Couples' willingness to pay for IVF/ET.
BACKGROUND
Many politicians and decision-makers in health care consider assisted reproduction an expensive and exclusive treatment despite the results of in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer (IVF/ET) treatments having improved considerably during the last few years. With the improved results the costs in relation to successful outcome are decreasing.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-benefit of IVF/ET treatments in a group of infertile couples. The benefit was measured as willingness to pay (WTP) for IVF/ET treatment and was related to the cost of IVF/ET: For the calculation of costs, data from one private and one public IVF clinic in Sweden during the period from January 1992 to March 1993 were used.


CONCLUSIONS
The cost analysis showed a direct cost for IVF/ET of 3,170 pounds per started treatment and 9,410 pounds per delivery. Including the indirect cost, the total cost was 3,880 pounds per started IVF/ET treatment and 11,490 pounds per delivery. The survey of the WTP showed that the infertile couples gave high economic priority to infertility treatment. A majority of the couples were willing to pay more for a child than the calculated direct cost.
Granberg
M
M
Sahlgrenska Hospital, Sweden.
Wikland
M
M
Nilsson
L
L
Hamberger
L
L
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000191:economics*; D005382:Financing, Personal; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome