right away and receive:

• Zero-down monthly plans that cover all costs of egg freezing and IVF
• On-demand concierge care that provides support and guidance every step of the way
• Digital health management
• Personal, flexible fertility plans that can be customized to include all aspects of fertility, including genetic testing and holistic treatments such as acupuncture

“Subscription fertility is stress-free fertility. We want to transform people’s fertility experiences from what is currently a costly, isolating and confusing experience, to one that is affordable, easy to navigate, and supported at every step of the journey,” said Claire Tomkins, founder and CEO of Future Family. “Our goal was, how do we make signing up for fertility care as easy as your Netflix subscription.”

Starting as low as $150 per month on a five-year plan, Future Family’s subscription service covers all healthcare costs and even the price of travel and hotels to ensure every person, regardless of location, has access to the highest-rated clinics and fertility experts in the country.

This announcement arrives on the heels of TouchPoint, Future Family’s first national partnership program. Debuting in several of the most highly-rated clinics in the country, TouchPoint enables partners to provide Future Family’s holistic, supported care and monthly subscription payment plans to patients undergoing fertility treatments.

Future Family has doubled its user base in the last six months, and has helped tens of thousands of women, men, and couples in all 50 states begin their fertility journey. Over the past year, Future Family has grown its network of expert fertility nurses by 3x and has expanded its Touchpoint partnership program to include over 200 of the highest-rated clinics across the country. The company was recognized as a finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield 2017 for launching its Sperm Activity Test™ (“SAT”) and specialized 24/7 Nurse Concierge care for men, which empowers all men to take control of their fertility journey.

To sign up for your customizable subscription plan, visit: www.futurefamily.com

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men, and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women and Eve Blossom, a serial entrepreneur in social impact and technology companies.

Learn more at www.futurefamily.com

Media Contact

VSC for Future Family

futurefamily@vscconsulting.com

San Francisco, California - June 13, 2018 – Today Future Family, the leading fertility care platform for consumers in the US, announces the appointment of West Owens as its Chief Financial Officer. Owens, a veteran finance executive, brings extensive experience driving innovation in consumer finance. Owens will lead Future Family’s efforts to make high quality fertility care affordable to all.

"Future Family's vision is to make fertility care accessible for all women, men, and couples in the U.S. Our fertility-as-a-service offering provides digital consults, testing, concierge care, and affordable subscription plans for IVF and egg freezing,” said Claire Tomkins, CEO and co-founder of Future Family. “We are seeing huge demand for these services and the company is ready for the next level of growth. West is an extraordinary executive with deep capital markets experience and a real feel for consumer businesses. We’re lucky to have him joining us at this important moment.”

Owens has been a finance executive for more than 14 years. Prior to joining Future Family, he served as CFO and COO at Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS). Before AMS, Owens had a successful tenure as Vice President of Structured Finance at SolarCity (now TESLA), where he raised over $2B in diversified capital for the company and securitized the first solar service agreements and loans in the ABS market. Owens has also held finance management roles at AES Solar and investment roles at US Renewables Group. Owens holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a Bachelor of Arts from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton.

"I believe strongly in Future Family's mission.” said West Owens, CFO of Future Family. “We are going to remove the biggest barriers to starting a family for women and couples who need fertility care, broadening accessibility for all. That starts with making fertility care affordable with our subscription packages that allow couples to pay monthly instead of upfront."

The fertility sector is experiencing rapid growth, but barriers remain around affordability and accessibility. The average round of IVF costs $23,000 and about 40% of women of reproductive age have limited or no access to fertility care. Owens’ appointment comes as Future Family prepares to expand it’s fertility-as-a-service subscription across all 50 states.

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility care, and telehealth to support women and couples throughout their fertility journeys. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women and Eve Blossom, a serial entrepreneur in social impact and technology companies.

Learn more at www.futurefamily.com

Egg freezing is a very personal decision, and two words that often come up in the fertility health discussions are “anxiety” and “empowerment”. There are many reasons why women may feel anxious about freezing their eggs: from considering whether it’s the right step to understanding the process and health impacts.  At Future Family, we believe that the more knowledge you have, the more empowered you can feel about discussing it with friends and family, and the less anxious you will feel about next steps.

In our previous blog, “Is Egg Freezing Right for Me?”,  we discussed the initial questions that inevitably come up at the very early stages of consideration. Once you decide you want to do it,  there are the “unknowns” about the process itself–first steps, hormones, shots, effects on the body, timing, risks.

So, let’s address some of the unknowns.  One of the biggest and pressing ones is, “How many eggs will I need to plan the family I want?” The good news is there is now scientific research that can help you calculate the number of eggs you might need to have one, two and three children based on your age.

Understanding the process and gathering medical information will give you greater confidence to take next steps.

1. What's the Process of Egg Freezing?

The process can be broken down into the following four steps.

