IVF: Philly doctor Maureen Kelly gives her take on process

Dr. Maureen Kelly is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She founded Society Hill Reproductive Medicine in 2010 after practicing in Philadelphia for 18 years. Dr. Kelly formerly served as medical director of the IVF program at Pennsylvania Reproductive Associates at The Women’s Institute.

What are the financial costs, and do most insurance plans cover them?

The cost in general can range somewhere around $12,000-$15,000 per cycle, but there are some policies that do cover IVF. In certain states, for example New Jersey, IVF is mandated to be covered in most situations. Pennsylvania is not one of those states.

What about the risk of multiple pregnancies, Octomom-style?
That depends on the number of embryos that you replace. There are guidelines in place by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine to help guide reproductive endocrinologists so we can decrease the number of multiple pregnancies. Octomom’s doctor did not follow them. IVF actually gives you a great amount of control, because you know how many embryos you are putting back into the uterus. But when you stimulate someone through fertility medications, you can’t say exactly how many eggs will be mature and can be fertilized through intercourse.

What is the success rate?
The age of the woman is the No. 1 factor that predicts success. You see about a 50-60 percent chance of conception per cycle for women who are 34 and under, for those 34-37 it’s 40 percent — and over age 40, it’s 25 percent.