Gender selection IVF uses preimplantation genetic testing during IVF to identify your future child’s sex before transfer with 99% accuracy. The whole procedure costs between $25,000 and $27,000 on average in the United States. But that number means almost nothing because you could pay $11,000 at certain clinics or over $35,000 at others.
If you’ve gotten quotes from different clinics, you’ve probably noticed they’re all over the place. Here’s where every dollar actually goes and why the numbers vary so wildly.
How Much Does Gender Selection IVF Cost?
The total cost for IVF gender selection typically lands between $25,000 and $27,000, but many fertility clinics have drastically different pricing.
- Budget clinics typically quote $11,000–$12,000.
- Standard clinics typically quote $20,000–$25,000.
- Premium clinics typically quote $30,000–$35,000+.
The variation comes from your clinic’s pricing, what they include versus charge separately, but also from your location, and whether you need extra procedures.
Gender Selection IVF: Complete Cost Breakdown
| What You're Paying For | CCRH Price | Average Market Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Base IVF cycle | $10,995 | $9,000–$25,000 |
| PGT-A (the gender selection testing) | $4,200 | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Fertility medications | $4,000 | $3,000–$7,000 |
| Frozen embryo transfer | $4,850 | $3,000–$5,000 |
| Monitoring appointments | $300/visit (if applicable; often included in package) | $500–$2,000 |
| ICSI (if needed) | $1,500 | $1,000–$2,500 |
| Additional procedures | Variable | Variable |
At the California Center for Reproductive Health (CCRH), we believe in being transparent about costs so there are no surprises along the way.
While IVF with gender selection is a significant investment, our pricing is designed to be competitive without compromising on quality or success rates. Many clinics charge toward the higher end of the market range, while CCRH keeps costs reasonable and clearly outlined upfront.
Plus, with personalized care from a board-certified fertility specialist and an in-house lab, you’re getting top-tier expertise and advanced technology at a fair price — something not every clinic can offer.
Base IVF Cycle Fees ($9,000-$25,000)
Your biggest expense covers the entire IVF process from ovarian stimulation through embryo development.
What’s included in a basic IVF cycle
- The process begins with injectable fertility medications for 10-14 days during your menstrual cycle to stimulate multiple eggs. You’ll have frequent monitoring appointments for ultrasounds and bloodwork.
- Egg retrieval happens under sedation, typically 20-30 minutes where eggs are retrieved through an ultrasound-guided needle. About 15-25 eggs retrieved for younger women, 6-12 for those over 38.
- Your partner provides male sperm (or donor sperm gets thawed).
- The fertility clinic uses standard IVF (mixing sperm and eggs) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) where one sperm is injected directly into each egg. The fertilized embryos created grow in incubators for 5-7 days until they reach blastocyst stage. About half typically make it to this critical point of embryo development.
Why the massive price variation? Location matters most, and what’s bundled also varies. Some clinics include monitoring and ICSI; others add $200-$300 per visit and $1,500 for ICSI separately. Always ask: “What’s NOT included in your IVF packages?”
Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) Costs ($2,000-$5,000)
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) makes gender selection possible and screens for genetic abnormalities that could prevent a healthy pregnancy.
Genetic testing fees break into two parts:
- Embryo biopsy ($500-$1,500): A reproductive medicine specialist removes 5-10 cells from each embryo at the blastocyst stage. These cells ship to an external lab for analysis.
- Lab analysis ($1,500-$3,500): The lab examines chromosomes to identify which embryos are XX (female) versus XY (male), plus screens for genetic disorder markers and chromosomal issues.
Pricing models vary:
- Per-embryo: $200-$400 each (higher cost if many embryos are created).
- Flat-rate: $2,500-$3,500 regardless of number of embryos.
Testing takes 7-14 days, which is why the IVF process requires frozen embryos rather than fresh transfer. You need results back before selecting your desired gender.
Beyond gender selection, you’re identifying healthy embryos most likely to result in a successful pregnancy and healthy baby.
Fertility Medication Expenses ($3,000-$7,000)
Most fertility clinics exclude medication costs from their quoted IVF packages. This catches prospective parents off-guard.
Egg retrieval medications ($3,000-$5,000):
- Daily injectable gonadotropins for ovarian stimulation (10-14 days).
- Suppression medications.
- Trigger shot before retrieval.
