Crowdfunding babies a growing trend among those desperate to conceive

Fertility treatments in North America are surging in popularity due to the influx of older would-be mothers trying to conceive, yet their astronomical costs often render them only an option for a privileged minority.

This is why cash-strapped couples are to turning to crowdfunding websites to raise money for expensive fertility treatments and adoption procedures. And it's not just family and friends who donate, sometimes it's complete strangers.

The average cost of an in vitro fertilization treatment in Canada is anywhere between $7,750 - $12,250, with a 28-35 per cent success rate. The average cost of a private adoption within Canada is between $10,000 - $20,000 while international adoptions can cost anywhere from $20,000 - $30,000.

Also see: Doctors develop low-cost method of IVF

CNN recently ran a report about how the trend of crowdfunding babies is taking off in the United States, a country that similarly faces high IVF and adoption costs.

Campaigns for adoptions and fertility treatments on crowdfunding site GoFundMe.com have raised nearly $1.1 million since the site's inception in May 2010. This year alone, around 100 campaigns have been started on GiveForward.com and a handful of campaigns on Indiegogo.com.

"Twenty years ago this wouldn't have happened," says Florida resident Jessica Haley, whose son was born due to crowdfunding on Indiegogo.com. "Because of the Internet, that's why we have Landon."

Haley and her husband raised $8,050 from more than 130 people that helped pay for their fertility treatments.

Also see: Fear of older women's drop in fertility overblown?

An Arizona couple, who anticipate costs of $1,500 and $2,000 per month for IUI treatments, created Operation: Baby on GoFundme.com in March. So far, the couple has raised $3,800 of their $10,000 goal.

Adopt Together.org, the first nonprofit crowdfunding site devoted to adoption for Americans, has raised $1 million for 300 adoptive families since its inception in January 2012.

What are your thoughts on crowdfunding to cover the cost of adoption or fertility treatments? Would you consider doing it? Tell us your reasons why in the comments.