IVF Add-Ons in 2025: What’s Worth Paying For (and What’s Not)?
From embryo glue and PGT-A to endometrial scratching and immune tests, IVF add-ons in 2025 can quickly blow out your budget. Learn what IVF add-ons actually are, how evidence is rated, and how to decide what’s worth paying for (and what’s not). You’ve already wrapped your head around IVF costs.
You’ve budgeted for scans, meds, retrieval, lab fees and transfer.
Then your clinic hands you a brochure (or a portal log-in) with a list of “extra options” that promise to:
- “Increase your chances”
- “Improve implantation”
- “Optimise your embryos”
- “Personalise your treatment”
Each add-on is a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Each one sounds like the thing that might finally tip the odds in your favour.
You’re exhausted, emotional and out of time.
You don’t want to regret not doing something… but you also don’t want to be upsold on hope.
This article is your calm, clear-eyed guide to IVF add-ons in 2025 — what they are, how they’re assessed, and how to decide what’s worth paying for (and what’s not).
This is not individual medical advice. It’s a framework to help you ask sharper questions and protect both your heart and your bank account.
First, What Is an IVF Add-On?
Different regulators and clinics use slightly different definitions, but they all circle the same idea:
IVF add-ons are optional, non-essential procedures or tests offered on top of standard IVF or ICSI, usually with the claim that they improve your chances of having a baby.
They might involve:
- Extra lab technology
- Additional diagnostic tests
- Special embryo culture media or “glues”
- Procedures done to your uterus or embryos
The key point:
They are not part of standard, evidence-based IVF. They’re extras.
How Add-Ons Are Evaluated: The “Traffic Light” and Guideline Era
Because IVF add-ons exploded in number over the past decade, regulators and professional societies stepped in.
The HFEA “Traffic Light” System (UK)
The UK’s fertility regulator, the HFEA, developed a patient-facing “traffic light” system to rate add-ons based on whether high-quality randomised trials show they safely improve live birth rates.
In simple terms:
- 🟢 Green – Good evidence from more than one high-quality study that the add-on safely improves live birth rates.
- 🟠 Amber – Conflicting or limited evidence; more research needed.
- 🔴 Red – No evidence that it improves live birth rates, or concerns about safety.
For years, none of the commonly used add-ons had enough evidence to earn a full “green” light for improving live birth rate across the general IVF population.
ESHRE & Other Guidelines
In 2023, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) released detailed recommendations on 27 add-ons, many of which are widely advertised.
The bottom line from these and other reviews:
- Many add-ons are still experimental.
- A few might help very specific groups of patients.
- Most are not proven to boost live birth rates for the average person doing IVF.
That doesn’t mean every add-on is useless. It means:
You should treat add-ons as “maybe helpful in specific scenarios”, not as “must-have upgrades” for everyone.
Common IVF Add-Ons You’ll Hear About (and What the Evidence Says)
Let’s look at some of the big names you’ll see on clinic websites and brochures. This is not a complete list, but these are among the most commonly offered.
1. PGT-A (Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy)
What it is:
A test where a few cells are taken from a day-5 embryo (blastocyst) and analysed for chromosome number (looking for too many/too few). Results may guide which embryo to transfer.
Potential positives:
- May reduce the risk of transferring an embryo with the “wrong” number of chromosomes in some groups
- May help prioritise embryos for transfer in older women or those with many embryos
Cautions:
- It is invasive and adds cost.
- It may not improve live birth rates for all patients and can label some embryos as “abnormal” that might still have led to a healthy baby.
- It’s not a guarantee against miscarriage or chromosomal conditions.
Worth paying for?
It may be considered in very specific situations (e.g. certain ages, histories, or repeated implantation failure), but it’s not automatically needed in every IVF cycle. This is one to discuss in depth with a fertility specialist who is honest about the limits of the data.
2. Time-Lapse Imaging (Embryoscope and Similar Systems)
What it is:
A special incubator that continuously films embryo development so embryologists can score embryos based on detailed growth timelines, without taking them out of the incubator.
Potential positives:
- Better embryo “monitoring” without repeatedly removing embryos from the incubator
- Algorithms that try to identify embryos with the highest implantation potential
Cautions:
- Systematic reviews have found no clear improvement in live birth rates for most patients when compared with good standard lab culture.
- It can add substantial cost to the cycle.
Worth paying for?
It may help lab workflow and data collection, but for many patients, the evidence doesn’t clearly show it boosts your chances of a baby. You’ll want to ask your clinic: “Do you have clinic-level data showing this improves live birth outcomes here?”
3. Embryo Glue (Hyaluronic Acid-Enriched Transfer Media)
What it is:
An embryo transfer medium containing hyaluronic acid, marketed as helping the embryo “stick” to the uterine lining.
Potential positives:
- Some studies and meta-analyses suggest it may modestly improve implantation and live birth rates under certain conditions.
Cautions:
- Effects may be modest; not all clinics see the same outcomes.
- Costs extra and is not essential to a well-run IVF cycle.
Worth paying for?
Possibly, especially if the extra cost is modest relative to your overall cycle, and your clinic uses it routinely with a good safety track record. But it is still an add-on, not a magic fix.
4. Endometrial Scratch / Endometrial Receptivity Procedures
What they are:
Minor procedures done to the endometrium (uterine lining) before IVF. Historically, “scratching” was promoted as a way to help implantation in later cycles.
Potential positives:
- Early small studies suggested possible benefit in some groups.
Cautions:
- More recent, better-designed trials have largely failed to show a consistent benefit for live birth rates, especially in unselected patients.
