Infertility Counseling Can Help Couples Weigh Their Options

By Edward Mitchell


For every couple that decides to have a family and turns up pregnant two months later, there is another pair that struggles with fertility issues. As women age, the possibility of getting pregnant and carrying a child to term becomes increasingly difficult and dangerous. Sometimes this issue takes over people's lives, and they need help handling the effects. When this happens, it's time consider infertility counseling.

Most couples have no idea they will have trouble conceiving. As it becomes apparent something is not working, partners can begin to panic. Sometimes one partner handles it better than the other, but both can be overwhelmed by the struggle. Once a couple acknowledges their strategies aren't working, they can discuss the option of talking to a counselor. This is someone who is trained to assist couples with new coping mechanisms and more effective communication strategies.

One partner may want to discuss the situation over and over again. The other partner might find it difficult to talk and would rather be told how to fix the problem. This can lead to frustration and anger. A counselor may meet with each partner individually and then together in order to recommend better communication techniques.

There comes a time, when a couple still has not gotten pregnant, that they will have to decide how to proceed. IVF is an option, but it is also a big decision. Continuing after initial failure is a bigger one. The treatments are expensive, but that is not always the major consideration. A woman's body also pays a price, and a counselor is sometimes needed in order for couples to look at their situation realistically.

There are a number of options beyond IVF and natural pregnancy. Most couples have discussed them at one time, but many don't really pursue these avenues. Talking to a counselor can help open a real discussion about the possibilities of adoption and surrogacy. If a couple wants to actively pursue one of these options, the agency involved may require that they have a certain amount of counseling before proceeding.

When couples feel like they have run out of options, they are faced with the idea that having children will never happen for them. Living a childless life is something couples may have to adjust to. This requires a total change of mindset, and may require a professional to talk couples through the adjustment in their thinking.

Sometimes couples just need someone to listen to them, at whatever stage of the childbearing process they find themselves. Parents and close friends may be too invested in the outcome to be able to listen in a dispassionate way. Counselors are trained to listen with compassion. All information discussed is completely confidential, which can be a great concern for the couples involved.

Children are a blessing and not all people get to have them. Infertility can be heartbreaking, but there are ways to make differences in kids' lives all the same. It might take a professional to point out those possibilities and opportunities.




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