The Most Budget-Friendly Fertility Treatments (Ranked by Cost)

Quick Answer

The most effective and budget-friendly ways to increase the chances of getting pregnant include making lifestyle changes like nutritious eating and quitting smoking, tracking ovulation to time intercourse to your most fertile days, taking ovulation-inducing medications to promote regular menstrual cycles, and intrauterine insemination (IUI)—a simple procedure where washed and concentrated sperm is placed in the uterus near the time of ovulation.

What to Know About Fertility Treatment Costs and Considerations

Fertility treatment costs vary widely and can be a significant factor for patients considering their options. The most effective treatment is in vitro fertilization (IVF), but it is also one of the more costly options. That’s why many people opt to start with more affordable options before moving on to the more expensive ones if they haven’t found success. 

All of that said, what’s right for one person isn’t necessarily right for another. Depending on your goals and other factors like age, income, and insurance status, you may want to start with the most effective treatment first. 

Your fertility doctor will guide you through your options and help you come up with the best plan for your goals and circumstances. There’s no right or wrong way to go!

Why This Matters for Patients

While there are many paths to parenthood, the timeline to achieving your fertility goals may not be exactly how you imagine. Starting with more affordable but still evidence-based ways to improve your fertility can keep you moving toward your goals without burdening you financially. 

You may meet your goals by taking one of these budget-friendly steps—or you may decide to pursue IVF and other more costly treatments. Your fertility care team can help you create the right plan for you.

Budget-Friendly Fertility Treatments, Ranked by Cost

The following methods for increasing your chances of getting pregnant are both proven effective and more affordable than higher levels of medical intervention.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes are the small steps you can take to increase your chances of getting pregnant. In the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s 2022 committee opinion on “optimizing natural fertility,” the committee recommends a few specific lifestyle changes:

• Eating nutritious meals: Research suggests that nutrients like folic acid, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, full-fat dairy, whole grains, vegetables, and fish may be good for fertility. Meanwhile, trans fatty acids, non-grass fed red meat, carbohydrates, and foods that greatly increase blood sugar may have a negative impact on fertility. While prioritizing certain foods is one of the lowest-cost ways to try to improve fertility, not everyone has the same level of access to quality, nutritious foods. Do your best to eat whole foods and avoid ultra-processed foods, but be gentle with yourself too.
• Exercise: Gentle exercise supports your mental and physical health while trying to conceive. Low-impact, moderate activity like yoga, walking, and cycling is a great choice. Do your best to avoid very strenuous or high-intensity exercise, which could disrupt ovulation and put stress on your body.
• Quitting or cutting back on smoking cigarettes: There is substantial scientific evidence that people who smoke are significantly more likely to have issues getting pregnant. Smoking is associated with earlier menopause and increased miscarriage risk. While quitting smoking can improve fertility, the accelerated loss of egg supply cannot be reversed. If you need help quitting or cutting back on smoking, your primary care provider, OB-GYN, or fertility doctor can help you figure out a plan that works for you.
• Moderating alcohol use: The research is mixed on alcohol consumption’s impact on fertility, but there’s good reason to believe that moderate drinking is better than high levels of drinking while trying to conceive. If you need help quitting or cutting back on drinking, your primary care provider, OB-GYN, or fertility doctor can help you figure out a plan that works for you.
• Moderating caffeine intake: Drinking more than five cups of coffee per day, or the equivalent, is associated with fertility issues. The best evidence suggests that 1-2 cups of coffee per day (200 mg or less) or equivalent doesn’t impact fertility or pregnancy outcomes.
• Quitting or cutting back on cannabis use: While the findings are mixed, cannabis use may contribute to fertility challenges among people with normal ovulation. But because cannabis use is associated with some harmful effects on fetal neurodevelopment, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends stopping if you’re pregnant or could become pregnant in the near future. If you need help quitting or cutting back on cannabis use, your primary care provider, OB-GYN, or fertility doctor can help you figure out a plan that works for you.
• Avoiding endocrine-disrupting chemicals: There is growing evidence that chemicals commonly found in everyday items may contribute to fertility issues. Even so, little to no association has been found between the most studied chemicals (e.g., phthalates, BPA, triclosan) and how long it takes to get pregnant. As experts learn more about the impact of these chemicals on fertility, small changes like avoiding plastic and opting for phthalate and BPA-free products when possible may reduce the likelihood of related fertility issues.

Lifestyle changes for fertility improvement are a good starting option for heterosexual couples trying to conceive without medical intervention. 

Ovulation tracking and timed intercourse

One of the most effective and low-cost ways to improve your chances of getting pregnant is tracking ovulation and timing intercourse around your most fertile days. Your chances of pregnancy are highest in the five days leading up to ovulation and on the day of ovulation. Having intercourse every 1-2 days during that six-day fertile window leads to the highest odds of getting pregnant.

