Hidden IVF Costs No One Tells You About

IVF pricing can be confusing because clinics often advertise a "cycle cost" that does not reflect the full amount patients typically pay. This guide outlines the real-world extras that often appear during treatment. --- 1. Medication (£1,000–£2,500) Most cycle prices exclude medication, which is often the biggest additional cost. For a complete breakdown, see our IVF Medication Costs Guide. --- 2. ICSI (£800–£1,500) Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection — frequently added when male-factor infertility is present. Increases fertilisation rates in specific cases. --- 3. Embryo Freezing (£500–£1,000) Many patients choose to freeze extra embryos for future use. This is a one-time fee per freezing cycle. --- 4. Storage Fees (£300–£500 per year) Annual storage is usually billed separately, every year your embryos remain frozen. --- 5. Blastocyst Culture (Sometimes Extra) Some clinics charge extra for culturing embryos to day 5/6. Other clinics include it in the cycle fee — always ask. --- 6. Time-Lapse Imaging (£450–£800) Add-on incubator technology that tracks embryo development in real-time. Helpful in some cases but not always essential. --- 7. Genetic Testing (PGT-A) £2,000–£4,000+ depending on number of embryos tested. Pre-implantation genetic screening to detect chromosomal abnormalities. --- 8. Extra Monitoring or Blood Tests Additional scans or blood tests may incur separate fees b