· Step 1: Stimulate the growth of eggs.

· Step 2: Trigger the release of eggs

· Step 3: Retrieve eggs.

· Step 4: Freeze eggs.

Step 1:  Stimulate growth of eggs.

Every month your ovaries have a number of follicles that could grow and release an egg. During natural ovulation, your body usually releases only one mature egg a month.  Daily shots of more follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) than you usually produce helps you keep more eggs growing and produce a higher number of mature eggs. Every few days, you go into the doctor’s office to safely monitor the growth of your eggs through ultrasounds. You also get blood tests done to check your estrogen levels.

Step 2: Trigger the release of eggs.

About 35 to 36 hours before your eggs are retrieved, you give yourself  a “trigger shot”. This is usually where many of us will need guidance and assurance! At Future Family, our dedicated Fertility Coaches, who are registered nurses who have helped thousands with fertility healthcare can guide you through this step over the phone. This shot literally triggers the release of your eggs.

Step 3: Retrieve eggs.

Using a small needle guided by a camera, your fertility doctor removes your eggs from their ovarian follicles just before they are released. The procedure takes about 10 to 20 minutes, and you will be under a light anesthesia–something similar to when you have dental surgery. Once your eggs are removed, your doctor puts them into a test tube and hands them off to the embryologist.

Step 4: Freeze eggs

The embryologist counts the number of eggs and identifies the best quality (mature) eggs–those eggs that are most likely to fertilize later. The embryologist then takes those eggs and freezes them to minus 196 degrees in liquid nitrogen, in a process called vitrification. Your eggs are now frozen and stored until you need them.

2.  Should I worry about whether the medications are bad for me?

There are definitely short-term side effects of the hormones. They can be from mild to severe, and somewhere in between.

This is a two-part question.  The first is about the short-term side effects of the medications during the process. The second is about the long-term effects of the hormones and whether they increase your chances of breast or ovarian cancer.

There are definitely short-term side effects of the hormones. They can be from mild to severe, and somewhere in between. They can make you feel moody and emotional in the same way that you might feel during PMS. You might experience breast tenderness, hot flashes or nausea. As your eggs grow, your belly can also become bloated, and the hormones can make you put on a few pounds. One of the biggest risks of the hormone injections is you could have too many follicles grow and your estrogen levels could get too high. This may create a risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation ­syndrome, which can cause more severe symptoms. But this happens in only two percent of cycles, and it’s why your doctor carefully monitors the process with blood tests and ultrasounds.

A number of studies on the long-term the impact of fertility medications found no association between fertility drugs and ovarian cancer. One 2013 study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic followed 1,900 women and concluded that women who used fertility drugs were not at an increased risk of developing ovarian tumors compared to infertile women who did not use fertility drugs.

The question, however, is whether the effects are different if you’ve used fertility drugs for a longer period of time or if you have a higher risk of cancer (for example, if you’ve tested positive for the BRCA 1 or 2 gene mutations).  A study in 2016 showed no increase in ovarian cancer in BRCA carriers who underwent fertility treatment.

A 2016 report by The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says there does not appear to be a meaningful increase of risk of invasive ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or endometrial cancer following the use of fertility drugs. The ASRM also advises that women who have diagnosed infertility tend to have a higher risk for cancer even though there is no found connection between the fertility drugs and this risk.  Image

3. How many eggs do I need to guarantee a baby later?

There are no guarantees, and this holds true even if you’re trying to make a baby naturally. But there is a 2017 study by researchers at The Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery at Harvard Medical School that can help you better calculate your chances. The researchers conducted the study to offer reasonable expectations. They concluded that it all depends on your age. Because the DNA in your eggs age and the egg quality decreases, older women tend to require more frozen eggs to have a baby than younger women.

The study predicted the likelihood of having one, two or three children based on your age and the number of eggs retrieved, frozen and successfully thawed.  The predictive model they developed is based on a population of women with a normal amount of eggs for their age group.

For example, a 28-year-old woman who freezes 20 eggs, has a 94 percent chance of having a baby from those eggs. A 34-year-old woman who freezes 20 eggs has a 90 percent chance of having one baby, a 66 percent chance of having two babies, and a 15 percent percent chance of having three babies. The chances of one baby, two and three babies for a 37-year-old woman who freezes the same amount drops to 75 percent, 39 percent, and seven percent, respectively. For a 42-year-old woman, the rate drops to 38 percent, 15 percent and one percent, respectively.

The researchers noted, however, that this prediction depends on a number of factors, including you and your partner’s health, the number of children that you imagine having, and your level of comfort with risk. For example, some women feel comfortable having a 50 percent likelihood of a live birth from frozen eggs while others may not want to freeze eggs unless the chances are much higher.

