How much does IVF cost? Explaining the procedure behind the controversial Alabama ruling

Misconceptions about in-vitro fertilization (IVF) are running rampant.

Following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos created during IVF are legally protected like any other child, medical experts want to clear up misconceptions.

"When Roe fell, many of us in the field of OB/Gyn knew immediately that IVF and birth control were at risk as well," gynecologist Karen Tang, M.D., tells USA TODAY. "This is because there is such misinformation about how they work. ... Lack of understanding of the science and facts behind reproductive health have led to terrible consequences and the dismantling of reproductive rights."

IVF can be used to address several infertility struggles, according to Tang. It can be an option for patients who have scarred or blocked fallopian tubes caused by endometriosis or past infections. It can also be helpful in cases when the patient's partner has a low or abnormal sperm count.

"IVF also provides the highest chance of successful pregnancy of all the reproductive technologies and may be recommended for couples who have not had success with less invasive treatments like insemination or for female patients who are in their 40s," says Tang, author of the upcoming book “It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told)."

Since the ruling, Google searches for IVF, or in-vitro fertilization, have reached an all-time high on the search engine. Here's what a board-certified gynecologist wants you to know about some of the top-searched questions about IVF.

How much does IVF cost?

Cost can be a deterrent in trying multiple rounds of IVF. The estimated average cost per IVF cycle is about $12,000, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASMR). But Tang notes that it can wind up a tab as much as $25,000 or more.

Why is IVF so expensive?

Prices for IVF are "significantly higher" than other options because of the many medical experts and procedures required to make it happen, Tang says.

There's medication, an egg retrieval procedure done while the patient is under anesthesia, ultrasounds and lab work. And that doesn't begin to cover paying embryologists and the lab costs associated with monitoring, growing and preserving embryos, she adds.

What is cheaper than IVF?

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is typically less expensive than IVF. But it also has a lower average success rate compared to IVF, and therefore may require more rounds of attempts.

The IUI process may or may not require medications to help follicles grow, Tang notes. But instead of retrieving eggs, fertilizing them outside of the body and re-inserting them back into the body, IUI insets sperm directly through the cervix into the uterus, fertilizing the egg inside the body.

What is IVF? Explaining the procedure in Alabama's controversial Supreme Court ruling.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How much does IVF cost? Why it's so expensive, cheaper options