Handling Complex Emotions With IVF
Trying to conceive can be an emotional time. Even if everything goes right, enduring the two-week wait can make even the most relaxed individual feel anxious. However, adding the strain of infertility can make an already tense situation worse. While logically, people understand that stressing about conceiving doesn’t make the process easier, many individuals still struggle to achieve calm while trying to get pregnant. For women and couples trying in vitro fertilization (IVF), the desire to remain calm is even higher since a common concern is whether anxiety can impact cycle outcomes. Consider practicing the tips below to keep stress at bay while navigating fertility treatments.
Benefits of controlling stress
Simply telling a person to relax can seem unrealistic and out of touch, considering the emotional toll IVF takes on not just the woman undergoing treatments but the supporting partner. Research suggests that stress can lower success rates in IVF. Specifically, a 2019 study of 457 couples having IVF-ET discovered that participants with heightened stress enzymes collected from saliva samples before the embryo transfer had the lowest success rates.
1. Avoid the information rabbit holes
Being informed is always smart for any individual before beginning a medical treatment. IVF is no exception since a variety of factors can influence success rates. However, obsessively researching statistics regarding fertility outcomes can have the opposite effect. Instead of feeling confident and at ease, constantly reassessing conception odds can contribute to anxiety. Try to minimize the time spent researching online and instead look for more calming ways to spend free time.
2. Embrace self-care
An IVF cycle takes about 4 weeks from start to finish and will usually include hormone stimulation along with timed steps such as egg retrieval and embryo transfer. The process is the ultimate waiting game. To ease concerns, indulge in some much-needed self-care. Whether these pursuits include pampering mani-pedi sessions or even relaxing with a good book, the goal is to refocus anxious thoughts away from fertility.
3. Break a sweat
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress while also being good for the whole body. For women undergoing IVF, low-impact activities are the best option. IVF participants are especially advised to avoid more high-impact exercises like running that can heighten adverse reactions after ovarian stimulation begins, ultimately increasing the chances for cycle failure.
4. Take comfort in community
For as common as infertility is, opening up about the condition can be hard. Many individuals report feeling isolated and ostracized or like speaking about fertility treatments is forbidden. Yet fertility issues impact 9% of men and 11% of women who are of reproductive age in the United States. In short, while the diagnosis can be traumatic, people are not alone. To avoid rumination and spiraling, which can be horrible for mental health, individuals undergoing IVF should seek support. Sometimes speaking with friends or family is enough. Other people may find that a formal support group or working with a therapist is more effective.
Maintaining optimism during IVF
Trying to get pregnant can send anxieties through the roof regardless of whether a woman or couple conceives naturally or through assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods. IVF is one of the most successful fertility treatments, but can still be stressful. Adopting effective coping mechanisms can aid in controlling anxieties and boosting mental health.
