Now that you’ve started in vitro fertilization, people seem to always be asking, “How do you feel?”

Do you ever wonder how you should answer that?

Are friends and family really asking how you feel physically? Do they want to know what the tests are like, or if the procedures bother you? Are they curious if your body is cooperating?

Of course, these are all a big part of the process of IVF.

But perhaps you’d rather talk about how you feel emotionally. In some ways, those feelings are the toughest to navigate.

So much is on your mind all the time – excitement, anxiety, focus, apprehension, hope, and the feeling of being afraid to hope.

This is when sessions with a therapist trained in working with infertility challenges may be extremely beneficial.

Dealing with infertility alone carries a lot of emotional weight.

Add to that the ups and downs of IVF and you’re likely working hard to manage stress, anxiety, and a measure of grief.

In vitro carries with it some unique challenges:

  • Deciding to do in vitro. Most couples would decide to avoid in vitro fertilization if they could. The decision to try it usually follows attempts at pregnancy through less invasive means. At this point, you may have been disappointed many times. In vitro feels like a last resort to start your family. Therefore, you have a lot of hopes pinned on the procedure.
  • Medication side effects. The pharmaceutical products and hormones required for in vitro fertilization may affect you significantly. The drugs used for improved ovulation often cause mood swings, weight gain, and disrupted sleep in women. You may also experience bouts of depression, trouble concentrating, and mania as well. It can be frustrating to determine what is a side effect and what is a genuine psychological response to the situation.
  • Financial strain. Depending on your home state and insurance plan, insurance may or may not cover fertility treatments. Even then, co-pays are often substantial. This can weigh heavily on your mind and your relationship as well. If you can’t easily afford it, you may feel quite desperate. If you can afford it, the money may still cause you to think that “it has to work” to be worth the expense, leading to considerable stress.
  • The ups and downs of treatment. If your treatments work, emotions will ride high. You may need some time to adjust to phases of the pregnancy and childbirth while managing worry and concern. If treatment doesn’t work, grief, distress, and a sense of failure may overwhelm you. You may feel like time is running out or wrestle with whether to continue treatment. Furthermore, the stress may trigger new, or exacerbate pre-existing, mental health challenges – depression, anxiety, and the like.

Emotional preparation for the challenges of IVF, and support throughout, are often afterthoughts.

While many people can cope well with a good group of family and friends, the following may have benefits too:

  • Psychotherapy before, during, and after in vitro fertilization can help you manage stress and fatigue, and improve communication with medical staff, loved ones, and your partner.
  • Counseling is particularly helpful for developing coping strategies, assisting decision-making, and addressing early signs of anxiety and depression.
  • Psychotherapy can help you resolve conflicts and make changes that will address unhealthy patterns of thought or behavior that may be affecting you. Counseling may be of particular comfort if IVF becomes overwhelming. Psychotherapy can be helpful through individual sessions, couples counseling, and infertility support groups.
  • Medications and some supplements can sometimes be very useful when depression or anxiety symptoms are moderate or severe. Still, it is very important for you and your care providers to work together and consider side effects and drug interactions before regularly ingesting any supplement or medication while doing IVF treatments, and if and when pregnancy is achieved.
  • Psychotherapy can introduce you to relaxation exercises and practices like mindfulness meditation, and deep breathing. These can help you manage stress well and protect your body throughout IVF cycles.

If you are navigating the experience of infertility, and are considering, or undergoing, in vitro fertilization, therapy may help ease the considerable strain. Don’t wait to seek extra support.

For more information on Infertility and Prenatal Loss Counseling click here.