4. How Do I Store My Eggs and How Much Does it Cost?

Freezing your eggs costs anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000 for the process, and this does not include storage. When creating your egg-freezing budget, you should factor in storage fees per year.  Storing your eggs depends on your clinic and the prices vary. Some clinics offer both short-term and long-term storage. The cost varies depending on where you live and how your clinic is set up for storage. The majority of clinics charge between $500 to $750 per year. There are few clinics that cost less and a few that cost more, so it’s important to research your options.

Understanding the process and gathering medical information will give you greater confidence to take next steps.  The questions above are by no means a comprehensive list–there are other questions that may come up as you speak with doctors and understand more about your own biology.  Get in touch with us–our team is committed to answering any other questions you may have and guiding you through the process.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Future Family, the company making fertility care accessible to all men, women, and couples, today released a report dedicated entirely to understanding women’s experiences with fertility and their needs in family planning and fertility management. The report uncovers a concerning trend around the effect of the student debt crisis on already declining US fertility rates which, according to the CDC, have decreased by 3.8 percent since 2015 and 16.4 percent since the most recent peak in 2007.

Student debt in America has tripled since 2006 and now stands at almost $1.5 trillion. It is an issue that disproportionately affects women, who hold two-thirds of outstanding student loan debt. While it’s no surprise that this crisis is increasingly deterring people from pursuing previous markers of adulthood, such as buying homes, and even threatening upward mobility, survey data from Future Family indicates student debt is also impacting women’s desire to have children. Of the 44 percent of women surveyed who reported holding student debt, exactly half said it influences their decision to have children.

This report draws from a survey distributed between March 27, 2018 - March 29, 2018, to nearly 1,000 women aged 25 - 40 without children in the United States. In addition to linking student debt to declining fertility rates in America, the report reveals compelling insights between delaying motherhood and waiting to find the right partner, financial insecurity, and more.

Women are delaying motherhood because they have not found the right partner

Though the prevailing cultural narrative often pegs career ambitions as what drive women to delay parenthood, only 13% of respondents selected their professional development as the primary reason for waiting.

Of the women surveyed, the majority (36 percent) said the primary reason they are waiting to start having children until age 30 or older is that they have not found the right partner. In fact, 46 percent of women indicated they would not consider having children by themselves.

Also, though the prevailing cultural narrative often pegs career ambitions as what drive women to delay parenthood, only 13 percent of respondents selected their professional development as the primary reason for waiting. Career also trailed behind finances at 22 percent, and the 15 percent of respondents who noted they feel or felt too young to have children in their twenties.

Further supporting the notion that the expectation of finding a suitable partner drives women to delay having children, 63 percent of women surveyed feel it is very or extremely important to marry before having children. The report also uncovers a notable barrier to finding the right partner: 33 percent of respondents said they would not consider having children with someone of the opposite political party.

Many women in the US fear they cannot afford to have children

44% of respondents who said they do not plan to have children in the future said it’s because having and raising children is too expensive.

Since 1979, the hourly median wage has increased less than 10 percent while the average price of goods (the CPI) has skyrocketed by 237 percent. For many, the outpacing of wages by the price of goods can be felt in their purchasing behavior -- for example, credit card debt in the US has climbed to more than $1 trillion. Future Family’s data illustrates the effect of higher cost of living on having children; 48 percent of women feel they are less financially secure than their parents were at their age.

Additionally, 44 percent of respondents who said they do not plan to have children in the future said it’s because having and raising children is too expensive. More than half (55 percent) of women surveyed reported they were afraid they would never be able to afford to have children, further validating the notion that lack of financial stability or means is a significant barrier for a majority of women when it comes to starting a family.

In spite of this barrier, 58 percent of women claimed they plan to purchase a home--a massive financial investment--before having children. What’s more, 69 percent of respondents said homeownership is somewhat, very, or extremely important to their decision to have children.

For the average first-time American home buyer, 32 years old, married, childless, with above average income, waiting to start a family until after purchasing a home means trying to get pregnant after age 32, an age at which a woman’s fertility generally starts to decrease. However, for many women, home ownership is proving impossible, especially for those with high levels of student loan debt or without help from their parents. For women who want to purchase a home before starting a family but do not have the resources to do so at a young age, they may be setting themselves up for a tough and expensive fertility journey ahead -- yet another consequence of rising student loan debt in America.

This report arrives on the heels of Future Family’s launch of TouchPoint, the company’s first national partnership program. Debuting in several of the most highly-rated clinics in the country, TouchPoint enables partners to easily provide Future Family’s holistic, supported care and flexible financing to patients seeking fertility treatments.

Methodology

Future Family surveyed 938 women via the online platform SurveyMonkey to better understand women’s experiences with fertility and their needs in family planning and fertility management. Women surveyed did not have children at the time of survey distribution, were based in the United States, and were between the ages of 25-40. This survey was administered from March 27, 2018, through March 29, 2018.

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men, and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women and Eve Blossom, a serial entrepreneur in social impact and technology companies.

