Still No Child, But Costs Reach Hundreds of Thousands! People Marry Later, Want to Freeze Eggs and Sperm—How Much Does It Cost?
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"Having children when ready"
Many people set this goal in mind and aim to save as much money as possible. This may be one reason why people delay having children, focusing instead on building financial stability. But by the time the money is ready, their bodies might not be. To address this, more people are interested in technologies like egg freezing and sperm freezing.
Whether single or partnered, if you want children, how much money does this "readiness" require? Thairath Money invites you to explore the costs and ways to plan for readiness in all aspects.
Hundreds of thousands may not be enough: "Egg freezing and sperm freezing"
Starting with egg freezing, though it seems new in Thailand, it has long been practiced abroad. According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) an independent regulatory body overseeing embryos and fertility in the UK, the cost for egg freezing and thawing is about £7,000–8,000 (around 296,658–339,038 baht). It can be higher because some require multiple cycles and additional costs such as blood tests, medications, ovarian stimulation with hormone injections, egg retrieval, and annual egg storage fees, among others.
As for sperm freezing costs, prices vary depending on the service location, number of samples stored, and storage duration, for example,
- the website Sppare.me states that a sperm collection kit costs 700 US dollars (around 22,718 baht), including one year of free storage. After that, storage fees are 145 US dollars per year (around 4,705 baht).
- The Sperm Bank of California reports that the initial fee (including the first year's storage) is 1,575 US dollars (about 51,116 baht), with subsequent annual storage fees of 550 US dollars (about 17,850 baht).
Looking back at Thailand, most egg freezing packages start in the hundreds of thousands of baht, such as
- Bangkok Hospital Headquarters which lists egg freezing packages starting at 110,000 baht. For example, a package including ovarian stimulation with hormone drugs is priced at 120,000 baht and covers injection medications, ultrasound monitoring of follicle growth, and medical tests.
- Phyathai Hospital charges around 191,031 baht, which includes one year of free egg freezing storage.
- BNH Hospital states that the average egg freezing cost ranges from 250,000 to 300,000 baht, which includes unlimited egg freezing storage. Additional costs may apply if eggs are used for IVF or ICSI procedures for pregnancy.
Regarding sperm freezing, information from the VFC Center for infertility treatment indicates sperm and embryo freezing starts at about 11,000 baht, though prices may vary depending on promotions and extra fees.
This is just the starting point for planning to have children. Another important step is IVF, which ranges from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of baht. Bangkok Hospital Headquarters offers IVF packages priced from 50,000 to 396,000 baht; Jintabut Infertility Center has packages at 138,000 baht per treatment cycle; and Ekachai Hospital's IVF package costs 222,000 baht—none of which are inexpensive.
Three financial aspects to prepare before having children
These package prices are part of the cost of having children. Therefore, financial readiness may begin with planning, and we can start by considering these three points to simplify life.
1. How many children do you want?
Even if a family starts with two people, if you plan to add children, you need to consider whether your finances can support them. Start by assessing household income, expenses, and how much more costs will increase with children. These factors help decide the ideal number of children.
You might begin by estimating expenses such as tuition at desired schools, costs of necessities from childhood through adulthood, and so on. Though challenging, gathering this information early makes future planning easier.
2. Whether you have little or much money, start saving or investing to grow it.
Even if calculations show you need millions, children don't grow up overnight. You have time to save and grow your money. You can set saving periods according to goals, for example:
Before your child starts school is a short-term goal (1–3 years). This period is important and generally low-risk, so choose low-risk assets to preserve your principal.
Once your child is in school, investing becomes a long-term goal (3–5 years or more). Parents can allocate money into higher-risk assets to increase chances of better returns.
3. Plan, but regularly update your financial plan.
Life situations can change with the economy, so your goals may need adjustments accordingly.
Ultimately, planning to have children when ready starts with good financial planning. Proper allocation of money today can help both you and your child have "good finances" in the future.
Note: Exchange rates used are 32.46 baht per US dollar and 42.40 baht per British pound.
Read personal finance and financial planning news with Thairath Money to achieve "good finances, good life" athttps://www.thairath.co.th/money/personal_finance
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