Mental Health Awareness Week 2020: Tips to improve mental well being while undergoing IVF

If you are undergoing an IVF treatment then it is of utmost importance that you take care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Though the process of IVF in itself may not be that tedious or lengthy at times, however, it can take a toll on your mental well-being due to various reasons such as the following. Most couples stress about IVF is the last step that they could have taken to cope with their fertility challenges and they constantly think about what if it does not work what will they do then. The 10 day wait period after the embryo transfer to bhcg blood level test to find out if they are pregnant or not, is noted to be one of the most stressful periods as the couple feels the loss of control and there is not much anyone can do but wait it out.

In an Indian societal structure, there are many people who are involved with the couple and are concerned about their cycle outcomes and sometimes the stress can be induced by the stress that the other people are feeling around the couple. Also, an IVF treatment offers the possibility of a new beginning, and the feeling of new beginnings as we all know can be more often than not overwhelming.  There may be many people who must have postponed their IVF treatment owing to the lockdown. They may also be having a tough time coping with changes in the external environment. Hence, it becomes essential to take care of your mental health while undergoing IVF treatment.

Here are a few tips that will improve your mental well-being while undergoing an IVF treatment.

Be good to yourself: 

Meditation can help you overcome your negative emotions and calm you down (if you are feeling overwhelmed). Deep breathing can also help in managing stress.  If need be, go for counseling.

Journaling can do the trick:

Write down your thoughts (when you feel anxious or stressed). Let go of your negative feelings.

Be around your loved ones:

Try to be around your friends and family. Their support can be helpful for you in your IVF journey as you feel sensitive and vulnerable. Be positive and talk to other couples opting for IVF treatment or couples who have already undergone IVF treatments

Indulge in your hobbies:

Try to do activities which you enjoy like reading, listening to music, baking, cooking, painting or gardening. 

Do not forget to exercise:

Exercise at home as it can help you stay positive and stress-free. It is a known fact that exercising can help release a great deal of stress, even a quick 30-minute session can do wonders for your mental well-being. 

Keep in touch with your fertility specialist:

It always helps to keep in touch with your fertility consultant. For any immediate medical attention required, the consultant should be in the loop. Further, it can also be a great way to get introduced to other couples who might be undergoing a similar process as yours.

About IVF

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is one of the types of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that involves fertilizing an egg outside the body of the woman with the sperm to create embryos. This fertilized egg or embryo is then transferred in the woman’s uterus hoping to achieve a pregnancy. First, a woman is given medications to stimulate the ovary making sure that a good number of follicles are formed in both the ovaries. Each follicle presumably having one egg inside. Once the follicles are of a matured size that is 18 to 20 mm in diameter, the doctor retrieves the eggs. Once the eggs are retrieved they are fertilized and embryos are created and grown in the laboratory for 5 days. One or two ( never more than 2) of the best graded day 5 embryos is/are chosen and transferred into the womb of the woman. 

By Dr. Ritu Hinduja, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility, Mumbai.