TouchPoint decouples payment management from the clinic experience, so the doctor and nurse team can focus exclusively on delivering world-class fertility medicine.

SAN FRANCISCO (May 15, 2018) -- Today, Future Family, the company making fertility care accessible to all men, women, and couples, announces ‘TouchPoint,’ its first national partnership program. Debuting in several of the most highly-rated clinics in the country, TouchPoint enables partners to provide Future Family’s holistic, supported care and flexible financing to patients undergoing fertility treatments.

The key offerings of TouchPoint–spanning the pre-clinic, clinic, and post-clinic experience–are concierge support and affordable payment plans that allow clients to get started with treatment right away.

As part of Touchpoint, clinics and their patients get access to:

1. Pre-Clinic Experience: Clinic patients will receive a free consult with Future Family’s Nurse Concierge to answer questions, set expectations and discuss options, as well as access to online resources outlining the full spectrum of male and female fertility care. Future Family also works to prepare a personalized financing packaging based on the patient’s unique needs.
2. Clinic Visits: Patients will come to appointments more relaxed and informed. Also, with Future Family handling the financing, clinics will have less concern over whether patients can afford the recommended treatments.
3. Post-Visits Concierge Care: After clinic visits, Future Family assists clients outside of the clinic by managing logistics and providing emotional support through its Nurse Concierge service. Nurses are available 24/7 via video, text, phone, and email to answer questions and provide remote medication administration and other steps that occur outside the clinic. This creates a holistic care experience for the client both in the clinic and at home.

“TouchPoint decouples payment management from the clinic experience, so the doctor and nurse team can focus exclusively on delivering world-class fertility medicine. Beyond that, every Future Family client receives a dedicated Nurse Concierge throughout the fertility treatment for emotional and logistical help,” said Eve Blossom, COO and Head of Partnerships for Future Family. “Our ultimate goal with this program is to make the experience seamless for our clients while working with best-in-class clinics to fortify the great work they’re doing.”

With Future Family’s services, patients do not have to endure the stress that comes from lack of support or lack of resources to afford fertility treatment, and studies have found that those with less stress experience more successful treatments.

“I’ve watched cancer patients struggle to scrape together extra money to cover the cost of egg freezing and other treatments. Future Family’s comprehensive financing is the first solution to this problem and so many others, by making fertility care and treatments affordable for women nationwide,” said Dr. Lynn Westphal, Medical Advisor for Future Family. “But there’s another issue Future Family is working to solve: breaking the taboo that surrounds fertility by creating a safe, open space for conversation with the expert Nurse Concierge team.”

Future Family is the only company to offer flexible financing plans with no down payment, bringing egg freezing, IVF and other fertility treatments beyond the 1%.

“Working directly with fertility clinics is wonderful,” said Claire Tomkins, CEO & co-founder of Future Family and a former fertility patient herself. “The science is evolving rapidly, and there are many top medical clinics making incredible progress for patients. However, we still hear that the process remains confusing, emotionally isolating and expensive. Our TouchPoint program augments clinics with resources, to improve the patient experience.”

Future Family’s customer, Heather O., said of the company’s services: "Future Family has gone above and beyond anything I ever expected! They have made everything so low stress for us -- it has been such a blessing."

The TouchPoint clinic program includes CCRM San Francisco in the Bay Area, Vios Fertility, with locations in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and more, and Extend Fertility in New York City, adding to Future Family’s robust network of partner clinics nationwide. CCRMSF and Vios Fertility provide the full range of fertility services through Future Family, including egg freezing, IVF, donor egg and donor sperm services and Extend Fertility offers egg freezing services exclusively.

Future Family is actively adding partners to its TouchPoint program. For more information, contact clinicpartners@futurefamily.com. To learn more about current partnerships, visit:

• Future Family and CCRM San Francisco Partner to Bring Comprehensive Fertility Services to the Bay Area
• Future Family and Vios Fertility Partner to Bring Comprehensive Fertility Services to the Mid-West Region
• Future Family and Extend Fertility Partner to Bring Comprehensive Fertility Services to New York City
  

About Future Family:

Future Family is where women, men and couples start their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to make fertility care accessible and affordable to all. Future Family combines advances in fintech, fertility, and concierge care to empower women and couples throughout their fertility journey. Future Family was founded by former SolarCity exec Claire Tomkins, who was inspired by her own fertility struggles to improve the experience for other women and Eve Blossom, a serial entrepreneur in social impact and technology startups.

Learn more at www.futurefamily.com

Press Contact:

Emma Baron

VSC for Future Family

emma@vscpr.com

Last year, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an interesting study that put the spotlight on fertility testing. The study looked at the correlation between reproductive potential and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH–an indicator of a woman’s ovarian reserve or how many eggs we have, which is used in fertility tests). It found no correlation between a woman’s egg supply and her ability to conceive naturally. Ever since, the women’s health world has been abuzz with the question, “Are fertility tests even worth taking?”

