Natural cycle and minimal stimulation IVF are lower-dose versions of in vitro fertilization. The laboratory steps are the same as a conventional cycle — egg retrieval, fertilization with ICSI, embryo culture and transfer — but far less fertility medication is used, so far fewer eggs are collected. Our self-pay fee for either protocol is $8,900, including ICSI.
What is natural cycle IVF?
Natural cycle IVF is performed without gonadotropin stimulation. Rather than stimulating the ovaries to grow many follicles, we monitor the cycle your body is already running and retrieve the egg from the single dominant follicle it has selected that month. That egg is fertilized in the laboratory with the aim of producing one embryo.
Historically the difficulty with this approach was premature ovulation — the egg could be lost before retrieval. The introduction of GnRH antagonist medication (Ganirelix, Cetrotide) made premature ovulation nearly non-existent and made harvesting a single follicle reliable. Dr. Gindoff writes about that history in What Is the Role of Mini IVF?
What is minimal stimulation IVF?
Minimal stimulation IVF — sometimes called mini-IVF — grew out of natural cycle IVF. It follows the same technical steps, with the addition of a mild amount of fertility pills and injections, aiming for a moderate number of eggs, typically two to five, rather than the single egg of a natural cycle. Because the drug doses are lower, medication costs are lower than with a standard stimulation cycle.
How is this different from conventional IVF?
The difference is the number of eggs. A standard stimulation cycle uses higher medication doses to grow multiple follicles at once; these protocols deliberately do not. Fewer eggs per retrieval generally means fewer embryos per cycle, and more cycles may be needed. A cycle that yields one egg may yield no more than one embryo, and it may yield none.
That has practical consequences worth understanding before you choose. A lower-dose cycle is unlikely to produce surplus embryos to freeze for a later transfer, and it is limited in supporting a plan that involves preimplantation genetic testing, because testing needs multiple embryos to be useful. Where budget allows, standard dosing creates more embryos per attempt.
What does it cost?
Our self-pay fee is $8,900 for a natural cycle or minimal stimulation IVF cycle, against $13,900 for a standard stimulation cycle. Both figures include ICSI. A separate $1,000 facility fee covers the retrieval room and anesthesia.
Medications are billed separately through a specialty pharmacy, and because these protocols use lower doses, medication costs are lower than with a standard stimulation cycle. Full pricing, multi-cycle packages, insurance and financing are set out on our cost and pricing page, and our financial coordinator gives you a written itemized estimate before you start.
Who might consider it?
Patients who may wish to discuss this option with us include:
- Those who would prefer to use as little fertility medication as possible
- Those for whom the cost of a standard stimulation cycle and its medications is the deciding factor
- Those who have responded to high-dose stimulation in the past with only one or two eggs
- Those who have been told elsewhere that treatment with their own eggs is not worth attempting and want the option examined
This is not a self-assessment. Whether a lower-dose protocol is appropriate is determined individually by your physician, after reviewing your history, your testing and your goals with you.
Common questions
How much does natural cycle or minimal stimulation IVF cost?
Our self-pay fee is $8,900 for a natural cycle or minimal stimulation IVF cycle, compared with $13,900 for a standard stimulation cycle. Each includes ICSI. A separate $1,000 facility fee covers the retrieval room and anesthesia, and medications are billed separately through a specialty pharmacy.
Are fewer eggs retrieved with these protocols?
Yes. Natural cycle IVF aims to retrieve the single egg your body selects that month, and minimal stimulation aims for a small number of eggs. Fewer eggs generally means fewer embryos per cycle, less chance of having embryos left to freeze, and limited ability to support preimplantation genetic testing, which needs multiple embryos. More than one cycle may be needed.
Does a low AMH mean I should use a lower-dose protocol?
Not on its own. AMH doesn't measure egg quality, but it helps predict how you'll respond to fertility medications — specifically, the number of eggs likely to be retrieved in a given cycle. Your physician weighs that alongside your age, history and goals when discussing protocols with you.
Will I be turned away if I want to discuss a lower-dose cycle?
No. We do not accept or deny patients for treatment based on likelihood of success. Bring the question to a consultation and a reproductive endocrinologist will go through the options with you.
Consultation is free for new patients; we bill health insurance where you have coverage that applies. Call 212-685-2229 or contact our team to talk through your options. If you have been treated elsewhere and want your chart read again, we also offer a fertility second opinion.