Having a baby is a scary prospect, but possibly more so when you are facing the unknown world of fertility treatment.
Your Options:
Naturopath and Natural Fertility Management expert, Claudette Wadsworth argues that the perception of IVF has shifted so much, it has now almost gone from “being a last resort to almost a part of the normal process of conceiving.” She is concerned that these days – if couples are taking a long time to conceive – they are immediately referred to an IVF fertility specialist, often without even undergoing hormone blood tests to investigate the underlying cause. “This has taken the responsibility away from the couple and placed it upon the medical system of IVF,” she says, referring to a talk from a leading Monash IVF fertility specialists recently on the concern that couples are seeing IVF as a “silver bullet” rather than responsibly making healthy changes to their diet and lifestyle to increase their fertility.
Your Mindset:
There are no right and wrong ways to conceive and the miracle of creating a life has no set shape or form, says Dr de Boer. “A pregnancy conceived through IVF is no different from a natural one and will give parents the same joy, the same happiness and, even some of the same hardships, as any expecting mother will experience,” she says. “Pregnancy can be difficult; it can be uncomfortable, it can be hard and comes with all sorts of side effects. But pregnancy is also one of the most wonderful, happy, joyful experiences a woman can have,”
Your Preparation:
Before opting for IVF, Claudette urges women to undergo thorough tests, including hormone tests, transvaginal ultrasound of the female reproductive system, semen analysis for men and referral to fertility specialist who will do further investigations and assess your options. “See a qualified naturopath specializing in fertility and IVF support as soon as possible to make sure you are as healthy as possible prior to starting IVF to increase your chances of success and who can support you through an often stressful process,” she adds.
Your Personal Journey:
Everyone has their own story, so it is imperative you know you are not alone in yours, and seek out any support groups for your gender, race or financial state during fertility treatment. “I think there is perhaps more of a stigma attached to it for men as it confronts their own perception of their manhood to admit that they cannot get their partner pregnant as it is such a basic biological function of life,” Claudette points out. “Also for certain cultural, racial and religious groups there is enormous stigma if they have to resort to using IVF and often the couples will never tell their families which creates enormous pressure upon the couple going through IVF without family support,” she says. “It also creates a lot of pressure financially for many couples as IVF is expensive, especially with all the additional costs of specialist appointments, investigations and then several rounds of IVF itself.”
Your Health:
Your fertility journey may be a marathon, not a sprint. So there are many lifestyle factors to fine-tune. During IVF, nutrition, psychology and even fitness all come into play. Services like BUMP offer access to all of these experts, notes Dr. de Boer. “There are many ways that women can take control over their fertility, body and IVF experience, that the mainstream media never seems to discuss!”
Your Choices:
Look at all your options before deciding on anything, urges Claudette. “Don’t be pushed into IVF without gathering all the information you need to make an informed decision. If you are not happy with the doctor you are referred to, interview another. There are many!” Claudette suggests doing some personal research and picking the best doctor and clinic you can find in your area and can afford. “IVF is not all the same,” she says, adding that the more IVF cycles you do, the lower the success rate each time. “It is better to be as prepared and healthy as possible prior rather than thinking “we’ll just do another cycle” as many doctors say,” she warns.