We support the findings from the JAMA article, as well as its assertions that age is one of the strongest indicators of fertility. Measuring select hormones (like FSH, AMH & E2) does not offer an absolute predictor of future reproductive potential. But, there is still immense value to be gained from fertility tests, as many experts in the field will say.

Here’s why.

Now more than ever, getting a view into how our fertility health is evolving is crucial to planning for and starting our families.

We’re going through a massive demographic shift–it’s now more likely that women will start a family in their 30s than in their 20s. This is a meaningful and powerful change, one that signifies the increasing number of opportunities for women who are waiting to start a family due to financial reasons, career growth, relationship status, or any number of reasons. But, our biology does not wait. Now more than ever, getting a view into how our fertility health is evolving is crucial to planning for and starting our families.

Back to the JAMA study.

The study, which looked at women between the ages of 30 to 44 with no family history of infertility, found that women with a low level of Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) did not have a significantly different predicted probability of conceiving naturally within a year, compared with women with normal AMH levels. The researchers therefore concluded that women should not use their AMH levels to assess their ability to conceive naturally, although pregnancy outcomes were not evaluated.

So, even if your AMH numbers are low, it doesn’t mean you’re infertile and not able to have a baby. In fact, your fertility ultimately depends on multiple factors in both you and your partner—including sperm quality, the quality of your eggs and the receptivity of your uterus.

Our fertility health goes far beyond just AMH levels. But fertility tests provide an important baseline for understanding women’s reproductive health. It’s why our Fertility Age Test is designed and delivered not as a green-or-red light, but rather a guiding tool that opens up discussions with medical professionals so women can confidently take next steps.

Do you have more questions about fertility? Sign up for our Nurse Concierge service to get your answers from our expert fertility nurses.

About five years ago, I was running Product Marketing at SolarCity. I was in my early thirties, focused on my career, but also ready to start a family. Little did I know how hard it was going to be for me and my husband. Our pathway to start a family required expensive fertility treatments.

The pain, isolation, and sheer expense of IVF and many failures along the way— followed by the intense joy of welcoming my daughter into the world — left me thinking about the urgency to make fertility care more affordable and accessible to people beyond the 1 percent. What I went through should be the exception, not the norm, and yet, we are far from that.

In the US, one-in-six couples experiences infertility problems. About 40% of women of reproductive age, 25 million in total, have limited or no access to fertility care. And, the fertility healthcare landscape is costly, complex, fragmented and extremely hard to navigate, which only contributes to the emotional stress of the process. Without insurance coverage for fertility and savings to support the high cost of care, fertility is on track to become the most pressing stressor and health expense for this generation.

My own experience and these figures led me to ultimately leave SolarCity and build Future Family. Our team is creating a world where women, men and couples can access affordable and comprehensive fertility services and care. We are building a platform that addresses the three main pain-points people face in their fertility journeys: complexity, cost and emotional stress.

We want to revolutionize the experience of fertility care by creating affordable, supportive and informative pathways for everyone.

We are removing the complexity

We are the first company to provide a one-stop, streamlined service platform for the entire fertility journey for women, men and couples–from testing, egg freezing and IVF, to clinic matching and continuous nurse care. We are building a fertility-as-a-service platform in place of the confusing DIY approaches that exist today.

We are removing financial barriers

We want to remove the burden of cost so that people can focus on their fertility health and choosing the services that are best suited for their individual needs. Through subscription plans, we provide financing for women, men and couples so they can choose affordable monthly payments instead of a big upfront cost.

We are removing the emotional stress

Our entire team is laser-focused on empowering people with information about their fertility health and providing ongoing care, so they can make decisions with confidence and in their best interests. Anyone interested in our services can sign up for a free nurse consult where they can ask questions, get answers on medical information and next steps. Our expert fertility nurses are part of our Nurse Concierge Service, and provide 24/7 personalized medical guidance to clients. We also match our clients to clinics across the country that provide the highest level of medical care.

We hope to change the conversation from anxiety and stress to empowerment and proactive, personalized care.

My daughter is now three; she loves to sing and dance, play hide and seek, and wake me up in the morning by tickling me and saying “wakey wakey mommy.” I can’t imagine life without her, yet I know that it’s only because I was lucky enough to afford IVF that she is here.

We want to revolutionize the experience of fertility care by creating affordable, supportive and informative pathways for everyone. And in doing so, we hope to change the conversation from anxiety and stress to empowerment and proactive, personalized care. We know we still have much to do, quickly, for so many people. I hope that by sharing my story we can engage more people in this discussion, and I’m grateful to everyone who has joined us in our journey so far. Please get in touch with us if you have ideas on how we can improve your fertility journey, or if you would like to share your story with us. We would love to hear from you.

