What is Fertility Medication?
Fertility medication is used to regulate or stimulate ovulation for women undergoing fertility treatment. Fertility drugs generally work like the natural hormones — follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) — to trigger ovulation. They’re also used in women who ovulate to try to stimulate better egg quality or more egg production.
Every patient undergoing IVF will require fertility medication, however the types of medication and amounts of medication will vary based on the patient’s age and fertility issues. Fertility drugs may include:
- Clomiphene citrate: Clomiphene citrate is taken by mouth and stimulates ovulation by causing the pituitary gland to release more FSH and LH, which stimulate the growth of an ovarian follicle containing an egg.
- Gonadotropins: Instead of stimulating the pituitary gland to release more hormones, these injected treatments stimulate the ovary directly to produce multiple eggs. Gonadotropin medications include human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG (Menopur) and FSH (Gonal-F, Follistim AQ, Bravelle). Another gonadotropin, human chorionic gonadotropin (Ovidrel, Pregnyl), is used to mature the eggs and trigger their release at the time of ovulation. Concerns exist that there’s a higher risk of conceiving multiples and having a premature delivery with gonadotropin use.
- Metformin: Metformin is used when insulin resistance is a known or suspected cause of infertility, usually in women with a diagnosis of PCOS. Metformin helps improve insulin resistance, which can improve the likelihood of ovulation.
- Letrozole: Letrozole (Femara) belongs to a class of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors and works in a similar fashion to clomiphene. Letrozole may induce ovulation. However, the effect this medication has on early pregnancy isn’t yet known, so it isn’t used for ovulation induction as frequently as others.
- Bromocriptine: Bromocriptine (Cycloset), a dopamine agonist, may be used when ovulation problems are caused by excess production of prolactin (hyperprolactinemia) by the pituitary gland.
How Is Average Medication Price Estimated?
On the IVF Options platform the average fertility medication order is estimated at $4,425. This will vary based on the patient’s age and fertility issues, based on what the fertility specialists prescribes for their IVF cycle.
Using national data from ReUnite Rx, we reviewed average order sizes for patients across all age groups. Using Fertility Drug Calculator we estimated the lowest cost for the average order sizes at pharmacies across the United States.
Age Range |
Average Cost of Medication |
---|---|
Under 35 | $3,400 |
35-37 | $4,190 |
38 And Over | $5,685 |
Average | $4,425 |
Please note, your prescription cost will vary based on the drugs and amounts your fertility specialist prescribes, as well as which pharmacy you order your medication from.
IVF Options has partnered with SandsRx to provide exclusive discounts and offers to fertility patients in Florida.
How Do I Order Fertility Medication?
Following your consultation with a fertility specialist, you will receive a treatment quotation for medical treatment as well as a prescription from the doctor. The treatment quotation will provide a break down of recommended medical treatments with costs. The prescription will provide a breakdown of the medication recommended, however the cost of the prescription will vary based on where you order your medication from.
Typically, the nurses at the clinic will send the prescription to the pharmacies they normally use. In some cases they have negotiated special deals with pharmacies to try and reduce costs. However you are also able to price shop your prescription or ask the nurse to send it to your preferred pharmacy.
IVF Options has partnered with SandsRx to offer a $412 pharmacy voucher card on fertility medication and a free fertility nutritionist consultation for patients considering treatment. Simply fill in the fertility survey on IVF Options to receive the offers exclusively to your email. Take the voucher with you to your consultation and ask the nurse to send the prescription to SandsRx.
$412 Pharmacy voucher offer available to Florida residents on orders containing a minimum of 1950 IU of Follistim. Ends April 30, 2020.