Univfy and LightStream Launch Program to Make Having a Baby More Attainable for the Growing Number of People Who Rely on Fertility Care to Have a Family

New fertility financing option combined with an artificial intelligence-enabled platform and IVF-expert concierge counseling empowers patients with lower and more predictable IVF costs and improved rates of pregnancy and birth.

LOS ALTOS, Calif., Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Univfy®, an AI platform company whose mission is to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) accessible, announced today a new financing program that marries Univfy's artificial intelligence with financing opportunities from LightStream, a division of Truist Bank, to help make fertility treatments more successful and affordable for the growing number of women and couples who need IVF to build their families.

The most common barriers to having a baby for the 1 in 5 women who are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying (people with infertility), LGBTQ families, and women choosing to freeze their eggs, are the high and unpredictable cost of treatment and the uncertainty of the outcome.  Even those who receive partial funding from their employers often find the remaining out of pocket costs unfeasible. To make matters worse, delaying fertility treatment to save money, find financing or explore alternate options can make a successful pregnancy less likely.

With Univfy, people considering fertility treatment now have the resources to choose a fertility treatment plan that gives them the best chance to succeed and the confidence to pay for it. Patients can find a vetted fertility specialist who offers the Univfy PreIVF Report, which uses artificial intelligence to accurately predict an individual's personalized probability of success with IVF and how many cycles they may need. Understanding their accurate probabilities of success can help the patient and her doctor create a treatment plan together that is personalized to the patient and is more likely to result in a baby.

The report will also show patients whether they qualify for an IVF Refund Program, which offers more than one IVF cycle at a discounted price. Under the program, patients receive a refund from their clinic for a large portion of their payment if they are not successful. Eligibility varies based on the center they choose but 50-80% of patients qualify, reducing patient anxiety and allowing more people to afford multiple IVF cycles that improve their chance of success. The unbiased, expert Univfy Fertility Concierge is available to guide women and couples as they navigate their fertility and financial options.

Once the patient knows upfront her treatment plan and how much it will cost, fertility financing from LightStream may be available to cover treatment costs. "LightStream understands the many hurdles people can face in their fertility journey," said Senior Vice President Kristin Shuff.  "We see how technically sophisticated and patient-dedicated the Univfy team is as they deploy AI to inform patient decisions. Through our Univfy partnership, we hope to help relieve some of the financial worry that often comes along in the fertility process."

If you have good credit, a LightStream unsecured loan for fertility financing may be able to help make treatment costs affordable and predictable.* Through a simple online application, qualified individuals or joint applicants can receive an unsecured LightStream loan at a highly competitive, fixed interest rate.^* Funds can be used to cover treatment costs for any fertility-related procedure(s) as well as ancillary expenses for lab work, genetic testing, third-party reproduction, surrogacy costs, medications, etc.  

LightStream delivers a straightforward loan process with no surprises. Eligible applicants may secure financing up to $100,000--with no fees. Approved borrowers receive their funds directly into their personal bank accounts as soon as the same day they apply, when all considerations are met.  And since LightStream never charges fees, customers can repay any portion of their loan at any time, with no additional costs or prepayment penalties. It's an easy and convenient way to fund fertility treatments.

"Cancer patients are rarely told to try one chemotherapy session then see what happens yet too often, women attempt just one IVF cycle due to financial considerations and feasibility, substantially limiting their likelihood of having a baby," said Mylene Yao, CEO and Co-founder of Univfy. 

"We're thrilled to combine our proven and popular AI-enabled platform that has been helping patients by predicting the outcomes and cost of IVF treatment. Opportunities to receive fertility financing through LightStream allow more people to benefit from one of the safest and most effective fertility treatments out there and be more successful at having a baby."

"Univfy is furthering the mission to help people reach their dream of building a family," continued Shuff. "We hope that this partnership will allow many more women and couples to have healthy families."

The demand for fertility care is expanding to serve diverse medical and family-building needs. According to a 2013 Pew Research national survey, 51% of LGBT adults of any age have children or would like to have children in the future.

The cost of one IVF cycle can reach $10,000 to $20,000, and only 27% of employers with 500 or more employees covered the treatment in 2020, according to a 2021 Mercer Survey of employers. More than half of patients need at least two to three treatment cycles to have a baby. Yet, if the first IVF cycle is not successful, up to 80% of patients quit treatment likely due to emotional and financial exhaustion.

With fertility financing brought to you by Univfy and LightStream, we expect to enable many more individuals and couples to get the fertility care they need to have a family.

For more on Univfy, visit www.univfy.com.

For more on LightStream, visit www.lightstream.com  

Univfy® uses artificial intelligence (AI) and human expertise to give women and couples the best chance of having a baby at lower cost. With the support of Univfy AI and the Univfy Fertility Concierge, patients make better-informed decisions, resulting in a 2x higher chance of having a baby at 1/3 less cost per patient. Founded based on Stanford University technology, Univfy has published our methods in peer-reviewed clinical research journals and has established an extensive global IP portfolio with patents issued in the US and globally.

LightStream is the nation's premier online lender and has financing available in all 50 states. Recognized by the Better Business Bureau with its A+ Rating, LightStream continues to lead the way as a trusted pioneer in the fintech marketplace.

LightStream provides unsecured, fixed-rate loans with no fees to good-credit customers for practically any purpose, including fertility financing. Through a quick, simple online process, customers can receive funds as soon as the same day an application is submitted. Click here for important information on same-day funding, LightStream's Rate Beat Program and its $100 Loan Experience Guarantee.

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Heather Holland, Director of Communications
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* LightStream loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice.

Banking and lending products and services are provided by LightStream, a division of Truist Bank.  Member FDIC.

SOURCE Univfy