We tend to focus our energy on women's biological clocks. But men–who are also choosing to start their families later–also have a biological clock that affects their fertility. Even though men can produce children into their 80s, their sperm changes over time, which could have enormous implications on their family planning. Should men focus as much energy on freezing their sperm as women are on freezing their eggs?

To get the scoop on men’s fertility, we recently sat down with Dr. Paul Turek, an internationally-renowned doctor in men’s reproductive and sexual healthcare, a researcher and a Medical Advisor at Future Family.

FF: Do men have a biological clock?

The aging for men happens in the quality control machinery that makes sperm. It’s not chromosomal issues, but mutations, which are little tiny dings in the DNA that can cause problems in fertility.

Dr. Turek: Yes! It's not the same as a woman’s clock, though. It’s slower. The production of eggs and sperm is different, so each ages in a different way. Women are born with all their eggs, which slowly change as they get older.  Time and the environment take a toll on eggs and can mess them up chromosomally. Men make new sperm all the time until the eighth decade. The aging for men happens in the quality control machinery that makes sperm. It’s not chromosomal issues, but mutations, which are little tiny dings in the DNA that can cause problems in fertility. There is a gradual decline in the ability to conceive. The clock doesn't stop; the clock slowly winds down.

FF: What specifically happens to men’s sperm as they age?

Dr. Turek: The purposeful motion of sperm, or what we call motility, slows down. Motility will fall one percent per year after 40. The real significant changes for fertility decline are erectile dysfunction, sex drive, overall health, and whether you’re healthy enough to have sex.

FF: What about DNA mutations?

Research, which is still coming together, tells us that as men age, their sperm carry more mutations than women’s eggs–about tenfold more. It goes up 10 percent per decade up to 60 to 70 years old. Those mutations are evolution–that's how we change. They can be handed down to offspring. A lot of these mutations can cause disease and some of them go unnoticed. These mutations generally don't cause infertility in fathers because they are not as large a problem as chromosome issues in eggs. For guys, the mutations they hand down are concentrated in the neurodevelopmental genes and suggests that we are evolving as a species from a neurodevelopmental perspective. But that also means that we may be looking at greater prevalence of autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and dyslexia in future generations.

FF: Is it true that there are also epigenetic changes to the sperm that occur because of a man’s lifestyle choices?

A recent study that looked a group of men’s sperm at two ages, young and older, found dramatic epigenetic alterations.

Dr. Turek: Yes. Epigenetics is the other change that occurs in men’s sperm with age. It's basically a mechanism for how the environment interacts with genes. It’s the little marks on the DNA that keep genes from expressing themselves or allows them to express themselves. Age and the environment change the epigenetics of sperm. A recent study that looked a group of men’s sperm at two ages, young and older, found dramatic epigenetic alterations. We think that some of these changes are directly male age-related and others are influenced by diet, health, toxins (pot, tobacco, alcohol etc). In other words, they are modifiable changes. In the future, the epigenetics of infertility may allow us to pinpoint exactly what environmental issues are influencing these changes.

FF: How can a guy test his fertility?

To know the most about your fertility, you would want to have a physical exam in addition to a sperm analysis (the sperm count) and a good medical history.

Dr. Turek: The single best measure of fertility potential is actual fertility, more than the sperm count (unless it’s zero; and even then a second opinion is important). Sperm counts do matter but they can vary widely in an individual, from day-to-day, season-to-season and year-to-year. To know the most about your fertility, you would want to have a physical exam in addition to a sperm analysis (the sperm count) and a good medical history. But it’s important to know that your lifestyle and the way you treat your body has far more impact on your fertility than what a semen analysis lets you know.

FF:  Based on this new knowledge, should all men start thinking about freezing their sperm at 40?

Dr. Turek:  It's really a very personal decision. I’d say it depends on your circumstance and how risk averse you are. If you’re not wedded to the idea of having kids with someone until you are 40, that's the age to start thinking about it. I think 60 is too late as a lot of the genetic changes to sperm have already occurred by this age. Most men don't mind freezing their sperm because it's less invasive than, say, freezing eggs.  It's not romantic making love to a paper cup, but it's not as psychologically as stressful as a blood draw! The three main groups who should think about it are: men of advanced paternal age, those who have cancer or an autoimmune disease that may require chemotherapy or surgical treatment, and those who have a high risk lifestyle such as military service. The military recommends you freeze sperm before deployment.

Dr. Paul Turek is a Medical Advisor at Future Family, a leading authority on male fertility, and an advisor to the NIH, the CDC, the White House, and Men’s Health Network among others. Dr. Turek is founder and director of The Turek Clinics and previously Professor and Endowed Chair at UCSF. Click here to learn more about Future Family’s Sperm Activity Test.

Before any medical or financial decision, it's important to weigh all your options and evaluate the outcomes. With Egg Freezing, you are electing an expensive insurance policy to plan for the future. Naturally, Egg Freezing success rates are an important factor to consider. We get this question a lot, so here is what the experts are saying.

