Making the decision to start a family is one of the most exciting times in your life. Unfortunately, happiness and joy can quickly turn into depression and fear when a baby cannot be conceived naturally due to infertility issues. Understand that you are not alone. Approximately one in six couples struggles with infertility. With proper resources, support, and patience, you can either find a solution to your infertility or find out what options you have available to you for starting a family.
Consider Your Options
After one year of trying to conceive a child naturally without any success, it’s time to see a fertility doctor. If it’s determined that you are unable to conceive a child naturally, don’t give up hope just yet. There are numerous options available for couples who cannot conceive a child, including surrogacy, adoption, and fostering. There are many women that love the idea of becoming a surrogate to help couples have a baby. The process of surrogacy involves using the father’s sperm and the mother’s eggs (or donor eggs) and artificially inseminating the surrogate so she can carry the baby to term.
Understand the Challenges
Understand that infertility is not without its challenges. Whether undergoing fertility treatments or starting the adoption or surrogacy process, times will most likely become stressful for you and your partner. Find a support group in your area for infertile couples for encouragement, wisdom, and empowerment. Don’t blame yourself or become angry at your inability to conceive because this will only worsen things; instead, focus on the available solutions for the problem.
Visit a Professional
Visiting a professional that specializes in infertility is the best way to find out if there’s a biological reason why you’re not becoming pregnant. During your appointment, the doctor will ask you a series of questions about your medical history and your attempts to become pregnant. Both partners will be evaluated to try and find the reason for infertility with physicals, blood tests, ovulation evaluation, pelvic exam, pelvic ultrasounds, and semen analysis. Infertility can often be treated with fertility medication, artificial insemination, or in vitro fertilization.
Communicate with Your Partner
Lean on your partner for support and don’t place blame on them; they are also struggling. Allow your partner to cope with infertility in a different manner than you. Everyone expresses their emotions differently. Don’t keep the pain and anger to yourself; instead, talk to your partner about it so you can both cope together. Discuss your options with them and determine how long you want to try and conceive before trying other options. Set a budget together of what you’re able to spend on fertility treatments or options such as surrogacy and adoption.
Dealing with infertility can cause anger, depression, and a wide range of other emotions. It can be one of the most difficult challenges you ever experience in your life. If your dream is to start a family, try not to become discouraged if you have trouble conceiving a child. Be patient and consult specialists to determine why you’re having trouble. Understand that if you are unable to conceive a child, it’s not impossible for you to still become a parent. Consider all of your options and remain optimistic but realistic at the same time. Seek the support of your partner, friends, family members, and other parents also struggling with infertility. You don’t have to go through this alone.