Fertility & Assisted Conception
Around 1 in 6 couples worldwide experience fertility difficulties. If you are having difficulty getting pregnant or you are navigating fertility treatment or assisted conception, this can deeply affect your emotional wellbeing before, during and after pregnancy.
The journey to parenthood may be filled with anxiety, grief and other challenges, especially if you undergo assisted fertility cycles or face a high-risk pregnancy.
Treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), donor conception or surrogacy offer hope, but you may also experience stress, resentment and financial and relationship strain.
Common reasons for seeking therapy for fertility issues
Feeling like you are on an “emotional rollercoaster” of hope, excitement, disappointment and uncertainty
Grieving the loss of the parenting journey you had envisaged
Coping with the physical impact of assisted conception such as hormonal changes, or feeling that your body has been “intruded upon”
Feeling that friends and family do not understand what you are going through and cannot support you in the way that you need
Experiencing relationship strain or conflict with your partner as you navigate fertility challenges together
If you become pregnant, not being able to enjoy the pregnancy and feeling constantly worried or unable to relax