Dr. Lynn Westphal at Stanford, a pioneer of egg freezing at Stanford over 20 years ago to help cancer patients, explains that two breakthroughs have moved egg freezing from experimental to mainstream, “The development of a new fast-freezing technique called vitrification dramatically increased the number of eggs that survive freezing. Also, the technique called ICSI for injecting sperm directly into eggs has boosted fertilization rates.”

Whether or not it will be successful on an individual basis is almost impossible to answer without gathering some specific health information. Even then, it will be an answer framed by statistics.

Most clinics will perform a hormone assay (for AMH, E2, and FSH) and also what’s called an “antral follicle count” (AFC). The hormone test helps identify the level of your ovarian reserve (a barometer on how many eggs you have remaining) and how your body will likely respond to the stimulating medication used in an egg freezing protocol. The AFC will identify the number of follicles that can likely produce an egg.

With this information, clinics can estimate how many eggs you might retrieve from a single cycle of egg freezing. This is only an estimate and the actual number can vary significantly.

There are a number of factors that affect the results from your hormone assay and AFC, from genetics (predisposition for pre-menopause, for example), age, and lifestyle.

Future Family can help you complete both the hormone testing (with our easy-to-order Fertility Age Test) and the AFC, which we schedule for you with one of our partner clinics. The Fertility Age Test gives you insight into how your fertility is tracking relative to your age and the status of of your ovarian reserve (how many eggs you have left).

The Fertility Hormone Test ™ measures three hormones that tell you if you have any early flags for pre-menopause or decreased ovarian reserve and how you compare to other women your age.

There are general statistics available regarding success rates with egg freezing, where success is defined as the birth of your child. These statistics are so broad that it is hard to interpret them without the information outlined above.

As we age, there is more chromosomal damage to our eggs, so we are more likely to have genetically abnormal eggs. That’s where the age factor comes into play. It increase your chances of success to freeze eggs when you’re younger.

Since we can’t yet genetically test eggs (only embryos), age is the best predictor of quality and genetic normalcy.

Freezing 20 eggs under the age of 35 equates to approximately a 90% chance of a successful birth in a recently published calculator.

Before you make any kind of medical decision, we want to make sure you have all the information, even the not so fun stuff. We reached out to the experts and put together some of the risks of Egg Freezing. Don't let this information scare you away – speak to an expert before making a decision.

Are there any Complications with Egg Freezing?

Thousands of women across the U.S. are freezing their eggs and thousands more are talking about it. Like any big healthcare (and financial!) decision, you want to understand all pieces of information – including the risks of egg freezing. We're here to give you the real deal.

Good news! The rate of complications from egg freezing remains very low. Egg freezing is a minimally invasive procedure that typically requires a sedative at the time of egg retrieval. If you were worried about going under general anesthetic, this is just an intravenous sedation medication (in other words, you will feel no pain or discomfort). Learn more about this with our partners at Extend Fertility here.

Eggs are retrieved from your ovaries using a long, thin aspiring needle. You may experience bleeding, and in some cases infection, in which you should contact your doctor immediately. There is also a very small chance (we're talking less than 1%) for the potential for damage to the bowel, bladder, or a blood vessel. Again, talk to your doctor if you are worried about this.

Before you’re ready for an egg retrieval, you’ll undergo a course of stimulating hormone treatment (for typically two weeks). These medications are injectable and oral, and they produce different side effects. However, only about 25% of women report any side effects, but if you do, what can you expect? Side effects typically include:

• Bloating
• Hot/cold flashes
• Headaches
• Mood swings.

These side effects are associated with hormone fluctuation in the body and, not surprisingly, are therefore similar to the side effects of PMS around the time of your menstrual cycle. Some individuals describe it as “PMS on steroids.”

Are There More Serious Side Effects of The Egg Freezing Procedure?

The more serious side effect attributed to the medications used in egg freezing is a condition known as Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome or OHSS. This impacts less than 5% of women, with less than 1% experiencing a severe case. As the name implies, your ovaries become “over stimulated,” or swollen, creating extreme discomfort. Additionally, there may be fluid build up in the abdomen. In rare but extreme cases, an ovarian torsion could occur, which would require surgery. For less severe cases, monitoring and bedrest would be prescribed.

The rates of OHSS have been falling as clinics develop better protocols to minimize this risk. Egg freezing patients are also closely monitored by their care team.

As described above, active treatment for egg freezing typically occurs over a two week period, after which side effects would abate completely within a few days in most cases.

We do not at this time have any evidence of long-term impacts of the egg freezing medications on your overall health. A 2014 study by Diergaarde and Kurta, for example, concluded no impact on ovarian cancer, while leaving the door open for future studies.

Want to Start Freezing your Eggs?

