A recent study by ICMR-NIRRCH reveals that IVF treatment in India costs over ₹1 lakh per cycle in both private and public hospitals. Despite existing rules for advanced infertility treatments, the prices remain unregulated, causing significant financial stress for couples. The study collected data from five health facilities across India, involving 30 IVF patients and 100 infertility patients per site. It found female factors cause 46% of infertility cases, male factors 20%, and both contribute 10%. Conditions like oligospermia and tubal factor infertility were common among IVF patients. Around 8% of infertile couples required IVF, an expensive and technically complex treatment. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of infertility among treated couples. Experts say IVF success varies, with most women improving chances after three cycles. Median out-of-pocket spending for infertility treatment is ₹11,317, with medicine costs higher in private clinics. Public facilities saw greater indirect costs. "Patients with uterine factor infertility and endometriosis had the lowest quality of life," the study noted, highlighting pain and anxiety as major issues. Currently, most IVF services are offered by private centers, with little price control. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 regulates these services but does not fix costs. The Central Government Health Scheme reimburses up to ₹65,000 for three IVF cycles under strict conditions. Experts and activists call for including IVF under the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to reduce financial strain. The study recommends covering IVF at ₹81,332 per cycle and suggests including outpatient expenses mostly borne by patients. Shobhit Agarwal, CEO of Nova IVF Fertility, said, "Every one in six couples in India suffer from infertility. Fertility care must be accessible, coupled with transparent pricing. Including fertility treatments in PM-JAY can ease emotional and financial burdens." With India’s fertility rate declining, expanding affordable fertility treatment is key. The Health Ministry’s request to study IVF costs and potential insurance coverage aims to make IVF treatment reachable for more couples across the country.