Lee Women's Hospital in Taiwan VS. Kato Repro Biotech Center in the Philippines

I thought I have made up my mind about going to Taiwan, but I am still having second thoughts and weighing things between Lee Women's Hospital and Kato Repro Biotech Center. One of the most important things to consider is the budget. I am also particular with the method. 

At first, I was leaning on Taiwan because of the success rate and the possibility that I can have twins. On the other hand, the approach in Lee Women's Hospital is aggressive that some women experience Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) during the process. OHSS is a complication caused by fertility medication, which needs to be addressed before any embryo transfer should be done during the IVF procedure. 

Kato's success rate is also increasing. Its protocol is more of like the natural way to conceiving a baby. They have what they call the Natural Cycle IVF, but this is available to those who are qualified depending on the center's assessment. If for some reason the patient can not have the Natural Cycle IVF, she will be under the Minimal Stimulation IVF. Unlike in Lee Women's Hospital, embryo transfer in Kato takes place on the next cycle after the cycle of egg retrieval. This will give time for woman's body to recover from procedures and medicines during the first cycle of the IVF. This center is very strict about the number of embryos that they implant, which is 1 to 2 only, so there is lesser chance of having twins.

I am still doing some readings and research about these two IVF centers, but what I have come up with so far is a comparison of estimated expenses for the two centers. The costs may change in the future.

TAICHUNG IVF ESTIMATED EXPENSES

(as of September 23, 2013)

One IVF Cycle:

• US$280 (medicine for stimulation)
• US$5,400 (all-in: hospital only)
• Others (if necessary): ICSI – NT$10,000 ; LAHA – NT$5,000 ; Frozen material & technique fee for frozen embryos – NT$10,000
• Air Fare: P5,000 – P10,000 (via Cebu Pacific, depending on the promo)
• Service from airport to hotel: NT$2,000
• Hotel accommodation: ALICE Hotel – NT$900-NT$1,200/day (minimum required stay for the whole procedure is 15 days, ideal is 30 days)
• Others (VISA application, food, transportation within Taichung, laundry service, etc.)

 Note: NT$ = New Taiwan dollar

KATO IVF ESTIMATED EXPENSES

(as of September 23, 2013)

• First Consultation: P1,680
• Succeeding Consultations: P560/visit
• Ultrasound: P560/visit
• Sperm Analysis: P560/test
• Hormone test: P1,496 per hormone per visit (Estradiol, Progesterone, LH, FSH, B-hcg, Prolactin
• Infectious Disease Screening: P2,520/each (husband & wife)

Natural Cycle IVF: P168,000 (package)

Note:

-Package is for qualified/eligible candidates only

-EXCLUSIVE OF  consultation fees, ultrasounds, sperm analysis, hormone testing, infectious disease screening + medicine

-If initial pregnancy test is negative, patients only pay P16,800 (EXCLUSIVE OF consultation fees, ultrasounds, sperm analysis, hormone testing, infectious disease screening + medicine)

Minimal Stimulation IVF: P207,200 (EXCLUSIVE OF consultation fees, ultrasounds, sperm analysis, hormone testing, infectious disease screening + medicine, etc.)

Note: Payment is dependent on each procedure used for the cycle

Back from hiatus

In the past two months that I haven't been able to update this blog, I was just feeling down and couldn't find myself to talk about anything related to getting pregnant. The feeling comes and goes, I'm sure many of those TTC understand this. 

Just recently, my father-in-law had a serious talk with hubby and me. It was about major decisions we had to make. First, it is about deciding on going to Taiwan for an IVF. We have been living in Manila for 9 years now and the second major decision we have to make is about leaving everything in Manila behind and going back to our hometown to give way to my father-in-law and hubby's plans of putting up a business back home. I and hubby drafted our timeline for these plans. There are no final talks yet, but based on my father-in-law's statements, these plans must happen. I don't have any negative feeling about it anyway. I am for these plans.

I am grateful, really, really grateful to my in-laws for offering to help with the funding of our IVF in Taiwan.  Of course the pressure and what ifs are still there, but I am leaving it all up to HIM now. 

There is this blog I have been following that I haven't checked in a long time until today. I am really happy that finally, the blogger got her BFP after an IVF procedure in Taiwan. She had been through a lot of things as far as TTC is concerned, but she never lost hope. She tried everything she could and failure did not hinder her from trying again. Hers is an inspiring story. This is the link to her blog: 

http://infertilityphilippines.blogspot.com/