General Coping Tips For IVF

Couples who arrive at IVF have been dealing with the heartbreak of infertility for quite a long time. As seasoned survivors of the process, you may want to use what you already know to help you get through what very well may be your last ditch effort to have a biological child. With so much invested, you'll want to do things correct, right from the start.

One of the issues worth exploring is whether or not you want to be together as a couple through the various steps of IVF including appointments, the pregnancy test, or waiting at home for a call from the doctor. Only as a couple can you decide how you want to handle these issues. You will also want to identify friends who will be supportive at this time and perhaps let them in on your plans. Some couples end up regretful they informed so many of their friends, so use care and constraint in deciding whom to tell.

A Spokesperson?

Along the same lines, it can be a big load off of your collective back to elect among your friends, someone who can take on the role of a spokesperson to pass on information about your IVF procedures with those you've decided can be in the know. You may also wish to join an IVF support group if there's one in your area. Support groups go a long way toward removing your feelings of isolation. Individual or couples counseling can also be a big help if you feel that the process is getting you down and depressed, really anxious, or so confused you can't make decisions.

The next step is to consider some of those decisions you may need to make further down the line so you'll have examined all the options and arrived at your answer before the crisis is at hand. For instance, you're going to have to make a decision as to how many embryos to transfer. You'll want to give yourself a fighting chance that you'll end up with at least one healthy baby, while lowering the number of multiple babies as much as is possible. For many, there are moral or religious obligations involved in these decisions and you may want to consult a clergyman or someone you respect with like views. Along the same lines, you'll need to have a plan about how to deal with surplus eggs and embryos. Will you freeze, donate, or dispose of these?

Lifelong Impact

If you have the option of using donor sperm or eggs (gametes), you'll want to examine issues related to raising a child conceived through donation before you begin your cycle. Such decisions have a lifelong impact and deserve due consideration. These are not issues you'll want to decide on in haste while stressed out after retrieval. Counseling can be very helpful for assessing these kinds of issues.

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