IVF or Adoption?

Hello out there. I'm new here, and thought I would try to get some input. I just recently found out for sure that I am not able to conceive naturally. I met Dr Potter on the Ricki Lake show and barely got to talk to him although I was sitting almost right next to him. I was given a card to the office and I am now trying to figure out what I should do. Both options are so costly and my hubby is in the army and of course doesn't make that much. I feel like trying to save up will take years and I'm afraid to risk the money on something that I'm worried won't be a sure thing. How did you decide what to do?

Hi and welcome! Thank you for your family's service!

Do you know if you are eligible for benefits through Tricare?

I am not sure if HRC offers a military discount but Dr Potter offers free consults to Members on here. I found this info from a military forum- its a little dated but may provide some guidance-

MTFs that do both IUI & IVF (wait time is for IVF only as IUIs are almost immediate)

1. Walter Reed Army, Washington, DC
202-782-6198; IVF intake Petrina Thompson; petrina.thompson@na.amedd.army.mil
3-6mo wait list; have ~500 slots/year divided into Winter, Spring, Summer, & Fall cycles
Welcome Packet Info:
http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Pat...arch%202007.doc
Price List for 2007 (Prices are subject to change so please check with your IVF coordinator)
http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Pat...rice%20list.pdf
Core prices for 2008
Non refundable IVF Deposit - $440
Basic IVF - $4401.00
Basic IVF with ICSI - $5506
Assisted Hatching - $258.00

2. Wilford Hall Air Force, San Antonio, TX
210-292-4016
18mo wait list
2008 Core Prices:
Reg IVF - $2900
IVF w/ICSI - $3800
IVF w/ICSI and surgical procedure - $4050
Welcome Packet Info:
http://www.sammcs.amedd.army.mil/cl...ientbooklet.doc

3. Balboa/Point Loma Naval, San Diego, CA
619-524-6218; IVF Coordinator Nicole Alexander ncalexander@nmcsd.med.navy.mil
1.5yr wait list for IVF
IUI has a 4-6mo wait list
2007 Price List prices are subject to change so please double check with Nicole or Mami
$0 for SA
$3406 for IVF with AH/test yolk buffer and embryo glue
$4310 for ICSI
$440 blastocyst culture
$350 anesthesia
$336 for embryo freezing
$41.67 per mth for 3 months for storage/$62.50 a month for 2-5 years/ $125 per month for 6+ years
$502.20 for FET
**Currently their is a hold on IVF as there are some contract issues which they hope to have resolved in April/May 2008.
Useful Patient Info:
http://www.nmcsd.med.navy.mil/servi...iew.cfm?csid=49

4. Tripler Army, Hawaii
808-433-5923; Liz for initial appointments, 808-433-2778 for IF Dept -choose 4, then 1, then 2 or 808-433-5946
18mo wait list
Useful Patient Info:
Reproductive Endocrinology Infertility

5. Madigan Army, Ft. Lewis, WA
253-968-3783; Nurse Jackie Rice
Currently no wait time
Useful Patient Info:
http://www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/ObGy...home%20page.htm
Acupuncturist at SRM (Civilian contract factility)
Johanna Flynn at 206-234-4301

Regional Access Coordinator at SRM (POC for Madigan pts after approved for IVF)
Sarah Sullivan 206-301-5029
Civilian partner clinic website Expert Infertility Clinic | IVF | Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Prices for 2008
IVF $5002
ICSI $1700
AH or culture to 5D blast $650
Embryo freezing billed separately

6. Womack Army, Ft Bragg, NC
IUI – 910-907-9043; Nurse Ms. Sanchez; IVF – 910-907-0753, Nurse Ms. Tibbetz
Limited slots available

2008 Price Schedule

Laboratory Fees
IVF Global Fee Includes $ 3, 435.00
Laboratory charges, Anesthesia and Supplies
(85% of Laboratory fees for IVF cycle will be refunded if cycle is cancelled)
IVF Class: Orientation and Teaching $ 100.00
***** Analysis for IVF Cycle (Mandatory) $ 150.00

Additional Laboratory Charges During IVF Cycle
Intra- Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) 1,800.00
Assisted Hatching (AH) $ 750.00
Blastocyst Culture $ 300.00
Embryo Cryopreservation 1,000.00
Embryo Storage $ 250.00
***** Sperm Identification -(MESA/TESA) $ 850.00

Cryopreservation & Thaw Procedures
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) per cycle $2,150.00
(Assisted Hatching of Thawed Embryos included in above fee-required for ALL FETs)
Frozen Sperm Thaw (per cycle) $100.00
Sperm Cryopreservation $ 300.00
Sperm Storage (per year) $ 120.00
TESA Cryopreservation $ 500.00
TESA Storage (per year) $ 200.00

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
PGD- Single gene $ 3.000.00
PGD – Aneuploidy $ 2.200.00
PGD- Biopsy $ 2.000.00

Andrology Laboratory Charges
***** Analysis w/ wash $ 300.00
***** Analysis w/o wash $ 150.00
***** Analysis with Antibody $ 200.00

7. Wright Patterson AFB, OH
937-522-2666 Nurse
2yr + wait; have ~25 slots/year divided into Winter, Spring, Summer, & Fall cycles
Currently has an indefiniete hold on their IVF program and there's a slim chance that they'll re-instate the program.

MTFs that do IUIs only
1. Portsmouth Nav Hosp, VA
757-953-4335
Contact: Thelma
http://www-nmcp.med.navy.mil/FCMIC/OB/REI.asp
2. Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS
228-376-0433

hi! for me, I decided to do IVF when I was told I needed it because I did want to try to have my own natural child. Adoption is a wonderful option also, and I am definitely open to it for future children.

Hello and welcome!! I can't have children naturally either and we chose to go the IVF route first as we weren't prepared to move into adoption just yet. As you can see from my signature the road has not been easy but hopefully we will have a baby someday. It is hard to advise on whether someone should adopt or go the IVF route because there are so many personal factors that go into it. I do know that HRC's prices are super super cheap compared to the price of adoption so that may be a factor for you.

When my DH was in the Navy we were still trying naturally so I did not look into IVF at that point. I don't think Tricare covers IVF but I could be wrong. I know all of our testing was covered but that was about it. He got out of the Navy in 2008 though so things may have changed since then.

Anyway, you can definitely message me if you would like! I don't post much on the public forums because most of the IVF talk is done in the private forums. There is soooo much information in there and everyone is so helpful, I highly recommend the $12 dream membership!

Good luck with your decision and if you ever need to talk please message me. There aren't too many people that are infertile on here but everyone is always supportive no matter what!


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Thank you each one for the help and the input. My insurance as far as I have now been told won't even cover the office visits since my OB has filed that I am infertile. All of the MTF's listed have very long wait lists and their costs have gone up a little. I know that HRC is about 3 hours from our current duty station and they do offer a pretty good discount. It's just the fact of the total number that is scary. I desperately want to have my own child too, I'm just scared of being unsuccessful and then still in debt. I want to look in to the idea of being an egg donor if I qualify, but then again I'm afraid of being rejected. It's so easy to be an advocate for others for me, but when it comes to helping myself....I'm really bad at that. I cannot see signatures yet so I'm not sure about success rates and stuff but I hope to be able to find strength in every person I come in contact with while I am cheering each and every person on. <3