- Some guidelines now advise against offering this as routine.
Worth paying for?
For most women, probably not, unless there is a very specific, evidence-backed reason in your case—and even then, it’s controversial.
5. “Immune Testing”, Intralipids, Steroids and Other Immunological Add-Ons
What they are:
A broad, poorly standardised group of tests and treatments aiming to address “immune causes” of implantation failure or miscarriage (e.g. NK cell tests, IV intralipids, high-dose steroids).
Potential positives:
- The idea is appealing: maybe the immune system is “attacking” the embryo.
Cautions:
- Many of these tests and treatments lack robust evidence for improving live birth rates in IVF.
- Some carry side effects (e.g. steroids).
- They can be extremely expensive and emotionally charged.
Worth paying for?
This is where you need very careful, evidence-based conversation. If you’re being sold large immune “panels” and complex treatment packages without clear references, that’s a red flag.
6. ERA (Endometrial Receptivity Array) and “Personalised” Transfer Timing
What it is:
A test that analyses gene expression in an endometrial biopsy to decide the “best” time for embryo transfer.
Potential positives:
- Theoretically helps identify a displaced “window of implantation” in some women.
Cautions:
- Evidence for improved live birth rates is mixed and often limited to very specific groups.
- It adds another procedure, cost and cycle complexity.
Worth paying for?
Generally reserved for repeated implantation failure under specialist guidance, not a routine extra for a first IVF cycle.
So… What Is Worth Paying For?
Every situation is unique, but here are some principles that often hold true:
1. Spend on Core Quality Before Extras
If your budget is limited (which is most of us), you may get more value from:
- A clinic with strong lab standards and transparent success data
- Doing another full cycle if needed
- Making sure your basic workup (e.g. sperm tests, uterine evaluation, hormone tests) is complete
…rather than loading a single cycle with multiple add-ons that aren’t well proven.
2. Consider Add-Ons That Have Some Evidence in Your Specific Situation
In some scenarios, certain add-ons might make sense:
- PGT-A in very specific age/history profiles
- Embryo glue with good clinic-level data
- Special protocols for rare conditions or recurrent loss under specialist care
The key is personalisation with honesty about what we know, what we don’t, and what’s still experimental.
3. Know That “No” Is a Valid Choice
Saying no to add-ons does not mean you’re “not trying hard enough”.
If there’s no strong evidence that an add-on improves live birth rates for someone like you, choosing not to pay extra is a perfectly rational decision.
Questions to Ask Your Clinic Before Agreeing to Any Add-On
Copy/paste these into your phone so you have them in consults:
- “Is this add-on essential, or optional?”
- “What outcome are we trying to improve? Live birth rate? Miscarriage rate? Something else?”
- “What does the highest-quality, recent evidence say about this add-on for patients like me?”
- “Do you use this add-on routinely for everyone, or only in specific cases? Why?”
- “What are the risks or downsides?” (including time, side effects and emotional toll)
- “How much does it cost, all up?” (including extra monitoring or procedures)
- “If we don’t do this add-on, what would you recommend instead?”
- “Do you have your own clinic’s outcome data on this add-on?”
If they dismiss your questions, can’t explain the evidence, or lean heavily on fear or guilt… that’s your sign to pause.
Red Flags in IVF Add-On Marketing
Watch out for:
- Claims like “guaranteed”, “proven to double your chances” or “must-have” for success
- High-pressure sales tactics (“If you don’t do this now…”)
- Packages of multiple add-ons bundled together without explanation
- No written information about risks or lack of evidence
- Staff who get defensive when you ask about research or guidelines
You are not a difficult patient for asking questions. You’re an informed one.
How Sistapedia Fits In: Protecting Your Hope and Your Wallet
The fact that you’re even reading an article like this means you’re trying to make smart decisions in an emotionally brutal process. You shouldn’t have to do that alone.
For Sistas (Patients and Future Patients)
On Sistapedia, you can:
- Share your story about IVF add-ons — what you were offered, what you chose, what you wish you’d known
- Learn from other women’s experiences without wading through random comment sections
- Access AI-verified articles, videos and Q&As from vetted professionals, not just ads
💖 When you contribute your lived experience and support others, you can apply for a free Pink Tick — our verification for Sistas who are helping other women navigate these decisions with more information and less fear.
For Fertility Specialists, Clinics & Allied Professionals
If you’re a:
- Fertility specialist or reproductive endocrinologist
- Embryologist, nurse coordinator or counsellor
- Clinic or service offering ethical, evidence-based care
…Sistapedia is where you can stand out as a trusted, transparent voice in a noisy marketplace.
👑 Create a professional profile and apply for Crown Verification — our verification for qualified experts, clinics, service providers and products in fertility and reproductive health.
Crown Verified profiles help women see:
- Who you are and what you offer
- How you approach add-ons, evidence and patient choice
- That you’re committed to transparency, not pressure
Final Thoughts: You’re Allowed to Protect Your Heart and Your Budget
IVF is already one of the most emotionally and financially intense things a woman or couple can go through. Add-ons can either:
- Offer a carefully chosen, evidence-informed edge in specific cases, or
- Become a costly distraction from what matters most: good core care, realistic expectations and multiple chances where possible.
You are allowed to:
- Ask hard questions
- Decline add-ons that don’t have solid evidence for someone like you
- Change clinics if you feel more “sold to” than cared for
And you’re absolutely allowed to seek community and expert guidance outside the clinic.
✨ Join our AI-verified sisterhood, share your story, and connect with Crown Verified experts who want your outcome to be based on science, ethics and respect — not upselling.
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