Coping with the Emotional Trauma of Infertility

Infertility is traumatic, and millions of women in their prime childbearing years face this obstacle. They know firsthand about the heartache and frustration of not being able to conceive after months or even years of trying, and often wonder “why me?” Even women who have already had one child but experience what is called secondary infertility, or difficulty conceiving another child, can experience deep depression and grief. It can also lead to relationship turmoil between partners, where there is less desire to be intimate either physically or emotionally, further compounding the problem.

The National Infertility Association has explained the emotional impact of the inability to conceive may lead women to experience these negative emotions:

• Depression, particularly when triggered by the sight of pregnant women, pregnancy tests, seeing babies, and so on
• Anxiety, especially during ovulation time or when a period is due
• Guilt or shame, such as feeling inadequate or defective, especially if their friends or family members conceive without difficulty
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), similar to what those experience who have witnessed or experienced a life-altering event
• Irritability, especially when triggered by the sights, sounds, or other reminders of babies and/or getting pregnant

How You Can Continue to Thrive While Facing Infertility

Managing your stress may seem like a huge obstacle when you are trying to conceive without success. However, the sad, cruel fact is that stress management is crucial to help your body conceive. You don’t have to put your life on hold while facing fertility struggles. While your desire to start or expand your family may be in the forefront of your mind, building yourself up can help you cope with your negative emotions. You may find it useful to seek out either personal or couples counseling to make your difficult path more bearable. Apart from counseling, you may want to disconnect from social media for a while, as it can bring up triggers, particularly when others make their pregnancy and birth announcements.

Simply being told “don’t let infertility consume your every waking thought,” of course, isn’t enough. You have to take time to celebrate other things in life, even the little things that you may have put on hold. Enjoy your partner, and find reasons to celebrate your relationship and engage in fun activities. Soak up the moments of joy as they come up, and seek out a new hobby or activity you’ve been wanting to try. Remember, if you are pregnant or have a newborn, you won’t be able to push rewind and do all these activities at that time, so try to find joy and meaning in life, even when you’re facing emotional turmoil.

Ready to start fertility treatments? Contact us at Palm Beach Fertility Center today by calling (888) 819-5177 to learn more about how we can help you.