How Much Does a Baby Really Cost?

Key takeaways from this article:

• The cost of having a child extends far beyond delivery and early medical expenses. Those family-building expenses can include fertility treatment, prenatal care, childbirth, childcare, healthcare, housing adjustments, parental leave, and long-term child-related expenses, making proactive financial planning increasingly important for intended parents.
• For patients pursuing IVF, egg freezing, donor conception, or surrogacy, there is a higher upfront investment in things like medications, retrievals, embryo transfers, storage, legal services, and multiple treatment cycles.
• We can help you think holistically about the full “cost to baby” rather than focusing only on individual treatment or delivery expenses.
• Sunfish will be your partner in strategizing your savings, insurance reviews, grants, employer benefits, loan options, and more tools to navigate the financial reality of becoming a parent.

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An IVF conceived baby costs about $80,000 for the first year. That is quite an expense for most Americans, so let us help break that down for you:

How much does IVF really cost?

A typical IVF cycle costs about $25,000, including medication. This is roughly the same if you froze your eggs ages ago, or are going through a fresh IVF cycle all at once. However, most couples take about 2 full cycles to get pregnant, according to data from SART and the CDC. This means that it will cost about $50,000 to get pregnant. 

However - this cost is hard to predict, and for some couples, it may take 3 or more cycles to get pregnant. For those that need to factor in 3rd party support, such as an egg donor, sperm donor, or surrogate, the cost can expand to over $200,000.

What are other pregnancy costs? 

Beyond IVF, most couples may pay for an array of other services during their pregnancy, such as acupuncture, maternity clothes, and additional supplements. These costs can range anywhere from $1000 to $9,000. 

How much does it cost to have a baby?

Giving birth in a hospital typically costs around $19,000 without insurance. Most expecting parents have insurance, but there are usually still some out of pocket expenses, which according to Forbes, cost about $2,800 out of pocket! 

How much is the first year of having a baby?

For an IVF parent, the first year of having a baby can seem like a deal after the expenses of getting pregnant. According to NerdWallet, the cost of the first year of childhood tends to be about $21,000 for a middle-income family, but closer to $50,000 per year for families who also hire support such as a night nanny, or child care!