The most effective ways to track and predict ovulation timing include using ovulation predictor kits and monitoring cervical mucus changes. Standard kits will run between $15 and $30, but more advanced ovulation-tracking apps that can collect the data you input and make accurate predictions about ovulation timing can be pricey: over $100 a year. However, you can typically use your HSA or FSA to pay for FDA-cleared ovulation-tracking apps.

Some but not all ovulation-tracking apps will incorporate cervical mucus changes. The cervix produces fluid that changes in texture and color throughout the menstrual cycle. When you’re in your most fertile days, cervical mucus is thin, stretchy, slippery, and similar to an egg white. Paying attention to how your cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle is free!

Lesbian couples, women conceiving without a partner, and anyone conceiving without partner sperm can follow these same principles with donor sperm and at-home insemination. Heterosexual couples can also try at-home insemination, though this only increases the chance of pregnancy around 2% per cycle.

Ovulation induction/oral medications

Ovulation induction with oral medications is more effective and more costly than making lifestyle changes or tracking ovulation to time intercourse. Ovulation-inducing medications help people who have irregular or absent ovulation start releasing eggs, but it’s important to note that they will not increase pregnancy rates for women who are ovulating regularly. 

The most commonly prescribed ovulation-inducing medications include clomiphene citrate (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara). These medications range in price but are generally under $100, especially if generic or purchased through a discount seller like GoodRX.

Many insurance plans cover ovulation-inducing medications. For people who don’t have insurance or don’t have plans that cover fertility medications, there are many ways to save on medication costs like dedicated online marketplaces.

IUI

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the most effective of the affordable fertility treatment options. It’s a simple procedure where washed and concentrated sperm is placed in the uterus near the time of ovulation. 

The cost of an IUI at Utah Fertility Center generally starts at $1,300 and depends on your individual needs. Some health insurance plans cover IUI for heterosexual couples experiencing fertility challenges.

If you have 3-4 IUI cycles and don’t have a healthy pregnancy and live birth, your fertility doctor may recommend other treatment options including IVF.

FAQs

What budget-friendly fertility treatment options can insurance help cover?

What insurance will cover depends on your plan. If your plan has an HSA or FSA, that will likely cover the costs of ovulation predictor kits and more advanced cycle-tracking apps. Your plan may also cover ovulation-inducing medications and IUI, but that may depend on whether or not you’ve tried to conceive without medical intervention for a specified period of time. People who are trying to conceive on their own or with a same-sex partner may not be eligible for certain plans’ coverage of fertility treatment. Talk to your plan provider to find out exactly what may or may not be covered on your path to parenthood.

Should you always try the budget-friendly fertility treatment options before moving on to more costly ones?

The right fertility plan for you depends on your unique goals and circumstances. Because age is one of the most significant factors in fertility, if you are later in your reproductive timeline, you may prefer to save time by starting with IUI. If you are over 40, we generally recommend going straight to IVF. In partnership with your fertility care team, you can come up with an evidence-based plan to meet your fertility goals. There are many treatment options, and no one path is better or more valid than another.

What about non-Western and nontraditional fertility treatments and supplements?

As an evidence-based fertility practice, we rely on scientific data to support our recommendations. Non-Western and nontraditional treatments and supplements (e.g., fertility acupuncture, fertility herbs) are understudied, so there is not always substantial data to back them up. However, if you can afford something and it doesn’t delay treatment that has been proven effective, then there’s likely no harm in incorporating it into your plan. 

We recommend talking to your providers before taking supplements or herbal regimens to ensure they don’t interact with any other treatments.

Care at Utah Fertility Center

At Utah Fertility Center, our providers can offer guidance and support through all of the more affordable, lower-intervention fertility treatment options. 

We are here to support you throughout your fertility journey, regardless of what treatment options are right for you.

Next Steps for Patients at Utah Fertility Center

The right fertility treatment plan for you depends on your goals and biological factors like age, reproductive anatomy, and the age and reproductive anatomy of your partner if you have one. Utah Fertility Center is here to support you through your journey—including coming up with the right plan and making sure it’s as affordable as possible. We provide transparent cost breakdowns and can help you get financial assistance through insurance, your HSA or FSA, or other cost-savings programs.

You can schedule a consultation with our staff without committing to medical intervention and get expert guidance on lifestyle changes, ovulation-inducing medications, and other less intensive fertility treatment options. We’re here to answer whatever questions you have, so you feel supported every step of the way.

Schedule your consultation today at Utah Fertility Center.

Clinically reviewed by Amelia Bailey, MD and Linnea Goodman, MD