Frozen embryo transfer medications ($500-$1,000):
- Estrogen to prep the woman’s uterus
- Progesterone for implantation
Your dosage depends on ovarian reserve and age. A 32-year-old needs lower doses than a 39-year-old with diminished reserve.
Frozen Embryo Transfer Costs ($3,000-$5,000)
Gender selection always requires frozen embryo transfer, because you need time for genetic testing results before choosing embryos of a certain gender.
- Estrogen builds your uterine lining to optimal thickness (8mm+) over 2-3 weeks. You’ll have 2-4 monitoring ultrasounds.
- On transfer day, your chosen embryo (the one matching your desired sex and chromosomally healthy) gets thawed (95%+ survival rate with modern vitrification).
- The embryo transfer takes 5 minutes and feels like an uncomfortable pap smear. Then you wait two weeks to confirm successful pregnancy.
Additional Potential Costs
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): $1,000-$2,500
This assisted reproductive technology injects one sperm directly into each egg. This is required for male factor infertility, but many reproductive medicine specialists also recommend ICSI for all gender selection cases, as it improves fertilization rates and prevents male sperm from sticking to embryos and contaminating genetic testing.
Embryo storage: $500-$1,000 upfront + $300-$600/year
Freezing extra embryos gives you future chances without repeating the full IVF cycle. These are out of pocket expenses you’ll pay annually to keep frozen embryos in storage.
Sperm sorting: $300-$1,500
Some clinics offer this as a budget alternative to preimplantation genetic testing. The lab attempts to separate male sperm (Y chromosome) from female sperm (X chromosome) using the Ericsson method.
Keep in mind this method is only 70-75% accurate versus 99%+ with PGT.
Donor materials
Typical costs are:
- Donor egg: $5,000-$15,000+ per cycle.
- Donor sperm: $500-$1,000 per vial.
Multiple IVF cycles
Statistically, about half your embryos will be each sex. If you only produce 4 total, you might get 2 of your desired gender, and both might not be chromosomally normal healthy embryos. Many intended parents budget for 1.5-2 cycles.
Why Gender Selection IVF Costs Vary So Much
If you’ve gotten quotes from multiple clinics and you’re confused why they range from $11,000 to $35,000+, you’re not crazy. The variation is wild. Let’s break down what drives costs up or down.
Geographic Location Price Differences
Where you get treated is often the single biggest factor in your total cost, sometimes even more than your age or how many eggs you produce.
Cost of living directly impacts clinic overhead. A Manhattan fertility clinic pays astronomically more in rent than one in Tennessee. Staff salaries, lab equipment, insurance, utilities: everything costs more in expensive cities, and those costs get passed to you.
But remember the most important factor is IVF success rates, not amenities or overall cost.
Clinic Pricing Models & What’s Included
Two $20,000 quotes can mean completely different things in terms of associated costs.
Fertility clinics typically use different pricing models:
- All-inclusive IVF packages.
Everything bundled: monitoring, procedures, sometimes fertility medications, genetic testing fees, first transfer. No surprise bills. - Itemized billing.
Base quote plus separate charges for everything, which can add $5,000-$8,000 to the quoted price. Hidden associated costs include monitoring ($200-$300/visit), ICSI ($1,500), anesthesia ($500), storage ($300-$600/year).
Neither pricing model is right or wrong, but you need to understand what you’re paying for. A lower quote can end up being more expensive if you have to pay extra for every additional item.
Number of Embryos Tested
How many embryos are created directly impacts genetic testing fees.
Younger women typically have 15-25 eggs retrieved, while women over 38 might only get 6-12. Then the numbers drop at every stage.
- About 70-80% of those eggs will fertilize successfully.
- Roughly half of the fertilized eggs will develop to blastocyst stage.
- Of those blastocysts, only 40-70% will be chromosomally normal (but the percentage depends heavily on your age).
- Finally, you’ll see roughly a 50/50 split between male and female embryos.
Here’s a real example: You start with 15 eggs retrieved. Maybe 12 fertilize. Those 12 become 6 blastocysts. And if you’re lucky, you end up with 3 boys and 3 girls.
Success Rates & Repeat Cycles
Understanding IVF success rates is crucial for financial considerations because you might need multiple IVF treatments.
Gender selection accuracy is 99%. But achieving a successful pregnancy isn’t guaranteed and vary depending on age. Live birth rates per transfer are typically:
- Women under 35: 50-60%.
- Women aged 35-37: 40-45%.
- Women aged 38-40: 30-35%.
- Women aged 41-42: 15-20%.
