Take home a baby or get refund: Fertility centre
dubai — Take home a baby or get your cash back: This is what a fertility centre is offering couples planning to undergo an invitro fertilisation treatment (IVF) in Dubai.
Bourn Hall Fertility Centre on Wednesday announced the launch of the ‘shared risk’ IVF programme that offers couples discounts of between 50 to 100 per cent for three cycles. “It’s either a baby you take home or get a refund,” said Amin Neghabat, group CEO for Bourn Hall International, citing financial strain as a burden on couples.
Experts said that a woman, who has signed up for a 100 per cent shared risk programme, does not get pregnant even after three treatment cycles will get a full cash refund of Dh78,000 which includes the cost of medicines, lab tests, anesthesia services as well as ICSI which are normally excluded in episodic care. Other plans include a 70 per cent shared risk at
By limiting the amount of money ‘at risk’, this programme preserves financial resources for other family building options should IVF fail.” Amin Neghabat, group CEO for Bourn Hall International
Dh72,000 and 50 per cent shared risk at Dh68,000.
On average, pregnancy success rates escalate anywhere from 65 per cent to 80 per cent by completion of the third cycle, said experts. Though such shared risk programmes are offered in the UK and US by Bourn Hall, it is the first centre to do so in the UAE.
Six couples have already enrolled in the programme that had a soft launch four weeks ago. “We had 24 applications, of which 11 have been approved and six are already enrolled,” said Neghabat.
He said those part of the programme are Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos. Emiratis make up 25 per cent of the patients treated at the centre.
“By limiting the amount of money ‘at risk’, this programme preserves financial resources for other family building options should IVF fail.”
He also said that infertile couples who don’t have access to medical insurance coverage for fertility services can avail of this option. “Normally three episodic cycles will cost Dh90,000 and the patient loses the entire amount paid if each cycle fails,” he explained.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com