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Best Medical Aids in South Africa Cover IVF (2025)

⚠️Notice IVF treatments might be covered by your medical insurance policy. It is best to contact your insurance provider to be sure. Know that you are entitled to necessary treatment as infertility is listed as one of 270 prescribed medical benefits (PMB).

Do Medical Aids Cover IVF in South Africa revealed.

We verified the best medical aids that cover IVF treatment in their medical aid plans.

This is a complete guide to the best medical aid that cover IVF treatment in South Africa.

In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:

What is IVF treatment?
Where can you get free IVF in South Africa?
Where is IVF the cheapest in South Africa?
Are there IVF grants in South Africa?
Which medical aid pays for IVF treatment in South Africa?

So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the best medical aid that covers IVF treatment in South Africa, this guide is for you.

Let’s dive right in…

Best Medical Aids in South Africa Cover IVF (2025)

Discovery Medical Aid – Overall, Best Medical Aid for IVF Treatment in South Africa
KeyHealth Medical Aid – Top Extensive Medical Protection in South Africa
Momentum Health – Broadest Range of Low-Cost Medical Aid Plans

Introduction to Medical Aid Support & IVF Coverage

👉 According to the findings of the Infertility Awareness Association of South Africa (IFAASA), one in every six couples of reproductive age experiences difficulties in conceiving a child.

👉 The most common reasons for infertility are obstructions in the fallopian tubes, fibrous growths in the uterus, and a decrease in the generation of sperm or eggs. Endometriosis and hormonal imbalances are two conditions that have been linked to infertility.

👉 In around 20 per cent of cases, despite the progress that has been made in medical knowledge, there is no identifiable medical cause.

👉 The good news is that several specialised procedures and techniques can increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant. The type of treatment recommended to a couple is determined by the underlying cause of the issue and the ages of both partners.

👉 Common fertility treatments vary according to the root of the problem and include:

➡️ laparoscopic surgery
➡️ medication (Clomiphene / Metformin)
➡️ hormone injections
➡️ insemination

👉 In South Africa, the costs of drugs and specialised medical treatments related to infertility are not covered by open medical aid plans.

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👉 The majority of programmes, on the other hand, do provide financial assistance for diagnostic tests and procedures that are carried out to determine the reason for infertility.

👉 Because infertility is listed as one of 270 prescribed medical benefits (PMB) diagnostic treatment pairs recognised by the Medical Schemes Act under the female reproductive system category, they are also legally obligated to cover the costs of certain surgeries and techniques aimed at creating the optimal conditions for a natural pregnancy.

👉 It is necessary that a diagnosis of infertility is supported by a qualified medical specialist to be eligible for PMB benefits.

👉 After that, operations and treatments should be paid for.

👉 Specialised ART methods such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are exceedingly pricey, and there is no assurance that they will be successful.

👉 The procedure of fertilisation known as in vitro fertilisation involves combining an egg and sperm in a lab dish rather than in a human body. The method entails monitoring and promoting the ovulatory process of an individual, taking an ovum or ova from the individual’s ovaries, and then allowing sperm to fertilise the ovum or ova in a culture medium in a laboratory.

👉 In vitro fertilisation involves several different steps that are carried out to improve a couple’s fertility, avoid certain genetic disorders, and improve their chances of conceiving a child.

👉 Mature eggs are removed from the ovaries and then fertilised in a laboratory by sperm. The fertilised egg (also called an embryo) or eggs (also called embryos) are then placed in a woman’s uterus.

👉 IVF treatments typically last for roughly three weeks from start to finish. As a result of these steps being broken up into separate portions, the procedure may take significantly more time.

👉 It is possible for a couple to carry out the surgery using their own eggs and sperm. Or, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may involve using eggs, sperm, or embryos donated by a known or unknown donor.

👉 IVF increases your odds of producing a healthy baby, but those chances are contingent on several circumstances, including your age and the root of your infertility. In vitro fertilization is also known to be time-consuming, expensive, and uncomfortable at times.

👉 IVF has the potential to result in more than one pregnancy if more than one embryo is implanted into the woman’s uterus during the process (multiple pregnancies).

👉 The cost of IVF treatment can range anywhere from R70,000 to R80,000 per cycle. The total price will be determined by the quantity of medication that is taken as well as whether or if any extra procedures, such as embryo biopsy or embryo freezing, are required.

✅ Read more about the best medical aids for moms that are pregnant

Best Known Medical Aids in South Africa & IVF Coverage

👉 Medical Aid companies say that fertility treatments do not put the patient’s life in danger. Unlike conditions like heart disease, which are very dangerous to your life, this is a treatment option that you can choose to go through.

👉 Some medical assistance programmes might pay for procedures like surgery to unblock the fallopian tubes or blood tests if they find that the infertility was caused by a treatable medical condition.

👉 Even though infertility is a specified recommended minimum benefit illness in South Africa, fertility treatments are not generally covered by medical aids – a debatable situation.

👉 Members of medical aids feel that, since infertility is considered a disease that needs a defined minimum benefit, you should be able to get treatment for it no matter what medical aid plan you are currently enrolled in.

👉 Since 2021, the Discovery Medical Scheme, which is the largest medical scheme in South Africa, began providing coverage for fertility treatments. This coverage, however, is subject to stringent terms and conditions and will only be available to a select few of the scheme’s customers.

1. Discovery Medical Aid

Overview

👉 Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) is the largest open medical scheme in South Africa. It is a registered open medical scheme, which means that anyone can join as long as they adhere to the Scheme’s rules and regulations.

👉 The Discovery Health Medical Scheme provides more than 20 different choices for health plans, each of which includes limitless coverage for private hospital care as well as a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your preferences and your financial situation.

👉 You will have access to a wide variety of benefits, care programmes, and services that will ensure that you can receive the highest quality medical care whenever it is required.

👉 Vitality, the company’s wellness initiative, invites you to participate and provides incentives for doing so if you lead a healthy lifestyle.

👉 The Scheme is owned by its members and is managed through an independent Board of Trustees. A separate company, Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd, an authorised financial services provider administers the fund.

👉 The Discovery Health Medical Scheme is an independent non-profit entity regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes and governed by the Medical Schemes Act.

Discovery Option Plans

👉 Discovery option plans range from the most comprehensive private healthcare cover that will pay certain benefits to receivers of IVF to basic plans where a member just gets cost-effective private healthcare coverage through a network of providers.

The following health plan options are available for IVF Treatment:

Executive Plan

👉 The Executive Plan offers customers the most extensive cover for in-hospital and day-to-day benefits, as well as extended chronic medicine coverage and an unlimited Above Threshold Benefit.

👉 The Assisted Reproductive Therapy Benefit is available on the Executive plans.

✅ If you meet the Scheme’s benefit entry criteria, we cover you for one or two cycles of Assisted Reproductive Therapy Benefit per year, depending on your age.

✅ The benefit includes cover for consultations, ultrasounds, oocyte retrieval, embryo transfer and freezing, admission costs (including lab fees), medicine, and embryo and sperm storage.

✅ This benefit also includes cover for egg donated cycles.
If you are registered on the Oncology Programme and meet
the Scheme’s clinical entry criteria, you have access to cryopreservation and egg and sperm storage for up to five years.
✅ Discovery pay up to a maximum of 75% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) and up to a limit of R135,000 per person per year. You will need to pay 25% of the costs and any amount that is over the DHR.

Comprehensive Series

👉 The Comprehensive series of plans provide comprehensive cover for in-hospital and day-to-day cover with extended chronic medicine coverage and unlimited Above Threshold Benefit.