Problems in achieving pregnancy are a constant in many women’s lives.. In Spain, in fact, one in 7 couples experience complications in achieving pregnancy in a natural way.
On the other hand, assisted reproduction processes are usually complex and linked to a great emotional charge, and knowing how to manage these feelings and emotions is not usually easy.
Therefore, fertility treatment is a challenge for two reasons, fertility treatment is a challenge for two reasonsOne is the physical goal, fertilization and normal development of the fetus, and the other is the psychological goal, which is not to see one’s own quality of life damaged on an emotional level, so that one can move forward and not suffer unnecessarily.
Fortunately, psychological support helps a lot in these cases. Therefore, in this article we will see how psychology can help and assist women who begin fertility treatment.
- Related article: “First month of pregnancy: 8 things you should know”.
Why psychotherapy can help women in fertility treatment
Being able to have psychological support during a fertility treatment is not something that has benefits that only the patient notices from her own subjectivity; it has positive aspects on the objective level as well. In fact, it has them in the most important objective aspect: whether or not the fertility intervention culminates in a successful pregnancy..
- You may be interested in: “How to increase your fertility with these 14 simple habits”.
It has been scientifically proven that maintaining a negative attitude during the period in which pregnancy occurs is associated with a higher percentage of problems and reduces the success rate of this type of intervention. According to the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF), slightly more than 75% of the patients who abandon these treatments do so because of psychological discomfort.
Furthermore, according to data from the American Infertility Society, women who underwent fertility treatments while experiencing high levels of stress ovulated on average 20% less and their eggs were fertilized 30% less frequently, which has a significant impact on the chances of conceiving a baby. In fact, among these women, abortions were 20% more frequent compared to the rest.
From a more positive perspective, there is also the other side of the coin: increased well-being through psychological factors increases the likelihood that pregnancy will occur earlier and end well. and will end well.
Thus, psychotherapy may become the differentiating factor that determines whether fertilization and pregnancy will go well or not. Having psychotherapeutic assistance from mental health professionals is essential at such a delicate time.
How to know if you should seek psychological assistance during fertility treatment
In general, it is considered that attending psychology sessions during fertility treatments is always advisable, and there is no specific profile of women who will not benefit from this kind of services.
However, there are certain cases in which it is especially important to have a psychologist while the pregnancy search process is taking place. These are the following:
- The habits of the woman or her partner generate stressful behavioral dynamics.
- There have already been several attempts to conceive a baby and there is little hope of achieving it through treatment.
- There are problems in daily life due to the discomfort caused by attempts to get pregnant.
What are the goals of this psychological intervention?
The main goals of fertility treatment support through psychotherapy are the following.
1. Act on the level of emotional well-being
To reduce the frequency of actions and thoughts linked to discomfort and hopelessness about the possibilities of conceiving a baby, and to promote those that produce well-being and confidence in the possibilities of the process going well.
2. Act on stress levels
Avoid going through phases of ongoing anxiety and stress, to maximize the chances of fertilization occurring and continuing through pregnancy.
3. Encourage adherence
Psychologists create contexts in which it is easier to commit to fertility treatment and give pregnancy a chance.
4. Reinforcement of self-esteem
We seek to adopt a more neutral and constructive point of view about the situation, from which we accept the fact that we do not have control over everything that happens, but that does not imply that we are worth less. This increases women’s self-confidence.
5. Taking care of the couple’s bond
We try to ensure that this complex experience does not erode the emotional bond or the dynamics of communication within it.
What topics are dealt with in these sessions?
These are the issues that are addressed in psychotherapy applied to those undergoing fertility treatment:
- Training in relaxation techniques.
- Promotion of healthy lifestyle habits that prepare the body for pregnancy.
- Guidelines to involve the couple and help them not to be nervous.
- Recommendations on what to do in each phase of treatment.
- Review of incorrect beliefs and discarding of catastrophic or overly pessimistic ideas.
- Guidelines for managing a negative outcome and not letting frustration get the better of us.