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Over the years, IVF Singapore has seen an increasing trend for couples who require help with conceiving. In fact, in recent years, the number of couples opting for IVF has risen from about 5,500 in 2013 to over 7,700 in 2017. This upward trend is not surprising, given that IVF is now significantly more accessible and affordable, and has a pretty reasonable success rate of between 40% to 50%.
If you have been actively trying yet there is still no bun in the oven, you may want to consider IVF. In this article, we break down the costs and benefits of IVF, so you can decide if this is the way for you.
IVF, short for In-Vitro Fertilisation, is an assisted reproductive technique where a woman’s eggs are retrieved and fertilised with her husband’s sperm in a test-tube. As compared to natural conception, the IVF meaning lies in relying on technology to enhance the fertilisation procedure outside of the human body.
As the fertilisation process takes place in a lab outside of the human body, the IVF process involves retrieving eggs from the woman and the sperm from the man, before the two meet in a test-tube.
In Singapore, only married couples are eligible for IVF treatment. However, the process does not begin with IVF immediately. Couples will undergo a Singapore fertility test with a fertility specialist, who will determine the reasons for infertility before recommending the most suitable fertility treatment catered for you.
The IVF cycle is between 4 to 6 weeks, consisting of 6 steps in total.
Step 1: Stimulating the ovaries
For a start, you will self-administer hormonal injections from day 2 of your menstrual cycle, to stimulate the growth of multiple eggs. More eggs are preferred because your doctor will select only the optimal ones for fertilisation. With more eggs, the chances of having more suitable eggs will be higher.
Step 2: Examination
On day 8 or 9, you will undergo an examination to check on the maturity of the stimulated eggs and your hormone levels. If your doctor determines your eggs are ready, you will be given a hormonal jab to prepare your eggs for retrieval.
Step 3: Retrieving the eggs
Three days later, the eggs are retrieved from the ovaries. This simple procedure takes less than 10 minutes and is performed as a day surgery under sedation within the fertility centre.
Step 4: Fertilisation
The eggs and sperms then meet in a test-tube and are fertilised in a lab the very same day the eggs are retrieved. Successfully fertilised eggs, now referred to as embryos, are allowed to grow for 3 to 5 days.
Step 5: Freezing of embryos
Your doctor will select the optimal embryos to undergo a freezing process and implanted back into your womb 1 to 2 months later. In the meantime, you will take hormone tablets daily until the transfer.
Step 6: Implantation
The embryo(s) are implanted in the woman’s womb. The 20- to 30-minute simple procedure does not require sedation.
Two weeks after the implantation, you will undergo a pregnancy test to check if you have successfully conceived.
Most couples are eligible for IVF treatment. However, most couples usually opt for IVF treatment for the following reasons:
Both men and women can contribute to the challenge of conceiving. Some men have a low sperm count while some women may have ovulation problems or uterine fibroids.
IVF treatment is worth considering if you have been actively trying for a year but to no avail, or if you know that you want to have kids in future but present circumstances do not allow you to do so.
IVF cost Singapore can be sub-divided into three categories:
In opting for IVF treatment, you can choose between having your treatment done at a public or private hospital.
At public hospitals, each cycle can cost you between $10,000 to $15,000. Public hospitals are considered cheaper because IVF treatment is offered at subsidised rates.
Some public hospitals you can approach include KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and National University Hospital.
At private hospitals, each cycle can cost you between $13,000 to $22,000 per cycle. Unlike public hospitals, private hospitals do not offer any subsidies.
Some private hospitals you can consider include Mount Elizabeth Fertility Centre, Mount Alvernia Fertility Centre, Thomson Fertility Centre, and Gleneagles IVF Centre.
