Infertility is never considered to be something celebratory, instead, it is almost always distressing for couples going through the phase. Though infertility may involve either or both of the partners, there are still places (and people) across the globe who blame it on the women alone, making them more prone to depression.
With increased educational knowledge, though today a mammoth section of people understand that both male and female partners can be infertile, there is still a difference between understanding and embracing the fact.
And the stress that infertile couples face through society’s uncanny behaviour is far worse than what they experience with their own feelings of anguish. Therefore, a lot of people suffer from depression issues alongside infertility and it is something that should be taken seriously.
So, how are depression and infertility interlinked?
Infertility is only a medical condition just like people can have other diseases, but the inability to give birth gropes us in a way that it becomes difficult to handle the situation. Though today, there are various ways of Infertility treatment through which the infertile couples are being able to be successful parents, the anxiety surrounding the IVF processes also leads to certain forms of depression in them.
At times, people even shy away from taking help even after prolonged unsuccessful attempts of being pregnant because of the fear and shame of being in that condition.
Also, some people think that others won’t understand their station and that can lead to a more complicated situation! This can actually make infertility worse! With early detection and timely treatments, some infertility issues can even be treated.
That is why it is recommended that if you face unsuccessful attempts of being pregnant even after a year of trying then you must consult an infertility specialist without much delay. While all these may look easy, it is indeed tough for the couples to cope up with these kinds of situations and hence, it drags them to a state of depressions.
How to deal with both infertility and depression
Well, to start with, it depends entirely on the infertile couples on how well they can handle both. Firstly, they need to come in terms with the fact that being infertile has nothing to do with their ability to become parents or that it does not make them any less a human.
It is just like some other diseases that any of us can be affected with and hence, they must realize that being depressed or stressed out over the fact won’t really help them deal with the situation.
So, the first thing they must do is to consult a doctor who would guide them towards further treatments. In some cases, infertility, both in men and women, can be treated through medications and other surgical procedures. So, when you visit a doctor in the first instance, you will get an idea of whether your condition is treatable or not.
If it can be treated via medicines or surgical processes, then there should be nothing to worry about or getting depressed but if in any case, the condition is non-treatable then there are still ways to deal with the disorder.
Some Ivf techniques include…
You can opt for IVF treatments which help you to have your own baby through different procedures. Like the IUI, ICSI, embryo transfer, donor egg fertilization, etc. Even if it takes time, you can be assured that there are high chances of these procedures being successful and hence, the restrictions of being parents cannot prevail for long.
At times, people also become anxious during the IVF processes but they must calm down and practice healthy lifestyle habits to increase the chances of successful IVF treatment and that can also help them deal with their stress levels in a better way. Always remember, everything depends on your positive outlook and you must never be pessimistic about your condition!
Final thoughts on infertility and depression
It is understandable that not being able to give birth to a child can be frustrating and depressing at the same time but people must realize that it is not the “end of the world”. There are so many ways through which infertility issues can be handled today, unlike before when the only option that infertile couples had was to adopt a child or settle for surrogate mother.
The advanced IVF techniques today does not only focus on making infertile couples happy parents through the artificial processes but they also provide treatments in providing them with their biological child through various processes available.
That is why it is strongly advised to the infertile couples today to not be depressed or stress about the fact that they cannot give birth to a child and be hopeful that there are still ways through which they can be proud parents to their child.