Although current Assisted Reproduction treatments allow pregnancy to be achieved in 9 out of 10 cases, facing a diagnosis of infertility is not always easy and can generate anxiety and stress in the couple. Having specialized psychological support during this process improves the health and well-being of patients, as well as helping to increase the chances of success of the treatment.
Why is psychological support necessary during fertility treatment?
Frustration, anger or nervousness are some of the feelings that a couple may experience when they have difficulty conceiving, feelings that become more acute when the diagnosis of infertility is confirmed, modifying their life plan.
After knowing the diagnosis, the couple can resort to an assisted reproduction technique to fulfill their dream of becoming parents. However, making this decision is not always easy. According to the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF), between 25% and 65% of the people who go to an Assisted Reproduction clinic suffer, throughout the treatment, some significant psychological symptom such as anxiety, stress or guilt.
To these feelings should be added others such as uncertainty, impatience, fear of failure or anger. All of them are common to a greater or lesser degree in couples undergoing assisted reproduction treatment and can have a negative influence on the general health of the patients, on their relationship as a couple and on the achievement of pregnancy.
On the other hand, the use of hormonal treatments, for example, to perform ovarian stimulation, can alter the emotional level of patients, creating a certain instability, vulnerability and nervousness that contributes to the manifestation of some of the symptoms described above.
Since each person is different, so is his or her way of dealing with problems. Even so, couples undergoing Assisted Reproduction treatment must learn to control and channel these feelings so that the situation does not overcome them. And, in many cases, psychological help is necessary to come to terms with the news, to understand what is happening and to be able to cope with the problem.
Advice on how to deal with Assisted Reproduction treatment
- Be informed. From the first moment you should be concerned about knowing what is happening and all the options available to achieve pregnancy. Consulting with experts and asking them doubts and questions without fear will help to size up the problem.
- Be optimistic. The state of mind can positively influence the success of the treatment, and that is why it is important to eliminate negativity and bet on optimism. Trusting the medical team also helps to face this situation more openly.
- Evaluate the pros and cons. Assisted Reproduction treatment can be emotionally hard and involves a significant financial investment. However, the end result is worth it. Keeping this in mind will encourage you to move forward with enthusiasm and renewed strength.
- Lean on your partner. Often the couple’s relationship is negatively affected during a treatment of these characteristics and this increases stress and nervousness. However, during this period it is especially important for the couple to be united and strengthen their union. This is the only way to achieve smoother communication and mutual support sufficient to overcome this challenge.
- Learn to control emotions. It is very easy during treatment for friends and family to worry about the couple or for the couple to receive news of newborns or upcoming pregnancies. And sometimes these situations create tension and pressure that is difficult to channel. It is very important to control all these moments so that they do not affect us or cause us feelings of guilt, frustration or emotional pain.
- Do not focus all your efforts on pregnancy. During an Assisted Reproduction treatment it is important not to focus all your attention on getting pregnant. Keeping busy and enjoying the moment will allow the couple to be more relaxed.
- Seek psychological help. Throughout the treatment many different feelings are experienced that are sometimes difficult to identify and express. In our Reproduction Clinic
At CREA Assisted Reproduction we have our own psychological office to advise our patients and prevent negative emotional effects derived from Assisted Reproduction treatments.
Psychological support at CREA
At CREA we are aware of how important it is to offer our patients the best results and the best chances of implantation with each treatment. We know that the higher our pregnancy rate, the lower the emotional, physical and economic impact on our patients. It is also clear to us that a better state of mind not only brings greater emotional balance and a better quality of life, but also benefits and increases the success of the treatment and the chances of pregnancy.