Finding out that you or your partner are infertile, or sub-fertile, can be a traumatic realisation for many couples. One or both of you may experience feelings of blame, anger, denial, guilt, self-pity or jealousy, which may place stress on your relationship.

Fertility treatment is a HUGE investment, not only in terms of finances, but it is also an investment of TIME, EMOTIONS, and HOPE!!

For many, the COST of fertility treatment is almost unaffordable, but the HOPE of having a family makes it all worthwhile.

The BioART Fertility Centre has always been acutely aware of the emotional distress inherent in the infertility process. We realize that there are so many difficult experiences, highs and lows, which our patients go through on their journey with us.

Going through infertility treatments can be an emotional roller-coaster, especially for patients who fail to become pregnant after a number of cycles. The beginning of a cycle is full of hope, anticipation and the anxiety of wondering, "Am I pregnant?”. This can thereafter be quickly followed by dealing with the disappointment and despair of 'failed' cycles.

It may take a while before a couple undergoing infertility treatments becomes pregnant. It is hard to pinpoint why an IVF cycle doesn't work, as there are many factors to take into consideration. Ultimately, the prospect of never having children may have to be faced.

Infertility puts many pressures on couples who suffer from it. There are social, emotional, marital and financial stressors, which can have a negative effect on daily life. It is well documented that stress in itself has a negative impact on fertility. At the same time our patients often feel that it is difficult to share their burdens with friends and family.

Many couples find fertility support groups useful for sharing coping strategies and experiences

Counselling offers you an opportunity to share and explore difficult feelings with someone who is not personally involved, but who understands your situation. Counselling may be able to help you discover new ways of coping and to clarify areas of uncertainty while looking at the alternatives available to you.

Essentially, the process of counselling enables you to explore your thoughts, feelings and beliefs in order to develop a better understanding of your present situation. You may discover ways of coping and living more satisfactorily, begin to feel more in control of your life and the direction in which it is going. You may decide to make changes in your life or come to terms with things that cannot be changed.

Counsellors will not judge you or give advice. What they do provide is a secure, confidential relationship in which to explore any problems you have and to help you try to make sense of them. Counsellors will not divulge to others anything you have discussed with them unless you give your permission for them to do so.

With all this in mind we have incorporated the services of experienced psychologists into our team.

They have worked with infertility and understand exactly what you may be going through. We strongly encourage you to book an appointment with one of our psychologists if at any time you feel that this process is proving to be emotionally taxing and you are in need of some objective, professional support. For more information please contact

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture has been shown to enhance fertility and reduce stress. It has been shown in 3 different clinical trials to improve results with IVF. We have the services of an acupuncturist to offer this service to our patients as part of wholesome approach to treatment.