Well-being

IVF can be emotionally, physically, and financially demanding,¹ and can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety for many patients. On this page, you will find tips and advice on how to cope with stress during your fertility journey, helping you to feel well supported throughout.

The psychological effects of infertility and its treatments

Mental health considerations

IVF is a journey towards a life-changing goal, one that can bring untold joy. However, the journey is not always entirely easy, and while the end goal is worth any difficulty for most, the treatment can have an impact. Some patients can experience feelings of stress, anger, and a loss of control,² and some describe undergoing IVF treatment as a stressful major life event.³ The process has many steps and can feel invasive and overwhelming. Additionally, ovulation drugs required for many women undergoing treatment can have an effect on both mood and mental health.² It’s important to speak to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding your prescribed medication.

It’s possible for infertility itself to have an impact on an individual’s mental well-being, with between 10-40% of women experiencing either anxiety and/or depression when facing fertility problems.² These problems, and their investigation and treatment, have the potential to cause psychological stress.⁶

Whilst stress has not been shown to have an adverse effect on IVF outcomes,⁷ an estimated 30% of couples end treatment prematurely because of its psychological burden.⁸ It is therefore important to directly address feelings of stress and anxiety, to ensure you are getting the most out of your treatment. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to do this.

Your well-being

There are various approaches that have been shown to help reduce any negative impacts. Studies have demonstrated the positive impact of coping strategies and psychosocial interventions on managing feelings of stress and anxiety.^{4, 5} These include relaxation techniques, group support sessions and psychotherapy.² There will always be an avenue to receive help; it may take some trial-and-error to find what works best for you.

Financial considerations

IVF can cost over £5000 per cycle at a private clinic, which can be financially challenging for many patients. Fertility treatment can incur extra costs alongside the base rate of IVF. For example, treatments such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), medications, and embryo freezing and storage can add expense to the treatment. It is a good idea to take this into consideration when planning treatment so that you feel prepared if the costs are higher than initially anticipated.

Looking after your mental and emotional well-being

Counselling

All clinics who are licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) must offer patients the opportunity of speaking with a counsellor before they begin treatment. Some clinics may offer this for free, whilst others may charge for a session.
Counselling has been demonstrated to directly benefit patients’ well-being, with over 80% of patients feeling that counselling helped them to better understand the emotional issues involved with IVF whilst also feeling better equipped to cope with disappointing results.¹ However, many patients still do not see its necessity, especially in the beginning of their fertility journey. Addressing particular stress triggers early on with the help of a counsellor can allow you to feel more prepared for potential stresses that you may encounter during and after treatment.² Therefore, counselling should be offered before, during and after investigation and treatment, irrespective of the outcome of these procedures. Counselling should be provided by someone who is not directly involved in the management of the individual’s and/or couple’s fertility problems.⁶

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, which includes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), has also been shown to improve patients’ ability to cope with difficult situations. CBT is a short-term, skill-focused treatment that aims to alter maladaptive emotional responses by changing the patient’s behaviours and thoughts. The aim of CBT is to change cognitions, then change emotions and behaviours. It works by exploring individuals’ behaviours and personality to identify negative thought patterns and behaviours. The psychotherapist will then help patients to relearn their behaviours and find better ways to tackle difficult situations.⁹ Psychotherapy can be beneficial before, during, and after fertility treatment to help individuals and couples process and cope with obstacles that may arise during their fertility journey.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness of the present moment. In this state, you can acknowledge and accept your own feelings and circumstances without any judgment. By forcing yourself to focus on the here and now, you can prevent yourself from thinking about the past (which we cannot change) and the future (which is yet to come). The “noticing without judgment” part is the challenging bit. Through mindfulness practice, however, you can overcome that natural predisposition. Mindfulness-based practices, such as meditation, are techniques used to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression,¹⁰ and have been shown to have a positive impact in patients undergoing fertility treatment, including a significant increase in mindfulness, self-compassion, and quality of life, as well as reduced anxiety levels.¹¹ There are a wide number of podcasts, online videos, and mobile apps currently available that talk you through the techniques of mindfulness and allow you to process stress in your own time.

Relaxation techniques

Regularly practicing relaxation techniques has been shown to reduce stress in people facing fertility problems.¹² Here are six things you can do to help reduce stress during your fertility journey:

As discussed, infertility, and also its treatment, can have an effect on your mental and emotional well-being. It’s important that any feelings of stress are addressed and that you feel supported at every step in your journey. Thankfully, there are various ways in which to do this. Read on to find out more about effective ways to manage anxiety and where you can find extra support.

Interview with Shelley, an IVF patient who talks about how she got through IVF and combatting stigma

Looking after your well-being

9 easy ways to manage stress

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Meditation

Practice breath meditation

Exercise

Yoga

Listen to music

Read a book

Playing with pets

Spa