Fertility Files

Knowledge is everything in IVF- Dealing with Anxiety

It’s National fertility week and we will be talking about knowledge and anxiety in IVF. So welcome back to my fertility series, if you want to check out my previous posts click here: Fertility files

Knowledge is everything. During IVF fear can take control and anxiety takes hold. The fear stems from people not talking about what they look to be a taboo subject. The more people fear it, the more it’s not spoken about.

During the process, you seem to slide into the IVF bubble: you and your partner. The questions that swirl around your head starts with who do you tell? Do you keep it quiet? I have found that when you keep it quiet the anxiety gets worse. You feel like you have no one to turn to except your partner. They don’t want to upset you with their anxiety and visa versa. You end up keeping everything in- not knowing where to turn.

After fertility issues are diagnosed IVF can be the only sign of hope, hope that it’s possible to conceive. Hope that your body will be lured into a false sense of fertility and you will be strong enough to carry and keep the embryo healthy and strong. That alone brings anxiety levels sky high. Can you do it, what if… why has this happened to me?

In any fertility treatment you are not in control. This stems one of the biggest forms of anxiety because nothing is in your hands. Everything is controlled by doctors and nurses around you. The lack of control of your treatment, means you have a major lack of control for your anxiety.

That’s where knowledge comes in. The more questions asked, the more books and blogs read means you gain knowledge which in turn can calm an anxious mind. My advice would be always to ask your doctor and nurses questions that you want to know answers to. Without the knowledge your anxiety will be out of control.

Positivity is the key. As well as knowledge positive thoughts can but anxiety and worry at bay. I am also a believer in the fact that a positive attitude promotes a positive outcome.

Unfortunately IVF is the loneliest grief. Most people don’t discuss IVF through fear of it happening to them. We need to speak out about IVF and try and make it less of a taboo subject because not only will it help the 1000s of women who are battling the anxiety with no where to go or have no one to talk to, but it will also assist in ensuring people don’t fear the worst and know signs and symptoms to look out for if it ever happens to them.

If you feel anxious or lonely or have questions feel free to email me or message me. I will do my best to answer them.

Ways to cope with anxiety and IVF