Conceiving a child is supposed to be so easy. Billions and billions of babies have been conceived the natural way for thousands of years and yet you find yourself registering for IVF treatment. Well, you’re not alone. Thousands of couples each year are blessed with pregnancies thanks to advances in medical science and you could be among them. Just some things to keep in mind:
Do
- Seek out an IVF clinic that suits you. Even if it’s a couple more suburbs away, but it is a more comfortable environment to be in, it’s important that you feel welcome, valued and taken care of. You must be happy with the doctor you choose.
- Investigate your infertility insurance options. Shop around and find out who offers the best policy for what you can afford.
- Minimize stress. Once you have begun treatment on the IVF program, think of it as a new chance, a new way of trying to conceive. It’s going to be a hard road to travel, equip yourself with the right mental strategies.
- Follow all the advice your doctor gives you, including getting plenty of rest, taking any prescribed medications, recording any information he/she requests and so on.
- Join an IVF support group to learn more about the procedures and to talk to other people going through similar difficulties.
- Be supportive of each other. While it is naturally the woman who has to contend with the pain, hormonal fluctuations, discomfort and inconvenience, the potential father too can be under a lot of emotional strain. After all, he has to stand by and watch his partner endure tests and treatments. Remember that you are both going through this.
- Educate yourself. Learn about what IVF entails, read up on statistics and do whatever you can to feel like you are making an informed decision.
- Understand that IVF has been around for a long time and is always improving in both success rates and the kinds of procedures used. Allow yourself to have hope.
Don’t
- Don’t listen to nay-sayers and people with horror stories. Your situation is an entirely individual one. Just because it took another couple five attempts, doesn’t mean it’ll be the same for you.
- Don’t over-extend yourself on budget. It will be one more stress for you to cope with. Save up for your IVF treatments and re-evaluate if and when the next one becomes necessary.
- Don’t leave it until it’s too late. Explore your options if you feel you are having difficulty conceiving.
- Don’t overlook your general state of health. It’s important to maintain your health at all times, regardless of which stage you are at on an IVF program.