IVF Covered by Insurance: What’s Actually Covered and What’s Not

When you hear IVF covered by insurance, In vitro fertilization treatment that may be partially or fully paid for by a health insurance plan. Also known as fertility treatment insurance, it’s something many couples in India hope for—but rarely get. The truth? In India, IVF covered by insurance is the exception, not the rule. Most health insurance plans treat IVF as an elective procedure, not a medical necessity. Even when insurers cover IVF, it’s often limited to one or two cycles, and only if you meet strict criteria like age limits, infertility diagnosis, or prior failed attempts.

What you do find covered are related services. Some policies pay for diagnostic tests like hormone panels or ultrasound monitoring. A few plans might cover medications if they’re listed under specific drug schedules. But the core IVF procedure—egg retrieval, lab fertilization, embryo transfer—almost always comes out of pocket. Even when you use your own egg and sperm, insurance rarely steps in. And if you’re using donor eggs, Eggs from a third party used in IVF to achieve pregnancy when a woman cannot use her own or sperm donation, Sperm from a donor used in IVF to fertilize an egg when male infertility is a factor, coverage drops even further. These are often labeled as "additional services" and excluded outright.

Why does this happen? Insurance companies see IVF as expensive and not life-threatening, even though infertility causes real emotional and physical stress. A 2024 study by India’s Fertility Association found that over 85% of insured patients paid the full cost of IVF themselves. Only 12% received partial reimbursement, and most of those were from corporate group plans with special fertility riders. Even then, the payout rarely exceeds ₹1 lakh, while a single cycle costs ₹2.2 lakh or more.

There’s no magic workaround. You can’t force an insurer to cover IVF just because you want it. But you can ask. Some employers offer fertility benefits as part of their health package. Others let you add fertility coverage for an extra premium. And while government schemes like Ayushman Bharat don’t include IVF, some state-run hospitals offer subsidized cycles for low-income couples. It’s not universal, but it’s out there.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real stories and facts about what’s actually possible. You’ll learn how much IVF costs in 2025, why twins happen more often with IVF (and why clinics now avoid it), and whether an IVF baby is genetically yours if you used donor material. You’ll also see how insurance rules for weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy mirror the same frustrating patterns—because when it comes to reproductive and metabolic health, insurers often treat them the same: as optional, not essential.