The following table breaks down the cost of individual components of the package. Consultation fees apply separately and are not included in the package.
| Component | What it includes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fertility Assessment | Pelvic ultrasound scan, fertility screening and egg reserve blood tests for female Male to submit semen for SA test Review with fertility specialist and recommended next steps | Public: $540 Private: $280 to $400 [Note: Consultation fees with the fertility specialist may apply.] |
| Fertility medication | Hormonal injections and pills | Public: $2,600 to $3,600 Private: Depends on medical institution |
| Examination | Ultrasound scans and blood tests to monitor the development and maturity of the eggs/embryos | Public: $1,020 Private: Depends on medical institution |
| Egg retrieval | Procedure fees, including fertility specialist and anaesthetist’s professional fees, operating theatre and recovery room charges, and storage of embryos for 90 days | Public: $3,400 to $4,600 Private: $6,800 to $10,000 |
| Insemination | Procedure fees, including fertility specialist’s professional fees, facility and laboratory charges | Public: $1,300 Private: Depends on medical institution |
| Embryo transfer | Procedure fees, including fertility specialist’s professional fees, operating theatre, laboratory charges, and recovery room | Public: $1,500 to $2,100 Private: $3,000 to $5,300 |
[Note: Figures are rounded to nearest 100 or 10.]
If you would like to enhance your success rate, you may consider paying an additional $150 to $600 for laser-assisted hatching or blastocyst culture.
It is also worth noting that a couple would require, on average, 2 cycles to succeed with IVF.
Yes, Singapore IVF subsidies are available to couples as long as one of you is a Singapore citizen. With co-funding from the Ministry of Health (MOH), you may need to pay just 25% of the costs.
MOH offers to pay up to 75% for your assisted reproduction treatments, including IVF Singapore, at public hospitals. Couples will be eligible for co-funding, provided that one of you is a Singapore citizen. The funding covers up to three fresh and three frozen cycles.
| Citizenship | Co-funding for Fresh Cycles | Co-funding for Frozen Cycles |
|---|---|---|
| Two Singapore citizens | 75%, up to $7,700 | 75%, up to $2,200 |
| One Singapore citizen and one Permanent Resident | 55%, up to $5,700 | 55%, up to $1,600 |
| One Singapore citizen and one foreigner | 35%, up to $3,600 | 35%, up to $1,000 |
Further to co-funding, couples can tap on their Medisave to offset the cost of their IVF treatment. The maximum withdrawal limit per cycle is as follows:
| Cycle # | Medisave Withdrawal Limit |
|---|---|
| First | $6,000 |
| Second | $5,000 |
| Third onwards | $4,000 |
Using your Medisave to pay for part (or all) of your IVF treatment significantly reduces your cash outlay. Do note that there is a lifetime withdrawal limit of $15,000 that couples can use from their Medisave for assisted reproduction treatments.
As IVF becomes more popular in Singapore, more insurers now offer coverage for IVF treatment. Insurers like NTUC Income and Great Eastern are some of the insurers who offer a prenatal policy which allows you to claim for the cost of your IVF treatment.
The only catch is the coverage may only apply after minimally 12 months and only covers a certain number of cycles, so you will need to do your research well and plan ahead.
Of course, cost is often the biggest deciding factor but there are several other factors to consider.
Success rate
IVF Singapore has a success rate of between 50% to 60%. This means you stand a reasonably good chance of conceiving with IVF.
Age
What affects your success rate is also your age. Although IVF treatment is popular among women in their late 30s to 40s, IVF is not limited to older women. In fact, younger women who want to conceive but face difficulty in doing so, due to medical conditions or otherwise, can consider IVF to help them conceive earlier.
Twins
In Singapore, in most situations, a maximum of 2 embryos can be transferred to the woman’s womb. The chances of her then conceiving twins are less than 10%.
Complications
You may experience side effects from the hormonal injections and medications. These include headaches, mood swings, bloating, abdominal pain, tenderness in the breasts, and hot flashes.
You deserve to have your dream family
The IVF journey can be expansive and expensive. It involves a daily routine of self-administering hormonal injections and regular doctor’s visits to make sure everything is on the right track. However, the possible end result of this journey might make every step along the way worthwhile.
If you have decided to embark on this journey, it is important to have a good, balanced lifestyle. Eat well, abstain from drinking and smoking, exercise regularly; these little adjustments will help prepare the body for the road ahead.
And if you need help getting a headstart financially, Money Kinetics offers an array of customised personalised loans to suit your different needs. Reach out today and we will be glad to provide you with financial support and advice, every step of the way.
