High โคCost of Infertility Treatmentsโฃ Puts Financial strain on Couples: โขICMR-NIRRCH Study
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New Delhi – A recent study by the Indianโ Council of Medical Research-National Institute for Research in Reproductive and child โขHealth โข(ICMR-NIRRCH) reveals the ample โfinancialโข burden infertility treatments placeโข on couples in โIndia, with one cycle of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) costing approximately รขโยน81,332. theโค findings underscore the urgent โขneed for โขgreater accessibility and insurance coverage โfor fertilityโ care, as one inโ six couples in India grapple with infertility โคissues. โPublished December 5, 2025, at 10:45 pm IST, the report recommendsโ including IVF under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)โ scheme.
The study highlights that patientsโข facing uterine factor infertility and endometriosis experience the lowest health-related quality of life,โ largely due โto pain, discomfort, anxiety, and depression. Current costs forโ infertilityโฃ management in public facilities range from รขโยน6,822 toโข รขโยน11,075 per year, but these are considerably higher in private facilities. This disparity,coupled โwith theโข fact that medical costsโ for one ART cycle are โ166.4% higher than โคthe average โannual income in India, creates a critically important barrier to access forโข many couples.
Financialโข Burdenโ and Access to Care
Shobhit agarwal, CEO of Nova IVF Fertility, emphasized the โcritical need to integrate fertility-related healthcare into the largerโฃ health insuranceโ framework, stating, Addressingโฃ fertility issues as part of the healthโข insurance framework supports population โฃhealthโฃ management, ensuring a balanced demographicโค dividend, and can reduce the risks associated with โdeclining fertility rates.
Currently, PM-JAY coversโ most secondary and โขtertiary care procedures but explicitly excludes fertility treatments. The Centralโฃ Governmentโ Health Scheme (CGHS) offers limited reimbursement – a one-time cost of รขโยน65,000โ or the actual cost,whichever is lower,for three fresh IVF cycles – but only to those who meet specific criteria.
The ICMR-NIRRCH study was initiated at the request of the Health Ministry’s Health Technology Assessment in Indiaโ (HTAIn) to evaluate the cost โof IVF treatment for potential inclusion in PM-JAY. A key finding is that a significant portion โof infertility treatment expenses, including IVF, are โคincurred as outpatient (OPD) costs, which are currently not covered under PM-JAY.
Did You โคKnow?
The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) act,2021,andโ its associated rules regulate ARTโ clinics in India,covering aspects โlike egg and spermโ donation,cryopreservation,and clinic registration.
ART Service Delivery and Regulatory Landscape
while the demand for โAssisted Reproductive Technology (ART)โ services is rising, very few public facilities currently provide them, leading to reliance โon the expanding private sector. Even though regulated by the ART rules, private providers’ prices remain uncontrolled, contributing to substantial out-of-pocket expenditure for โฃpatients. The report recommends coverage of IVFโค under โPM-JAY at a cost ofโ รขโยน81,332 โper cycle, taking into account the significant OPD expenses associated with treatment.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| IVF Cycle Cost (Recommended PM-JAY) | รขโยน81,332 |
| IVF Cycle โCost vs.annualโค Income | 166.4% Higher |
| CGHS โReimbursement โฃ(Max) | รขโยน65,000 |
| Public Facility IVF Cost Range | รขโยน6,822 โข- รขโยน11,075 |
| Infertility Rate โ(india) | 1 in 6 โCouples |
pro Tip: Understanding your insurance coverage and exploring available financial assistance โคprograms โcan significantly reduceโ the burden of infertility โtreatment costs.
The study’sโข findings โขare expected to fuel further discussions regarding the inclusion of IVF and other fertility treatments within the PM-JAY scheme, perhapsโ expanding access to care for millions โof couples across India. The report’sโ recommendations aim to alleviateโ the โemotional and financial strain associated with infertility, supportingโฃ both individual well-being and broader population health goals.
“Infertility is not just anโค urbanโ India phenomenon, even the couples in tier 2 and tier 3 regions also have been impacted,” said Shobhit Agarwal.
What steps can โbe taken to ensureโข equitable access to fertility treatments across โall regions of India? โ How can the government and private sector collaborate to regulateโ ART costs and improve affordability for couples โstruggling with infertility?
Frequently Askedโข Questions
What is PM-JAY?
PM-JAY, or the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogyaโ Yojana, is a โhealth insurance scheme launched by the Indian government providing cashlessโข access โขto healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
What does โคthe ICMR-NIRRCH study recommend regardingโ IVF coverage?
The study recommends including IVF under PM-JAY at a cost of โขรขโยน81,332 for one cycle, โขacknowledging the significantโ outpatient โคexpensesโฃ associated with the treatment.
What is the current infertility rate in India?
Approximately one in sixโฃ couples โขin India experience infertility issues.
Why are ART costs so high โขin โขindia?
High costs โare attributed to a โคlack of price controls inโข the private sector, limited โขavailability โof services in public facilities, and significant outpatient expenses not currently covered byโฃ insuranceโ schemes.
What is the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) โฃAct,2021?
This Act regulates the practice of ART in India,establishing rules โfor โegg and spermโ donation,cryopreservation,and the registration of ART clinics.
Background on Infertility andโค ARTโ in India
Infertility affects millions of couples globally, โand India โis no exception. Factors contributing to rising infertility rates include delayed childbearing, lifestyle changes, โฃand increasing prevalence of conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndromeโข (PCOS) and endometriosis. ART,โ encompassing techniques like IVF, hasโ become a โขcrucial option for couples facing difficulty conceiving. However, the high cost and limited accessibility of these treatments pose significant โchallenges, notably โfor โthose in lower-income brackets. The regulatory landscape surrounding ART in India has โขevolved with the enactment of the Assisted โReproductive Technology (Regulation) โAct, 2021, aiming to ensure ethical practices and patient โsafety.
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