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Coping Strategies

There are specific ways to help reduce the stress of infertility and these basic strategies will help you cope with other stresses in life as well.

Actively Seek Information

It is important to actively seek as much information as you can about your condition and treatment. This will be provided by your consultant, nurse coordinators, library books, videos, unit information sessions and newsletters. When well informed, you will feel more confident and in control of yourself in any situation.

Mental Preparation

Mental preparation enables you to confront difficult situations. For example, anticipate the difficult questions of well meaning friends or relatives and be prepared with the answers. Prepare yourself on the day the pregnancy test is due so that if it is not positive, you have something arranged to help ease the disappointment and boost your self esteem.

Share Feelings

Share your feelings with your partner, close friends and relatives. Don’t assume people know how you feel, tell them what helps you and what makes you feel upset. It is important to realise that sometimes you may not feel able to confront certain people and situations and that some days you will just want to feel sorry for yourself. Don’t fight against this inclination; it will pass if you give yourself time.

Improve Self Esteem

Try to find ways to improve your self esteem or feelings of self worth. Do those things that make you feel good about yourself, remember what they were, before you found you had infertility.

Balance in Life

Achieve a proper balance in your life between work, infertility treatment, social activities, exercise and relaxation. Exercise even if it’s only brisk walking 30 minutes a day, 4 times a week. This is a great way to unwind.

It is very important to maintain a healthy body with a good diet, enough sleep, regular exercise etc as this helps promote a healthy mind and enables one to cope better with emotional stress.

You should consider seeing the Unit’s counsellor if:

1. You would like to talk over the impact of your infertility diagnosis.

2. If you feel you are struggling with the treatment process, eg. You don’t “emotionally bounce back” as quickly as you would like to after a treatment cycle, or if life is getting you down, or you notice growing tension between you and your partner which persists.

3. You are becoming preoccupied with infertility and you can’t make decisions in other areas of your life.

4. You often feel sad, desperate and worthless, withdraw from social activities, experience excessive fatigue, difficulties in sleeping and loss of appetite. Life has no purpose.

5. You are trying to make the decision whether to cease treatment.

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