Counselling for Infertility

It can be traumatic to find out that you or your partner is infertile, or sub-fertile. You, your partner or both of you may experience an array of feelings such as blame, anger, denial, guilt, self-pity or jealousy. And this may place stress on your relationship. Counselling for infertility may be a good course of action to follow.

Fertility treatment is a huge investment, not only financially but also emotionally. It also takes much time and hope. For many, the cost of fertility treatment is almost unaffordable, but the hope of having a family makes it all worthwhile.

LifeArt Fertility Clinic is aware of this emotional distress that is paired with the infertility process and we know that there are so many difficult experiences, highs and lows, which our patients go through on their journey with us.

Going through infertility treatments can be an emotional rollercoaster. At the beginning there is a lot of hope and anticipation.  Then there is the anxiety of wondering whether you are pregnant. However, patients who fail to become pregnant after a number of cycles can feel disappointed and met with the despair of failed cycles.

It may take a while before a couple undergoing infertility treatments becomes pregnant. It is hard to pinpoint why an IVF cycle doesn’t work, as there are many factors to consider. Ultimately, the prospect of never having children may have to be faced.

Managing the pressure

Couples who suffer from infertility face much pressure. There are social, emotional, marital and financial stressors which can have a negative effect on daily life. In addition, stress itself can have a negative impact on fertility. At the same time our patients often feel that it is difficult to share their burdens with friends and family. Therefore, many couples find fertility support groups useful for sharing coping strategies and experiences.

Counselling for infertility offers you an opportunity to share and explore difficult feelings with someone who is not personally involved but who understands your situation. Counselling may help you to discover new ways of coping and to clarify areas of uncertainty while looking at other options.

The process of counselling enables you to explore your thoughts, feelings and beliefs so that you can develop a better understanding of what is happening to you. You may find your own ways of coping so that you can live more satisfactorily and feel more in control of your life as well as the direction in which it is going. You may decide to make changes in your life or come to terms with things that cannot be changed.

Counsellors do not judge you or give you advice. They are there to provide a secure and confidential relationship where you can explore any problems you have and to help you try to make sense of them. Counsellors will not disclose anything you have discussed to others without your permission.

Psychologist

Therefore we have incorporated the services of an experienced psychologist into our team. Because they have worked with infertility, they understand exactly what you may be going through. We recommend that you book an appointment with one of our psychologists if at any time you feel that this process is proving to be emotionally taxing and you are in need of some objective and professional support. For more information please contact us.

Acupuncture

Another course of stress relief you can follow is acupuncture. Acupuncture has been shown to enhance fertility and reduce stress. It has been shown in 3 different clinical trials to improve results with IVF. We have the services of an acupuncturist to offer this service to our patients as part of wholesome approach to treatment.