How Much Do In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Medications Cost?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) can be both a hopeful and daunting experience for many individuals and couples. Alongside the emotional and physical aspects, the financial considerations of IVF often loom large. Costs vary widely depending on factors like clinic location, treatment protocols, and individual health needs.

Many women are hit with sticker shock when they pick up their IVF meds and receive their medical bill. What’s more, insurance often doesn’t cover the full cost of treatment and medications. 

In fact, on average, one cycle of IVF can add up to anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000, with prescriptions driving much of this cost. One option to save is to use GoodRx: It can help reduce the cost of fertility treatments by 43% on average. 

Below, we walk through the different medications used in each phase of IVF, how much they cost out of pocket, and how to save. 

What is in vitro fertilization? 

Put simply, this therapy involves retrieving a woman’s eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and developing them into healthy embryos to be implanted inside her uterus. 

This process includes a host of tests, medications, and fertility clinic visits. And many people may need more than one cycle. 

What medications are used in an IVF cycle?

The type, duration, and order of IVF medications differ from patient to patient. But in general, medications are an important part of the egg retrieval portion of the IVF process. Your fertility care team will prescribe certain medications for you depending on your specific needs during the egg retrieval process. They may also prescribe medications to be used before and after the embryo is implanted to support pregnancy. 

We’ll walk through the medications used in egg retrieval, then review the medications typically used in the embryo implant phase.

Egg retrieval

The egg retrieval process can be broken down into three phases: suppression, stimulation, and the triggering of egg release. Depending on the protocol your health professional selects, either the suppression or stimulation phase comes first. The triggering of egg release is always last.

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Suppression phase

One of the first steps in IVF is to suppress ovulation (the natural cycle of when a mature egg is released from the ovary for fertilization). This is necessary to allow multiple eggs to develop at the same time for retrieval. 

During this phase, you are prescribed medications that block ovulation. These medications are known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or antagonists. Your prescriptions will depend on the IVF protocol that your professional chooses for you. 

Below are the typical medications used for suppression and their prices.

Cetrorelix, Cetrotide, and Ganirelix 

Ganirelix (Fyremadel) and Cetrotide (cetrorelix) are GnRH antagonists. In short, they work to suppress the release of hormones that trigger ovulation. 

All of these medications usually come in single-dose syringes or vials, and you must self-inject the medication or have a loved one or health professional help. 

Ganirelix has an average cash price of around $260 per syringe, while Cetrotide costs around $400. Cetrotide’s generic, cetrorelix, costs $349 per vial. 

Cetrorelix can offer some cost savings. That said, if you prefer to stick with brand-name Cetrotide, the manufacturer has a program that offers savings or rebates. 

Leuprolide

Leuprolide is a GnRH agonist. It works by initially increasing the production of hormones that trigger ovulation. Over time, your body adapts to this stimulation by stopping the production of these hormones, leading to a delay in ovulation. 

Leuprolide is a generic medication and comes in a vial that contains multiple doses. The average cash price for a multidose vial is $868. GoodRx offers coupons as low as $115. 

While a single vial of leuprolide is priced higher than Ganirelix and Cetrotide, leuprolide contains multiple doses per vial compared to only 1 to 2 doses per vial of Ganirelix or Cetrotide. You will need to measure your dose with a syringe for self-injection.

Stimulation phase

In addition to suppressing ovulation, it is crucial to mature multiple eggs for retrieval to increase the chances of viable embryos. In order to do so, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and/or human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) are used to cause a higher number of follicles (sacs in the ovary containing the immature eggs) to mature. 

The stimulation phase can happen either before or after the suppression phase depending on the protocol. This stage has some of the highest-priced medications in the IVF process. But GoodRx offers some savings. 

Clomid and clomiphene

Clomid (clomiphene) stimulates ovulation by binding to estrogen receptors, leading to increased secretion of hormones like FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones are essential for follicle development and release of eggs in the ovaries. Clomiphene is the generic form of Clomid, and both are administered as oral tablets. On average, 15 tablets of brand-name Clomid cost $90 while 15 tablets of generic clomiphene cost $75. 

Clomid’s manufacturer offers a copay card to help cash-paying and commercially insured patients save on the medication. Depending on your insurance status, you may be able to pay as little as $75. GoodRx also offers coupons that could save you as much as 25%.

Follistim AQ

Follistim AQ is part of the gonadotropins drug class and is a copy of the natural FSH hormone responsible for egg stimulation. It comes in pre-filled cartridges and needles to be used with the Follistim AQ pen for injection. 

While there are differing amounts of Follistim AQ sold, 1 cartridge of 300 iU costs $1,050. The price for the medication will ultimately depend on the number of doses and the dose needed. 

If you have commercial insurance, the manufacturer of Follistim AQ offers savings on out-of-pocket costs for eligible patients.

Gonal-F and Gonal-F RFF

Gonal-F and Gonal-F RFF are also copies of the natural FSH hormone. But they are packaged differently. Gonal-F RFF is available in a pre-filled pen for ease of administration. One 450 iU Gonal-F vial is $2,274, and one 450 iU Gonal-F RFF pen is $1,874. They are similarly priced, and both require self-injection. However, the vial form involves dissolving the powder and mixing the solution prior to injecting.

If you don’t have insurance or your insurance does not cover Gonal-F or Gonal-F RFF, the manufacturer has a program that offers savings or rebates. 

Letrozole

Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor. It is used in fertility treatment to lower estrogen levels and assist in ovulation. It is typically taken orally. 