- Women over 42: Under 10%.
And when limiting to a specific gender, you work with about half the options. 6 normal embryos = 3 boys + 3 girls. Want a girl? You have 3 chances instead of 6.
Failed transfers or pregnancy loss might require another full cycle, which means another $20,000+.
Think “cost per baby,” not “cost per cycle.” A 29-year-old might spend $26,000 total. A 41-year-old might need multiple cycles totaling $51,500. Both are normal outcomes for family planning.
Many reproductive medicine specialists recommend women over 37 pursuing gender selection plan for 1.5-2 cycles to ensure enough embryos of the desired sex.
Insurance Coverage & Payment Options
Most people pay out-of-pocket for gender selection. Only 25% of Americans have any IVF insurance coverage, and elective sex selection is almost never covered, because insurance considers it elective, not medically necessary.
What Insurance Typically Covers (And What It Doesn’t)
What insurance might cover:
- Basic IVF cycle for diagnosed infertility (not conceiving after 12 months, blocked tubes, male factor, endometriosis)
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) if preventing X-linked genetic disorders like hemophilia or Duchenne
- Some monitoring and fertility medications
What’s almost never covered:
- Elective gender selection for family balancing
- PGT purely for choosing baby’s sex
- Multiple cycles if you have biological children
- Embryo storage fees
A handful of states require insurance companies to cover fertility treatments: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, West Virginia
But insurance coverage varies even in mandate states. Many employers self-insure and are exempt.
Verify your insurance coverage:
- Call directly (not HR).
- Ask about IVF coverage and ICD-10 codes.
- Get written confirmation.
- Check lifetime maximums and cycle limits.
- Confirm which fertility clinics are in-network.
Financing & Payment Plans
If you’re like most people pursuing gender selection, you’re paying out of pocket. Here are your options beyond draining your savings account.
Clinic payment plans
Many fertility clinics offer in-house financing—pay in installments over 6-12 months. Some charge interest; others don’t. This keeps you from needing a huge lump sum upfront, though you’ll often need a down payment of 20-30%.
Medical financing companies
Several companies specialize in fertility treatment loans, such as Sunfish and Kindbody.
Your interest rate depends on your credit score. If you have excellent credit, you might qualify for 0% promotional periods or low single-digit rates. Fair credit might mean 10-15% rates.
At our clinic, we provide multiple fertility financing options with trusted partners.
HSA and FSA funds
You can use Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account money for IVF treatments, fertility medications, and medical expenses. Gender selection specifically might be questioned if it’s purely elective, but the IVF and testing components generally qualify.
Fertility grants and scholarships
Several organizations offer grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, such as The Baby Quest Foundation and The Cade Foundation. These are competitive: you’ll have to write essays, provide financial documentation, and wait months for decisions. But free money is free money.
Military and veteran programs
If you’re military personnel or a vet, some clinics offer 5-10% discounts. Additionally:
- VA may cover IVF for service-related injuries causing infertility.
- TRICARE covers limited fertility treatments.
Shared risk/refund programs
Pay $25,000-$35,000 upfront for multiple IVF cycles. If you don’t have a live birth after 3-6 attempts, you get 70-100% of your money back.
These programs usually have strict eligibility based on age (usually under 40), BMI, ovarian reserve testing, and no major fertility issues. If you qualify, these offer financial peace of mind but require significant upfront cash.
Credit cards
Not ideal, but it’s an option. Some 0% intro APR cards give you 12-18 months to pay off the balance interest-free. Just make sure you can realistically pay it off before the promotional period ends, or you’ll get hit with high interest rates.
Ready to Get Real Pricing & See Your Options?
National averages for gender selection IVF range from $11,000 to $35,000+. But your actual number? That depends entirely on your age, your health, where you live, and which clinic you choose. The only way to know what you’ll really pay is to sit down with someone who can look at your specific situation.
That’s where we come in. We don’t play games with pricing. You won’t get halfway through treatment and suddenly discover fees nobody mentioned. We put everything on the table upfront: what it costs, what’s included, and what’s not.
When you schedule a consultation with us, you’ll walk away knowing exactly what this will cost for your situation. We’ll review your insurance coverage and tell you what might actually be covered. We’ll discuss payment plans and financing options that work with your budget, not against it. And we’ll give you honest success rates based on your age and health, because you deserve to know your actual odds.
Stop wondering if you can afford gender selection IVF and find out for sure. Schedule your consultation with us today!
