10 Tips to Reduce Stress During IVF
- 31 Aug, 2022
- IVF and Infertility
- infertility
- Medically Reviewed By:
Dr. Nishi Singh - Author: Prime IVF Centre
The latest data shows that, over 8 million children have been born through IVF and over 2.5 million IVF cycles are performed each year worldwide. These numbers go to show that IVF isn’t a localized treatment option that’s accessible only in the western world. It is accessible worldwide and becoming more mainstream for treating infertility.
Most infertile individuals and couples struggle thinking that they are the only ones experiencing such issues, when, in fact, the issue is more global than we think. However, experiencing stress and anxiety during the daunting IVF procedure is common. At Prime IVF, we come across patients who are either worried about the outcome or afraid that things won’t work even after bearing such expenses.
Keeping that in mind, this article should help any prospective patient undergoing IVF to find ways to reduce stress during the IVF treatment.
How to Manage Stress during IVF?
Stress during IVF can result from one of the few concerns:
- Worried about the procedure’s success
- Worried about failing after fertilization
- Worried about the IVF shots, medications, side-effects
- Worried about the procedure in general
These conditions are 100% valid but there are ways for optimal stress management during, throughout, and even after the IVF treatment. We will be highlighting a few of them that genuinely worked for our patients at Prime IVF.
Table of Contents
- Discuss the procedure in and out
- Be a supportive partner
- Practice breathing exercises
- Identify your worries
- Be receptive to help from others
- Indulge in a self-care activity
- Communicate openly
- Watch what you eat
- Have realistic expectations
- Take it one day at a time
- Conclusion
1. Discuss the procedure in and out
One of the common triggers behind stress during IVF is the lack of knowledge. As a patient who has been diagnosed with infertility, the situation is already quite traumatic to process. And, to throw in another intrusive and life-changing procedure on top of that can be quite overwhelming.
What you need to realize is that worries stem from improper knowledge. So, the first step of managing your stress during IVF would be to sit down and discuss everything about the process in detail.
Our team of doctors and our staff at Prime IVF will walk you through each step in detail (including the finances), so you can make your decisions without any worry.
2. Be a supportive partner
It is often the female partner taking the brunt end of the IVF treatment, especially with taking the shots, undergoing persistent tests, etc. As a partner, we always encourage our patients to be supportive.
Even for male patients who are undergoing infertility treatments, getting the required help, support and counseling are crucial. Given how delicate the period is, both partners need to understand each other’s state of mind and be there to support the other as needed.
3. Practice breathing exercises
Being overwhelmed and anxious is very common during IVF. You are likely contemplating what happens next, whether the procedure will be successful, and so on. The plaguing thoughts can induce a constant cycle of stress in your mind.
One amazing way to overcome the stress is by taking 10-30 minutes out of your day to focus on breathwork. It could be a simple breathing exercise or it could be an extended meditation to practice mindfulness.
4. Identify your worries
At Prime IVF, we work with patients pan India who visit us with multiple concerns of infertility. When it's time for them to start their IVF procedure, they often exude a lot of stress about the treatment and the outcome.
IVF anxiety is one of the key consequences of this fertility treatment and it’s a lot more common than we think. Since we understand that these situations are tough and testing, our first step is to help your patients identify their recurring thoughts.
Identifying the common worries and getting straight and transparent answers to them allows the patients to navigate through the treatment a lot easier.
5. Be receptive to help from others
It could be a counselor, a friend, or a family member, social support can do wonders to manage stress during IVF. Undergoing any type of infertility treatment can be quite taxing on the couple, so having that external support acts like an assurance and a base to fall back on.
If you aren’t comfortable talking to someone you know, there are several online and offline fertility support groups that you can actively be a part of. Talking to other people who are on the same journey as you will enable you to relate and work on your worries in a positive way.
6. Indulge in a self-care activity
The more you focus on your IVF journey, the more you will obsess about the outcome. What you can do instead is focus on yourself, and your physical and emotional health and introduce constructive self-care activities.
It doesn’t always have to be something extravagant. Sometimes, smaller experiences work as some of the best stress management techniques.
You can take some time for yourself and focus on practicing meditation or yoga. You can go out and have a relaxing day shopping, catching up with friends, and having a meal at your favorite place. You can go out and relax in a park around your home. The options are diverse.
7. Communicate openly
Be it with your partner or with your fertility specialist, there’s no better way to reduce stress other than openly communicating your worries.
It doesn’t matter if your worry is trivial. You need to discuss them with your partner and get a resolution for it. If it's something regarding your health or regarding the treatment, call your doctor for answers. The more you bottle up your emotions, the more likely they will stress and trouble you.
8. Watch what you eat
Not just externally, stress can be a direct repercussion of what you are putting into your body. And, we mean your diet by it. IVF treatment is quite a delicate and sensitive procedure that requires you to be in the best of your health.
So, instead of a poor diet filled with junk food and unhealthy binging habits, switch to a healthier diet with whole foods, leafy greens, lean protein, and a healthy dose of snacks. Don’t restrict your eating but choose the right foods to satiate your hunger.
At Prime IVF, we connect you with our in-house nutritionist to better chart your meals and optimize your diet for a healthy outcome.
9. Have realistic expectations
IVF might enhance your chances of conception but it doesn’t guarantee 100% success. This is something we emphasize to our patients during every consultation. And, there’s nothing wrong with fostering realistic expectations.
No procedures or discussions at Prime IVF are done under false pretenses. Instead, we believe in having open communication with the patient – every step of the way.
Fostering realistic expectations with the right communication helps tide away the stress and worries and instead having an optimistic outlook throughout the treatment.
10. Take it one day at a time
IVF treatment can be quite overwhelming. But, that’s where you need to slow down and take things one day at a time. It is an extensive procedure involving a lot of routines and you are bound to get frustrated at one point if you overwhelm yourself with everything at a time.
Instead, retrain your thoughts and shift your focus on doing something that optimizes your productivity throughout the day.
Conclusion
Our team of fertility specialists and counselors at Prime IVF understand your worries and are here to support you in every step. We understand that IVF is an extremely sensitive procedure that invokes a lot of expectations and worries alongside it. Over the years, we have helped thousands of infertile couples bask in the joy of parenthood, all the while supporting them with ways to manage stress.
We are here to support every couple’s fertility journey – both physically and emotionally- every step of the way. For further details, contact our team today to discuss your treatment options and get quality consultation.