Since Letrozole is a generic medication, there are no manufacturer savings options. GoodRx can help reduce the cost to as little as $22.

Menopur

Menopur differs from the other stimulation drugs because it contains both FSH and LH. A low amount of LH is needed to support egg maturation.

Menopur’s price per vial is $316; however, you may need multiple vials per injection depending on your dose. So while a Menopur vial costs less than the other FSH medications, you may need to purchase multiple Menopur vials per injection. 

If you’re looking to save on Menopur, the manufacturer offers a patient assistance program that can help you get the medication at a reduced rate.

Triggering of egg release phase

The final step in the egg collection process is the triggering phase. Medications containing the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone trigger the eggs to go through the final phase of growth and trigger the ovaries to release mature eggs after about 36 hours. Then, the fertility care team retrieves the eggs. 

You typically need only one dose of hCG. Their prices are listed below.

Novarel and Pregnyl

Novarel and Pregnyl are both vial forms of hCG. They need to be mixed before filling a syringe for self-injection. 

A vial of Novarel with 5,000 units has a cash price of $228, while a vial of Pregnyl with 10,000 units has a cash price of $172. GoodRx coupons can help bring that price down by as much as 30%. 

Ovidrel

There is only one form of Ovidrel, and it comes as a pre-filled syringe of hCG for self-injection, making it much easier to administer. One 250 mcg syringe is $293. 

If you don’t have insurance or your insurance does not cover Ovidrel, the manufacturer has a patient assistance program that offers savings or rebates for qualifying patients.

Embryo implantation 

After the eggs are retrieved and fertilized with sperm in the lab, the final step is to implant the embryo in the uterus. 

To further support the embryo transfer, your professional may prescribe progesterone supplementation up until the end of your first trimester of pregnancy. That’s because IVF medications for egg retrieval can actually decrease progesterone levels in your body (since IVF doesn’t follow the body’s natural cycle). And progesterone is a hormone that prepares the lining of the uterus for the implantation of the embryo.

The costs of progesterone medications are listed below.

Crinone and Endometrin 

Crinone and Endometrin contain progesterone and are inserted vaginally. Crinone is available as an applicator with gel at one end for ease of administration. It is available at an 8% concentration, costing $678 for 15 applicators. Endometrin is available as a vaginal insert (tablet) that you put on the end of an applicator for administration. It is priced at nearly $400 for 21 inserts.

You usually need multiple doses of Crinone or Endometrin. And while Endometrin is cheaper per dose, you usually need to insert it 2 to 3 times a day, whereas you usually insert Crinone only once a day.

If Crinone is out of your price range, you can consider using Endometrin. Its manufacturer has a patient savings program available for commercially insured or noninsured patients.

Progesterone

Progesterone is a generic medication that comes in both a capsule (to be inserted vaginally) and a vial (for injection into a muscle). One vial of progesterone has an average cash price of $50, while the 100 mg and 200 mg capsules cost $60 and $90, respectively, for a 30-day supply. 

So, how can I save on my IVF medications?

Fertility medications and the entire IVF process are no small expense. iIt’s important to educate yourself on the process and the associated costs so you can save.

Here are some savings tips:

• Shop around. Prescription medication prices can vary from one pharmacy to the next, so it pays to shop around. Check for GoodRx coupons to get a discount off the retail price. Keep in mind that many of these drugs will come from a specialty pharmacy and can be shipped to you. These pharmacies may even have additional discounts. 

• Use manufacturer coupons. Check out the links in this article to manufacturer savings on fertility medications.

• Talk to your fertility care team or pharmacist. If you’re having trouble affording your prescription, let your healthcare team know. They can help you work through insurance coverage issues. 

• Check for extra doses. Some medications used for the stimulation phase are overfilled, so they contain more medication than what’s listed on the label. You may be able to get an extra partial or full dose depending on how much you need per injection. Talk to your fertility care team to see if you can use the extra medication to get an extra dose.

• Get medication samples. Ask your fertility office for any samples of medication that are part of your IVF protocol. You may be able to get extra doses of medication.

• Use insurance. Check with your insurance company to see if a fertility medication is covered and how much it will be.

• See if your state mandates insurance coverage for IVF.  You can see specific state mandates here. Your IVF treatment is likely covered if you live in states like Massachusetts or Texas. 

Methodology

This GoodRx analysis is based on a representative sample of U.S. prescription fills (not GoodRx fills) and comes from several sources, including pharmacies and insurers. The reported prices in this article are based on average cash prices, the so-called “usual and customary” prices or retail prices at the pharmacy (not including insurance copays or coinsurance). All prices listed on this article are based on data from February 1, 2023 through February 29, 2024. The prices presented are based on the smallest unit of the drug that can be filled. 

A note about IVF medication use: The total price of prescription medications for IVF will vary because the dosing and the course of medications will differ based on a professional’s recommendation to a patient. We base our IVF process information on several sources including FertilityIQ and multiple published reviews in the medical literature. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Tori Marsh, MPH

Tori Marsh is GoodRx’s resident expert on prescription drug pricing, prescribing trends, and drug savings. She oversees the GoodRx drug database, ensuring that all drug information is accurate and up to date.

Reviewed by:

Sasha Guttentag, PhD

Sasha Guttentag, PhD, is a research scientist at GoodRx. She's a trained public health epidemiologist interested in statistical modeling and survey development in the public health space, typically focusing on noncommunicable diseases.

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