Written by Editorial Team |Updated : December 7, 2022 10:31 AM IST
Waiting to become parents can be a tiring experience and it can be even more heartbreaking to know that the struggles are due to infertility. Dealing with infertility and managing the changes it brings to lives are not easy to deal with. Even though infertility is very common these days, due to the stigma and taboo it has become very complicated. Infertility impacts our day-to-day lives, relationships, and socio-psychological and economic status. Bringing the change in the mindset to accept and cope with the condition needs time. Reproductive technologies have evolved with time and today, technologies like IVF and surrogacy are healing thousands of couples to becoming parents. But dealing with infertility comes with a lot more than just physical complications.
Psychological Impact: One of the primary and immediate impacts of infertility is the psychological impact on an individual. Struggling to get pregnant and dealing with the pressure from the family and society brings a lot of pain. It is also observed that most people find it difficult to cope with infertility. Feeling stress, anxiousness, loneliness, helplessness, and hopelessness is common among these people. It is also true that the impact of infertility is not just on how things around us, but also on how one sees it, deals face it, and deals with it.
Impact of the Relationship: Instability in marriage is one of the most common challenges that come with infertility. Blaming each other, lack of support, and lack of acceptance impact married life which can bring toxicity to their relationship. The negative relationship is not just within the couple, but also with the immediate family member.
Affects physical intimacy: The stress and anxiety that comes along with the news can affect your relationship and even the sexual experience which makes it tougher to conceive naturally.
Psychosocial Impact: Infertility is very personal and private; however, it can impact someone's quality of life. With the taboo and stigma associated with infertility, people keep themselves away from family and relatives.
Affects communication: Communication with family, relatives, or peers will affect people due to the kind of expectations or pressure the people to go through. These situations will create a negative impact and thus will affect communication with each other. Sometimes, people will keep themselves isolated from everyone.
Social problems: If we talk about Indian households, the problem of infertility is more of a social problem than a biological one. A lack of awareness among people around you can affect the way you take this news. Unfortunately, cases of disharmony with in-laws, threats to abandon, stigma, discrimination, and even physical abuse are commonly seen in such situations.
Given the current scenario of our society, coping with the condition can be tough for you and your partner. However, there are a few ways to which can help you with dealing with the situation
Accept the condition: The ability to deal with any difficult situation comes only when the same has been accepted completely. In the case of infertility, dealing with infertility comes with a lot of mental burdens and the cure for it starts with acceptance. To move forward, couples need to first accept that this problem exists, and it will take time and effort. Accepting the situation will help you better in planning your next steps.
Don't blame yourself: A lot of people go through infertility but blame themselves or their partner. The patients need to understand and accept that being infertile is not their fault. Being supportive of each other as a couple is the most important thing which can help the couple in dealing with this emotional journey.
Understand your partner: Infertility is one of the main causes which will impact marital relationships. It is very common for such couples to face stress in their relationship. Accepting and understanding that your spouse is also in the same boat as you and needs your acceptance and understanding. You need to understand that your partner is going through the same problem as you are and need support in dealing with the situation of infertility.
Seek Psychological counseling: Infertility can have a different impact on mental status. Everyone has a different way of handling any stressful situation. In the case of infertility, there is a lack of acceptance and comfort in finding the right person to share. Speaking to a professional counselor can be beneficial in such cases as it will be a non-biased, nonjudgmental approach that will help the couple to take care of themselves and their relationship.
Learn about options: Visiting the fertility consultant and learning about the fertility status will help the couple to plan the treatment at the right time. This not only clarifies the doubts, and calms worries, or stress related to infertility treatment.
Attending a fertility support group: Feeling lonely is natural for all people experiencing infertility. The taboo and lack of acceptance from the family and society make patients restrict themselves from sharing their feelings. The support group which consists of people with the same problem will help patients in getting that support.
The coping process can be overwhelming, but it is all worth it for the family you have been waiting for. Dealing with infertility does not mean the end of all hope. Reproductive technologies can still help you in starting your family. Getting the right consultation at the right time is helpful. Remember, as a couple you are one team, and you need to be together on this journey.
The article is contributed by Diana Crasta, Chief Psychologist, Nova IVF Fertility.
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