← Articles

PGT cost: are you paying for the biopsy, the test or both?

A clinic's PGT fee may not include the genetic laboratory's bill. Get both quotes before comparing prices.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California, for example, says its PGT fee covers embryo biopsy. Testing is billed by an outside lab. Its fee page explains the split.

Why the embryo count changes the meaning of a quote

Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago lists a $6,000 add-on that includes biopsy, embryo freezing, shipping and PGT-A testing for one to six embryos. It also lists an $18,000 single-cycle IVF-with-PGT option. These are different purchases, not competing prices for the same service.

Dividing $6,000 by six gives $1,000 per embryo only if six are included in that purchase. If one embryo is tested under the same $6,000 bundle, the total is still $6,000. Neither calculation creates a published per-embryo rate. Ask about fewer samples, the seventh sample and another retrieval rather than assuming unused capacity carries over.

Contrast that bundle with Kaiser's biopsy-only fee. A cheaper clinic line could leave a larger unquoted outside-lab bill. Until both billers confirm the scope, the comparison is unfinished. Ask whether an upfront payment is the entire charge or a clinic fee followed by a per-embryo lab bill.

Name the test before pricing it

Ask the care team whether it recommends PGT-A, PGT-M or PGT-SR, and what question the test is meant to answer. Do not accept "genetic testing included" as the full description.

Testing is not a guarantee of a baby. ASRM says the value of routine PGT-A screening for all IVF patients has not been demonstrated. Ask how the evidence applies to your situation; do not treat that statement as a verdict on every type of PGT.

The outcome being measured matters too. A pregnancy or live-birth percentage among transfers of selected embryos answers a different question from the chance of a baby from a retrieval or treatment start. A patient who never has an embryo to transfer does not appear in a transfer-only denominator. Ask what benefit is expected for you before treating a higher post-selection percentage as proof the paid add-on improves the entire pathway.

Get a line for each charge

• Biopsy: who performs it, how many embryos are included and whether the charge is per embryo or retrieval.
• Laboratory analysis: minimum fee, included samples, extra-embryo rate and who sends the bill.
• Freezing, shipping and storage: what is already in your IVF package and what is separate.
• Setup and counseling: whether test development or family samples are needed, and what they cost.
• Later transfer: whether it is already paid for, including monitoring and medication.

PGT-M can need laboratory-specific preparation before treatment. ASRM's guidance discusses required samples, feasibility and turnaround. Ask when that work must be finished and what happens if the lab cannot develop the test.

Price the outcomes you hope not to face

What do you pay if no embryos can be biopsied, fewer are tested than the package allows, or a result is inconclusive? Does unused capacity carry over? Would another attempt mean new biopsy, testing or shipping fees?

For embryos already frozen, ask whether testing requires thawing, biopsy and refreezing. Discuss the risks with the care team before treating it as another bill to approve.

Keep the clinic and lab totals separate until both confirm their scope. Ask your insurer about the exact test and each billing provider.

Check the rest of your IVF quote →

Last updated: November 6, 2026