Modern day science has made egg freezing safer. Some will still have side effects, but most will have a normal procedure and feel fine. With these risks and side effects, it is important to be ready for anything to happen. Future Family can help with relieving the financial burden that egg freezing can place on an individual or family. Learn more about our affordable egg freezing plans to help you get on track with your goals.

If you have any additional questions, speak to one of our expert Fertility Coaches! You can book a free 15 minute consult here: Book a Consult

It seems that everywhere we turn lately, egg freezing is the topic at hand. We see it in blogs and on our news feeds. There are even cocktail parties dedicated to the subject alone. As fertility preservation becomes a hot topic among our female friends and colleagues, it leaves a lot of us asking ourselves, “Should I freeze my eggs?”

There are many advantages to waiting to have children–more time to focus on our careers, our finances, and our relationships–but unfortunately biology does not wait. And while every second or third person we meet is considering freezing their eggs, we can’t help but pause and wonder whether it’s right for our lives today and in the future.

The decision to freeze one’s eggs is both very personal, and for many women, highly dependent on their stage of life and individual experiences. I decided to freeze my eggs after ending a years-long relationship in my thirties. I didn’t want the anxiety over my biological clock to push me into making bad relationship choices. I started planning my fertility the way I planned my career–I froze my eggs to press the pause button on my biological clock. I felt empowered. If my own biology didn’t cooperate, I had frozen eggs as a backup. I learnt very early on that the most important first step is gathering information and mapping next steps before deciding if it’s right for you.

1.  Is Egg Freezing Right for Me?

“The earlier you start thinking about your fertility, the more options you have, especially if you want to have more than one child,” says Dr. Westphal, Medical Advisor at Future Family.

There are both medical and social reasons that make egg freezing an empowering choice. If you know that you’re not going to start your family until your mid-to-late thirties, freezing your eggs when you’re younger is a proactive way to manage your fertility health–the younger you are, the healthier your eggs. “The earlier you start thinking about your fertility, the more options you have, especially if you want to have more than one child,” says Dr. Westphal, Medical Advisor at Future Family and Director of Fertility Preservation and Third Party Reproduction at Stanford Medicine . “It’s a good idea to start thinking about doing some testing and talking to someone about the process.”

Freezing your younger eggs can increase your chances of pregnancy later, and may be especially important if you’re facing certain medical conditions. This includes having a family history of early menopause.  If you’re facing chemotherapy or have been diagnosed with an immunologic disease, it’s a way that you can preserve your healthy eggs.

Because the chances of pregnancy from frozen eggs are best with younger eggs, it’s important to learn about the state of your fertility before you make the decision. We recommend hormone tests of your ovarian reserve, but it’s also important to understand that these tests are not a complete predictor of your future fertility. The tests offer a snapshot of your fertility as it is today. In some instances, doing a second test helps to see if there have been any changes.

2. Is the Expense Worth it?

When you freeze your eggs, there is a psychological relief from knowing you have taken an empowering step toward your future. After I knew that my younger eggs were safely frozen, I felt calmer. Even though there are no guarantees that you’ll have a baby from your frozen eggs, taking control of your fertility can make you feel proactive and more at peace about the possibilities of your future family.

3. Does Egg Freezing Really Work?

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says the outcome of fertilization and pregnancies from thawed frozen eggs are now comparable to that of eggs that are used immediately after retrieval.

Yes, it can.  Thousands and thousands of babies have now been born from frozen eggs–and the science is rapidly improving. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says the outcome of fertilization and pregnancies from thawed frozen eggs are now comparable to that of eggs that are used immediately after retrieval. If you’re worried about developmental or genetic impacts, there is no scientific evidence of an increase in developmental or genetic problems in children born from In Vitro Fertilization cycles in which frozen eggs were used.

4. What Do I Do When I Need My Eggs?

Once you decide to you use your frozen eggs, you need to contact the clinic and tell them you’re ready to use your eggs. You then go through the other half of IVF. You prep your uterus by monitoring your cycle or taking daily hormones, and embryologists unfreeze your eggs and fertilize them with your partner’s or donor sperm. Your embryos grow over three to five days. Your doctor then uses a small tube guided by an ultrasound on your abdomen to gently place your embryos back into your uterus so they can grow naturally. The procedure is very similar to getting a Pap smear. You don’t have to be put to sleep as you did for your egg retrieval. This process is usually painless.

In our next blog, we address some of the questions that follow from here; questions such as, “What is the process?”, “Should I worry about the medications,” and “How many eggs do I really need to guarantee a baby later?” Every woman’s journey is different and there are no guarantees. But there is one common aspect in every journey: when we choose to freeze our eggs, we are choosing to be more proactive about our own fertility health and future family. The more informed we can be about the process, the more confidently we can take the next steps.

Have you thought about freezing your eggs? Get in touch with us if you would like to start your fertility journey!

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt is the author of the book, In Her Own Sweet Time: Egg Freezing and the New Frontiers of Family.