Willingness to Pay for Infertility Treatments in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: The burden of infertility has been on the rise in recent times, and not only does it affect millions worldwide, but it also impacts families in numerous ways. Quantification of this burden helps to ascertain the level of competition for available resources for healthcare. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) for the treatment of infertility and its possible relationship with sociodemographic factors. Methods: A contingent valuation method using payment cards containing a description of the features and price options was used to elicit WTP values for two treatment options for infertility. Participants were recruited across several hospitals in Abuja. Kruskal Wallis and Man-Whitney U tests were employed as applicable to investigate the effects of socio-demographic factors on WTP. Results: WTP results showed that mean willingness to pay for Option A (NGN696,701 ≃ $1,1828.61) was significantly higher than Option B (N578,982 ≃ $1,519.64) with respondents preferring Option A to B (P=0.0001). Older respondents, those with post-secondary education and those who have waited for more than 12 years to have a child were significantly more willing to pay higher for both Option A and Option B (P=0.0001). Respondents who earned higher were also willing to pay significantly higher for both options. Conclusion: Patients who are older and have waited for longer periods before giving birth were more willing to pay higher for the two infertility treatment options provided. Those respondents with better income also showed a willingness to pay higher than those with lower monthly earnings.