Grants For Infertility

New Fertility Program Cuts Expense of Costly Treatment by 30 Percent

The program cuts costs by thousands of dollars. At Seattle Reproductive Medicine, the total expense for a cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a donated egg is nearly $25,000 — a charge typically not covered by health insurers. In the past, donors would supply eggs to only one woman, and often many embryos were never used. But by sharing donated eggs, the price drops to $17,625 per cycle.

The savings is particularly important in the current stagnant economy because many women are delaying fertility treatment, doctors say. And the older a patient gets, the more difficulty she is likely to encounter in conceiving.

"We recognize the expense for IVF can be intimidating in this economy," said Amy Criniti, M.D., a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, who heads the egg donation program for Seattle Reproductive Medicine. "This program is aimed at helping women and couples stymied by financial concerns."

By sharing the cost of acquiring donor eggs, recipients can save on expenses for intensive screening to identify appropriate donors and compensation for a donor's time, which runs several thousand dollars. In addition, a donor receives fertility medicine in order to produce multiple eggs, which are then extracted through outpatient surgery. Under the shared program, each recipient generally receives five eggs per cycle.

See more in a press backgrounder at: www.seattlefertility.com/media/shareddonoregg.asp

About Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Seattle Reproductive Medicine is the largest fertility center west of the Mississippi River, with 11 full-time physicians practicing in four locations. Led by a nationally recognized team of physicians, SRM offers comprehensive, state-of-the-art assistance for patients with infertility and other reproductive disorders. Practice partners have been awarded National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants and their work in reproductive aging has also received international recognition. For more information, visit www.SeattleFertility.com or call (206) 301-5000.

Grants and Aid for Infertility Treatment -

Applicants must have little or no insurance coverage and no children living in their home. Preference is given to couples early on in their fertility treatments who have likelihood for a successful outcome, as indicated by medical reports.

Application Process: Interested applicants must complete an application and include a letter from their doctor, a medical records release, and a financial statement. Application deadlines are March 31 and August 31.

B.U.M.P.S.

Bringing U Maternal Paternal Success (B.U.M.P.S.) is a non-profit organization in Florida that assists couples who have difficulty conceiving by providing grants for them to receive fertility treatments.

Eligibility: Applicants must meet the definition of infertility as defined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, be under the age of 44 if they are using their own eggs, demonstrate good overall mental and physical health, have adequate living arrangements, and have a health insurance plan that can cover prenatal health.

Application Process: Selection is based on nature of circumstances, fertility history, and financial situation. Applications for 2010 will be reviewed between May 1 and July 31.

The Cade Foundation

Since 2004, the Cade Foundation has helped couples by providing grants to those struggling with infertility. The grant, which has a limit of $10,000 per family, helps couples pay for fertility treatment costs associated with fertility treatments or domestic adoption.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible, applicants must have documented infertility, be legal, permanent residents of the United States, and submit the grant application with the $50 processing fee.

Application Process: The two-part application must also include a detailed plan on how the applicants will contribute financially to their fertility treatments. Completed applications are due on June 15.

Fertile Dreams Organization

Based in Florida, the Fertile Dreams organization gives out the annual Embracing Hope Grant to couples throughout the U.S. who must undergo IVF treatments in order to conceive. Each year, the organization awards three couples grants of $10,000 each towards IVF costs at any fertility clinic in the United States.

Eligibility: Couples are eligible if they have health insurance, but do not have a plan that covers fertility treatment costs.

United States Code, 2000, V. 35, General Index, S-Z

United States code annotated

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