How to Stay Optimistic During Fertility Treatment

Like many challenges life can present, fertility treatment can bring highs and lows. There is an inherent sense of unfairness that many patients can experience: Whether they are facing infertility or are LGBTQA, they are unable to build their families without reproductive care – something their friends, families, and colleagues might take for granted, without realizing it. Staying optimistic during the treatment process may feel like an additional challenge, one you’d rather do without adding to your already heavy to-do list. These feelings are completely understandable, as even though fertility care grows in use and popularity, you may be one of the few or the only one in your social circle to seek it.

Chicago IVF knows that our patients’ struggles are at the forefront of their minds until care concludes. In our efforts to help ensure that any treatment plan you undergo is as stress-free and straightforward as possible, we’ve provided some advice on how to stay optimistic during fertility treatment. We hope you’ll consider sharing your own best advice for this on our social media so the rest of the fertility community can take advantage of your knowledge and firsthand experience.

Ways to stay optimistic during fertility treatment

• Connect with your partner – Whether one or both of you is undergoing treatment, it’s very important to make the effort to be the most supportive partner you can be. Treatment can be isolating and lonely at times, especially if partner support is lacking or, in some cases, simply slacking. Reconnecting as a couple is necessary to keep a relationship on track during a challenging time. It might not be easy, but making time for yourselves as partners whenever possible can go a long way toward keeping a relationship solid when other areas of your life may be less cemented.
• Establish who/what you feel comfortable talking to/about – Not everyone is comfortable posting on social media about their most recent IVF appointment or bringing up the topic of finding an egg donor over coffee. If you are, great! It is 100% your decision what to share and when. If you’re not, then finding people in your life you can trust and feel at ease with when discussing fertility care is needed. Many patients fear judgment, ignorance, or a lack of interest when bringing up fertility, and while we cannot guarantee everyone in your life will be a fantastic listener, those you know well and trust will at least make the best effort they can to be supportive.
• Stay organized – Part of what can make fertility care overwhelming is the appointments, paperwork, medications, injections, etc. Staying on top of everything in this regard takes effort, for sure, but falling behind and trying to remember to refill a prescription before a pharmacy closes for the day, when test results are expected, or when an important, not-to-be-missed appointment is coming up are certainly not advisable. Many patients purchase folders/files specifically for fertility treatment, or they scan paperwork so it is all available in an online source they can access from anywhere via their phones.

If you have questions about fertility treatment at Chicago IVF or would like to schedule a consultation with our specialists, please contact our team today.