#ThursdayThoughts
Each Thursday, we will now offer you a piece of educational, science, or research related information. The purpose of our #ThursdayThoughts post is to share with you fact-based content that can enlighten and assist you on your fertility journey. Enjoy our first post! Helping to Create New Beginnings….
The Fertility Journey
The fertility journey is one of ups and downs. Being prepared for this journey and anticipating what it entails can help you and your partner along the road ahead. From starting new medications to having frequent doctor appointments, people experience a whirlwind of emotions. This is why the need for emotional support throughout the process is imperative yet often times underestimated.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 10% of couples or 6.1 million women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 to 44 have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. As mentioned in a study by Rooney and Domar (2018) a literature review concluded that 25%-60% of infertile couples report psychiatric symptoms and that anxiety and depression are significantly higher than among fertile couples.
There are multiple avenues to finding support for you and your partner. This includes several applications you can download to a phone such as ‘Beat Fertility’. RESOLVE, a national infertility support association, offers online support. Facebook has multiple trying to conceive/infertility groups. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology’s (SART) website has several suggestions for coping strategies that you may find helpful during this challenging time. Other options include counseling, relaxation techniques, and medication.
Remember-Keep going, the best is yet to come!
