Don’t Let Worry Weigh You Down on your IVF Journey

It’s natural for human beings to worry, and infertility is one experience that lends itself very easily to it. Regardless of how much we counsel our patients, they do tend to worry- some of them, a little bit, while others, quite a lot.  It’s natural for them to do so, simply because there are just too many aspects of infertility which can cause them to ask questions like:

• Will the treatment work for me?
• Will I be able to afford it?
• Are the injections going to hurt?
• Will I be able to survive the 2WW?
• Will my husband/partner be supportive and understand what I’m going through?
• Are there any side-effects to IVF?
• And of course the biggie- What if this doesn’t work for me at all?

The Worry Factor

It's very normal for patients to worry and there are a number of reasons why they  do so:

• They want to find a solution to their problem
• They want to prevent themselves from missing an important detail
• Nobody wants to be surprised by anything negative
• They want to be prepared for the unexpected


It’s okay to worry only up until a certain extent. In some ways, it can keep you grounded and helps you maintain realistic expectations of your IVF treatment- in this sense; worry can be constructive. Contrastingly, we also see some patients who worry so much and dwell only on negative outcomes; this makes them feel that they aren’t able to tolerate any kind of uncertainty.

Common Questions

Some patients ask me questions like:

• Why is this happening to me?
• Am I going to be the only one who will never have a baby?
• If we find that there are no productive follicles in this cycles, will IVF work for me at all?

There are a number of other questions that crop up in the minds of patients. But IVF can sometimes be a long drawn out process and if you are continuously worrying almost every day, week after week, it’s bound to cause you a lot of distress. As a matter of fact, it can also impair your ability to function normally in your daily life. If this is happening with you, it’s important you don’t ignore it.

The Right Perspective

Here are a few ways in which you can reduce the impact of negative thoughts and worry:

• Mind-Body Techniques- We do encourage our patients to practice mindfulness, meditation, deep-breathing techniques and yoga as well as guided imagery. These techniques help you calm your frayed nerves and you are able to think  more logically and  clearly

• Prioritize self-care: It’s no secret that we should always take good care of ourselves; however when you experience a profound stressor such as infertility, remembering the basics can be quite a challenge. You should prioritize eating healthy, exercise regularly, drink plenty of water and get sufficient sleep & connect with your partner meaningfully. This becomes the foundation that allows you some additional emotional energy to manage infertility-related stresses in a better way

• Therapy-  Though you may not feel you need it, having a confidential place where you feel heard and you can get your feelings out, is very important too. You can look for a counselor; or find support online as well.  Our expert patient, Manju, who runs a blog at myselfishgenes.blogspot.com
can be very helpful !

Worry is a very normal response to infertility, but it’s not normal to let it consume you. Don’t let worry weigh you down on your IVF journey; simply try these techniques and send worry a-packing!!

Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you better!