Strategies for Overcoming and Coping with Fertility Difficulties

Discovering that you or your partner may have unexpected trouble when attempting to conceive a child is understandably distressing. When the pull towards parenthood is so strong, facing challenges to achieve it can be heartbreaking for even the most resilient individuals. If you are struggling with the process of growing your family, there are many options available to you. Here are some useful strategies to help you cope with the strain of fertility trouble and possible methods to overcome it.

Common Fertility Obstacles

You may find it useful to understand some of the most common obstacles people face when planning for a family and encountering fertility issues. Once you have a rough idea as to why you may be experiencing these difficulties, it will be easier to identify the right options for the future. If you are older, have hormonal imbalances, or experience any underlying health conditions, you may have greater trouble conceiving. Fortunately, this doesn't mean that having a family is out of the question.

Potential Treatments

As already mentioned, fertility issues are not the end of the road for intended parents. There are many different treatment options that can open doors to parenthood that you may not have considered. Take a look at these potential treatments to learn more:

IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)

IVF takes the process of combining an egg cell with a sperm cell outside the body. When a viable embryo is created, it is planted into the mother's uterus, where it can develop into a baby. This process has become increasingly popular, and the success rates continue to rise; however, it can be a taxing experience, both mentally and physically.

Surrogacy

There are many possible reasons that carrying a pregnancy to full term is a challenge for some people. Surrogacy allows parents to overcome these challenges. Services like those offered by ConceiveAbilities are designed to match intended parents with surrogates who can fulfill their pregnancy needs. Some people have medical conditions that increase their risk during pregnancy, which is when surrogacy is most beneficial.

IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)

This process involves implanting the sperm into the mother's uterus when she is at the most fertile stage in her menstrual cycle. Sperm cells are separated so that only the strongest, most viable are injected into the womb, further increasing chances of success.

Surgery

For anyone experiencing medical conditions that make pregnancy challenging, surgery may be recommended to address the issues and increase the likelihood of successful conception.

Hormone Therapy

Some people are found to have hormonal imbalances that interrupt or otherwise interfere with their fertility. If irregular menstrual cycles or dysfunctional ovaries are identified as the underlying problem, hormonal treatments may be suggested to overcome them.

Lifestyle Adjustments

No matter what the cause of your fertility troubles, there are always changes you can make to your lifestyle that will help you improve your physical health and, therefore, your chances of conception. Here are a few adjustments you can make in your daily life to boost your wellbeing.

Diet

What you eat can either positively or negatively impact your fertility levels. Drinking alcohol, for example, is widely seen as a definite contributor to lower fertility. Cut down on your alcohol intake to not only elevate your fertility levels but also improve your general health. Whole foods that haven't been refined are also considered better for fertility, as are fruits, vegetables, and low-sugar dairy products like yogurt and cheese.

Fitness

As with other aspects of life, being unfit is detrimental to your chances of successful conception. Consistent exercise at a level that suits you will go a long way toward improving your health. Just remember that overdoing it can have the opposite effect.

Stress

Experiencing high levels of stress while trying to conceive may be negatively impacting your chances. Stress releases chemicals from your brain into your body and influences your hormones. Finding ways to live with less stress can make conceiving easier. This is a huge reason why it's vital that you care for your emotional wellbeing during the challenges of fertility difficulty.

Managing Your Emotions

How you manage your feelings while enduring the stress of fertility trouble has a direct connection to your ability to conceive. Some of the options to overcome fertility problems will require great emotional strength, especially since the process can take such a long time. Learning to develop your own resilience is key to progress. Being resilient means permitting your feelings, accepting them, but not dwelling on them or fighting them. It also means persevering despite hard times. Without resilience, many parents would have given up before their eventual success.

Counseling

You can't always expect to manage your emotions on your own. Even with a supportive network of loved ones around you, having an impartial and outside perspective could be the answer to your mental health difficulties. Find a counselor who specializes in the emotional toll of fertility problems for someone who can offer expert guidance.

Strengthening Your Relationship

If you have a partner with whom you are trying to conceive, maintaining your relationship during this tough time can be an unexpected challenge. To avoid letting the strain get the better of you, develop a clear and honest communication style. Approach conflict from a place of understanding and willingness to listen. When you get through this together, you will find your relationship has strengthened as a result of your hard work.

Possible Alternatives

Of course, there are alternatives that intended parents can try. Fostering and adoption are ways of expanding your family without fertility intervention. You could also consider the possibility of egg or sperm donors to assist with creating a viable embryo.

Attempting to grow your family can be an arduous journey for some. The pain of fertility issues can impact emotional wellbeing and the health of relationships. To protect against this, it is important to create a system of support for yourself as well as those you care about most. Search for treatments and alternatives that suit your specific desires while working towards greater resilience. Although the road can become bumpy, it's important to maintain strength and hope. These two vital components will help you reach your goal of expanding your family and becoming a parent.