Psychology and infertility
Mental strain due to involuntary childlessness and fertility treatment
Most people expect to become parents at some point in their lives. When the desired pregnancy does not occur, it can cause many difficult thoughts and feelings. Conceiving suddenly becomes a challenge, and it can be shocking to discover that being able to have children does not happen as we expected.
For most, this can be remedied by starting fertility treatment. Fertility treatment today offers good opportunities for success, but it often requires time and patience. Starting fertility treatment can often bring new hope, but we also know that for many of our patients it can lead to increased stress, loss of control and psychological strain.
It is individual how we each react to stress, and we all have different coping strategies that we use in difficult situations.
In any case, there are many things to deal with when you start fertility treatment. You and your possible partner will probably experience being put under great physical and mental pressure, which can be very demanding.
Childlessness can be a life crisis
A course of fertility treatment can end up being one of the most difficult periods of your life. When the positive pregnancy test is delayed, it is quite normal to experience emotional reactions such as sadness, anger, jealousy and despair.
We know from research that the stress level is particularly high around egg retrieval and in the period after egg placement, when the answer to the pregnancy test is awaited. You may find that you feel extra stressed, pressured, overwhelmed, anxious or depressed.