Fertility Resources

Fertility Articles

Stress & Infertility

Infertility is often experienced as an intense struggle for both individuals and couples. It is an unexpected threat to one's life goals, personal relationships, work, religious beliefs, and family life. Personal confidence, sense of control, and emotional stability can begin to unravel as sex-scheduling, leaving work, explaining sexual lives to health care providers, and explaining treatments to family and friends can take an enormous toll upon both individuals and couples.

Although we recognize that the infertility treatments that we provide to our patients can provide a sense of hope and anticipation for a desired child, we also realize that the very same treatments can contribute to stress. Exams, procedures, ultrasounds, waiting for blood results, return phone calls from the nurse and doctor may further compound the pressure and can feed into feelings of loss of control.

While we wish that we could relieve all of the stress associated with infertility that might not be possible. We can help to relieve some of your distress by offering stress reduction treatments and therapy. Research is being done to look at how stress related changes in the immune system and endocrine system impact women's ability to become pregnant. While the answers to these questions will come in time, what is clear now is that stress reduction and support (through groups, friends, and therapy) may positively impact treatment outcomes.

Please be assured that although the emotional and practical challenges are great, individuals and couples can find a way to retain a sense of control, closeness in their relationships, and a sense of hope for their future as parents. We work with clinical psychologist(s) with expertise in helping infertile couples and it is strongly recommended that you use their services.

Emotional Aspects of Infertility

Couples undergoing infertility treatment are subjected to a substantial degree of stress and an emotional upheaval. With each step in the diagnostic work-up and treatment, physical, emotional and financial investments become greater. Because of this, the monthly disappointments can become magnified. Couples feel the strain in many areas of their life. People also react to stress differently, which can lead to communication problems with their partner and family.

Sharing information with another couple who has had problems with fertility can be very helpful. RESOLVE is a non-profit national organization that offers this type of group support (see Resolve Information Sheet). Individual counseling by recommended psychologists are available to you and can be helpful on a short and long-term basis for dealing with relationship problems that may be encountered during your infertility treatment.

Becoming knowledgeable about infertility can help you deal with the medical and emotional aspects of your situation. Libraries and local bookstores can provide informative information about infertility. RESOLVE also has a great deal of excellent printed information and will send it to you on request.

Setting goals as a couple regarding how far you are willing to go with your treatment plan. Discuss these with your partner and come to an agreement based on your financial and emotional limits. Also explore with each other how you feel about adoption and childfree living. These communicated feelings will have a bearing on the limits of treatment that you set.

Take short breaks from your infertility treatment. Try not to make it the sole focus of your life. Pursue the other aspects of your relationship with your partner. Remember the interests that brought you together in the first place. Enjoy intercourse during the non-fertile times of the month. It is different than "making a baby" during the fertile period.

Age & Fertility

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), age-related infertility is becoming more common. Approximately 20% of women wait until after age 35 to begin their families. Several factors have contributed to this trend: 1) contraception is readily available; 2) more women are in the work force; 3) women are marrying at an older age; 4) the divorce rate remains high; 5) married couples are delaying pregnancy until they are more financially secure; and 6) many women don't realize that their fertility begins to decline in their late 20s or early 30s. In addition, stories in the media may lead you to believe that you can delay getting pregnant and then use assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to get pregnant when you're ready. However, age affects the success rates of infertility treatments as well as your natural ability to get pregnant. For example, if you are a healthy 30-year-old woman, you have about a 20% chance per month to get pregnant. By age 40, however, your chance is only about 5% per month. In many cases, these percentages are true for natural conception as well as conception using ART.

It is important to remember that your fertility decreases with age, particularly after age 35. Even though women today are healthier and taking better care of themselves than ever before, improved health in later life does not offset the natural age-related decline in fertility.

Acupuncture Therapy

According to the March 1, 2008 article in OB GYN News, Study Links Acupuncture to Improved IVF Results, acupuncture given with embryo transfer is associated with a significant 65% increase in the clinical pregnancy rate of women undergoing in vitro fertilization. "I have found that there is a direct correlation between acupuncture and stress reduction which we find aids in a successful pregnancy," says Dr. Arlene Morales, Fertility Specialists Medical Group.

Multiple Miscarriages/Recurring Pregnancy Loss (RPL)

Reproductive endocrinologists are trained to evaluate and treat women with the difficult problem of Recurring Pregnancy Loss or RPL. The evaluation includes inspection of the woman's reproductive tract, the couple's genetic make-up, and the woman's hormonal and immunologic status. We are also now evaluating for clotting disorders that might contribute to pregnancy losses. For many of these problems, effective treatment strategies can be initiated.

Last updated: July 22, 2008
Author: Dr. Arlene J. Morales

 

 

© 2008 Fertility Specialists Medical Group
Contact | Privacy Policy