When you go to a friend’s baby shower to welcome a new baby into the world, do you long to have your own baby, too? If, for medical reasons, you can’t get pregnant, modern science offers you a possible solution –in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Let’s take a closer look at what to research for deciding on IVF, how a therapist can help you with making a major life change, and why you should improve your level of self-care if you embark on this new journey.
What is IVF?
In vitro fertilization is a medical process for fertilization. Health care professionals combine an egg and a sperm outside your body, hence the name “in vitro.”
We can describe this process in three phases:
First, the ovulatory process is monitored and stimulated.
Second, a doctor removes an ovum or ova from your ovaries.
Third, a laboratory fertilizes the egg with a sperm in a liquid.
Source: Bailiwick Express Guernsey
Research IVF Clinics
Begin by finding an IVF clinic that has a proven record of good success rates. You can find out what success rates to look for on sites like YourFertilityFriend.com.
Here are some questions you should ask:
- Does the clinic have board certified physicians? If it does, what are their specialties?
- Does the clinic work with accredited laboratories?
- Has the clinic helped any other women of your age and similar medical conditions?
3 Other Things to Consider
Besides finding the best IVF clinic, there are three other things you need to consider:
- Your health. Do you have medical health conditions that would make it difficult to go through a pregnancy?
- Your age. If you are 35 years or older, it will be more difficult to conceive, and it will be extremely difficult if you have turned 40.
- Your partner. Some fertility issues are because of male sperm quality. So, semen analysis is also something you must consider as semen can change over time, including changing within a single year.
Source: MSN
Get a Therapist
Once you conceive, then it’s a good idea to talk to a psychotherapist. It’s not essential, but it will make the journey easier. While it may have been a struggle to get pregnant having a baby is a stressful experience, too.
So, it’s always a good idea to get mental and emotional support from a mental health professional as you experience physical and psychological changes in your body.
Feeling overwhelmed, guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed is natural and normal.
Talking through your inner conflicts and confusion with a therapist will help mental clarity and mood. When you feel peaceful, you’ll practice better self-care and get along better with your partner during your pregnancy.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care is always a good way to live a balanced life, but it becomes especially significant to cope well with life stress if you’re doing an IVF.
Since your well-being will depend on how relaxed and healthy you feel during your pregnancy, reduce the number of major life changes you might want to make. For instance, don’t move to a new home or start another job.
Manage stress in a gentle way. Go to the movies or arrange date nights with your partner and speak to your doctor before you enroll in an aerobics class or get deep tissue massage.
In conclusion, practice patience as you go through the IVF process. You will have to go through many screenings, tests, and medical procedures. Things may not go as planned and you may experience delays and setbacks. It may also take a long time to get pregnant. One way to stay patient is to spend quality time with family and friends, start a new hobby, or do fun things.
