IVF Stress Fife

IVF treatment can be very stressful. The thought that one may not be able to conceive can come as a dreadful shock. For many women, all other aspects of their lives seem to take a back seat. The feeling of being "incomplete" or a "failure as a woman" can be overwhelming.

The focus on the ovulation cycle, together with the terrible highs and lows of the treatment itself can tear couples apart. Sex becomes a mechanical act with a single purpose. There is no spontaneity any more, so it stops having anything to do with love, or sharing, or fun.

Sadly, it is often at this time that some women discover that their partners may be ambivalent about children. The woman may have assumed that her partner wants, or will want in the future,  to have children. However, it is never actually spioken about and agreed. The revelation that her partner doesn't really mind not having children, and so doesn't really understand why it is such an important thing to her, makes her feel terribly let down and alone. She has one chance at life and she realises that his support is crucial if she is to fulfil her dream.

When treatment starts, the powerful drugs used can knock a woman's body for six! They can result in depression and weight gain - adding to her bad feelings about herself. Unfortunately, the weight gain can last for years.

 In nature, many animals often do not conceive if they are stressed in any way. Many animal studies confirm this. It makes evolutionary sense not to add an extra burden to life, if things are already difficult. This means that the very process that tries to help women conceive may undermine itself by being so stressful.

Hypnotherapy really can help. Research has shown that Hypnotherapy can "double IVF success rate" (see below). A team from Soroka University, Israel, found 28% of women in the group who had hypnotherapy treatment became pregnant, compared with 14% of those who were not.