Information Regarding Infertility Stress

By Adrian Logan

Infertility is one of the most stressful situations that any couple must deal with. Even treatments for it can contribute to the stress that the couple goes through. In addition, the irony is that couples that realize that they themselves are stressed can further worsen their infertility thanks to this realization!

What are the various reasons behind infertility stress?

Firstly, it can stem from being initially diagnosed as being infertile in the first place. Many couples try having intercourse for some months or at least a year (of course, unsuccessfully) before they get frustrated and seek the advice of a fertility specialist. And when said specialist diagnoses either partner - or both in some cases - as being infertile, one or both could very well end up feeling depressed and inadequate.

Secondly, further stress can be added to the couple who has decided to undergo infertility treatments. Such treatments can prove exceedingly and prohibitively expensive depending on the treatments required.

And the act of going in and out of doctors' waiting rooms and hospitals, among other places, waiting with bated breath for results, and so on and so forth can also increase a lot of stress to the couple.

Thirdly, the stress can be added from the lovemaking itself. Many couples may not be able to get past the fact that they are unable to bear children normally.This can make things very hard for them because they may have to make recourse to more medical procedures if they are unable to consummate the sexual act.

Also having sex might become unenjoyable and a chore for the couple as they would have to be doing it according to a schedule with the pressure of producing children. It is no longer about enjoying each other and having a pleasure time.

In addition, having to undergo fertility treatments may be even more demeaning for men, who may very well feel emasculated and feel that they are responsible if they are unable to produce babies with their wives. Plus it may prove extremely embarrassing to have to produce semen in doctors' offices, for instance - or to have other people aside from their wives learn that they have low sperm count or, worse, erectile problems.

How the couple responds to such stress in the first place is extremely important. Some can simply take it in stride and be positive even in the face of potential failure; others can be negative right at the outset even if the future for them might not be so bleak, and immediately contemplate having to adopt children while agonizing over how unfair things seem to be, and so on and so forth. This can result in the couples and individuals having a low self-esteem.

Many couples end up going through extreme strain due to infertility. Some couples buckle under this strain, and many of them end up breaking up. Others, though, end up learning from this experience and end up stronger couples. - 29962

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