We Asked 8 Parents How Much It Cost to Have a Baby

Mar 23, 21 ● 3 min

How much does it cost to have twins? To have an IVF baby? To adopt? To use a sperm donor, an egg donor, or a surrogate? In this article, we look at the costs to have a baby for a diverse group of parents.

By Margaret Rogers, MPA

The cost to bring a child home varies greatly depending on your location, your health insurance plan, and your path to parenthood. We asked eight parents how much it cost to have their child, and here are their answers:

IVF mom

City: San Francisco, CA

2 rounds of IVF: $32,000

IVF meds: $10,000

Genetic testing: $2,500

Supplements: $450

Acupuncture: $1,200

Prenatals: $900

Prenatal appointments co-pay: $125

Labor & Delivery: $3,200

TOTAL: $50,375

Spontaneous conception with c-section birth

City: Charleston, SC

Ovulation tests: $40

Prenatal vitamins: $900

Prenatal doctor’s appointments: covered

OBGYN surgery fee: $2,058.96

Hospital expenses (c section): $2,348.83

Anesthesia: $500

TOTAL: $5,847.79

Single mom with sperm donor

City: New York, NY

4 rounds IUI: $3,000

1 egg retrieval cycle: $10,000

2 rounds of IVF: $30,000

Donor Sperm: $5,000

Retrieval/IVF meds: $10,000

Genetic Testing Embryos & Mom: $3,000

Embryo and Egg Storage: $6,000

Prenatal Supplements: $500

Prenatal appointments co-pay: $125

Labor & Delivery: $3,500

TOTAL: $71,125

IUI mom with twin birth

City: New Orleans, LA

3 rounds of Clomid: $150

Polyps surgery pre IUI: $2,500

1 round of IUI: $1,600

Fertility meds: $1,700

Supplements: $75

Prenatal vitamins: $225

Acupuncture: $100

Prenatal appointments: $2,500

Hospital bill: $10,000

TOTAL: $18,850

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Dads with egg donor and surrogate

City: San Francisco, CA

Egg donor costs: $36,834

Egg retrieval: $35,711

Egg donor medications: $3,500

Legal: $5,000

PGT + genetic counseling: $10,400

Surrogate costs: $69,200

Surrogate medications: $2,895

Transfer costs: $6,231

Cord blood banking: $2,595

Out-of-pocket L&D: $6,577

TOTAL: $178,944

Parents through international adoption

City: New York, NY

Agency fee: $15,000

Home study: $2,575

Government fees: $1,771

Travel: $6,400

TOTAL: $25,746

First time mom with amazing health insurance

City: North Charleston, SC

Pregnancy tests: $75

Prenatal vitamins: $240

Prenatal appointments copays: $125

Bill for birth at birthing center with midwife: $1000

Home care nurse follow up: $0

TOTAL: $1,440

Married mom on spouse's insurance

City: Charleston, SC

Monthly Prenatal Supplements: $360

Prenatal Acupuncture appointments: $1,500

Prenatal Chiropractor appointments: $500

Prenatal OBGYN appointments co-pay: $1,593

Labor & Delivery: $4,593.80

TOTAL: $8,546.80

As this diverse group of eight parents illustrates, the financial commitment of pregnancy and birth may be way more or way less than you anticipated. In just this small sample size, there is a huge range in the expenses incurred—from $1,440 to $178,944!

Prepare for the financial costs of growing your family

Many people are taken by surprise at the financial costs of starting or growing a family. If you require fertility or adoptive services, there will be unique costs associated with those services. Plus, medical coverage for prenatal care, labor, and delivery vary widely. You should look into your health insurance to find out what is covered and by how much. To ensure you start parenthood on sound financial footing, it’s helpful to work through a budget that encompasses any preconception and birth expenses.

If you proactively think through these considerations, you will take a huge leap in prepping your life for children! Read more about preparing for parenthood in our couples workbook for future parents, Parent Plans.

For further guidance on navigating the financial aspects of parenthood, explore our information on deductible fertility expenses and coverage, and our comprehensive guide on FSA and HSA Coverage of Fertility and Pregnancy Products. Additionally, you can find HSA and FSA-eligible products, including pregnancy tests and supplements, in our curated collection.

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Margaret Rogers, MPA

Margaret was one of the first employees to join the Natalist team and now serves as the Director of Consumer Brand Marketing for Everly Health. She’s spent nearly a decade in... Read More