In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is expensive. There's no getting around it. Most health insurance companies won't pay for it and the government doesn't offer you a certain number of free rounds like in some European countries. That leaves couples in need on the hook to pay for it themselves. With prices averaging $16,000 per round, this is not a simple proposition.

It may seem like paying for IVF is now solely in the realm of the wealthy. However, there are still some ways to raise the money needed for IVF with no savings and bad credit. These 3 unconventional financing methods may just get you your IVF money and put you on the road to parenthood.

IVF grants

Believe it or not, there are several companies out there that offer grants to deserving couples to pay for their IVF. You have to meet their specific requirements, such as age and income requirements, which are different for each company. Plus, most companies that offer grants only give out a few each year. If you're one of the lucky few to apply and get funded, though, this could be the answer to your prayers.

Some of the more well-known IVF grant programs include:

• BabyQuest Foundation
• Sparkles of Life
• The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination

Shared egg donation programs

Some fertility clinics offer shared egg donation programs that cut the cost of IVF in half. These programs typically allow a woman age 33 or younger who is undergoing IVF to donate half of her retrieved eggs to another couple undergoing IVF (there's no age restriction on the receiving couple). The receiving couple pays for 50 percent of the donating couple's round of IVF. This lowers IVF expenses enough that many couples can afford to take out the rest on their credit cards or through a title loan on their car.

Crowdsourcing

Sites like GoFundMe allow you to create a fundraising campaign for just about anything and share it with your family and friends. If your campaign gets enough views, it may even go viral. Just tell a compelling story about how you got to this point, why you need the money, why you will make excellent parents, and anything else you can think of to get people to donate. Posting pictures and videos of you and your partner is also a great idea; campaigns with pictures and videos tend to get more donations than those without. Crowdsource fundraising for IVF is on the rise and has been in the national news lately. Maybe you'll be the next crowdsourcing IVF success story!