A couple goes through infertility together as a team

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<p>According to <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WHO</a>, you are considered infertile after a year of trying to conceive without a positive pregnancy test. Research shows that 15% of all couples experience some sort of infertility, impacting not only their physical health but also their emotional and mental well-being. In this blog post, we have gathered 10 strategies to cope with infertility. The strategies are:</p>
<ol>
<li>Acknowledge your feelings</li>
<li>Understanding infertility</li>
<li>Talk to your friends and family</li>
<li>Check if you suffer from depression</li>
<li>Speak with a professional</li>
<li>Focus on the present</li>
<li>Take good care of yourself</li>
<li>For couples:&nbsp;Be honest with your partner</li>
<li>For couples: Remember that you are a team</li>
<li>Exploring alternative options to fulfil your dream<br><br></li>
</ol>
<h2><span class="display-3">1. Acknowledge your feelings</span></h2>
<p>Infertility often causes emotional stress, grief, and heartbreak similar to the feelings experienced when losing someone you love. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge your feelings and seek help to manage them. It is equally important to acknowledge your partner's feelings. Infertility in marriage can be difficult to deal with, as your partner's feelings may be different to your emotions.</p>
<p>Infertility can evoke feelings of guilt and sometimes lead couples to place blame on each other. However, it is important to recognize that infertility is not anyone's fault. Engaging in a blame game or being critical towards your partner will only add to your frustration and distress. Instead, focus on maintaining a united front and offer each other support. This way, you can effectively navigate this new challenge and maintain open lines of communication.</p>
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<h2><span class="display-3">2. Understanding infertility</span></h2>
<p>A common way to cope with infertility is to try and educate yourself further to understand the subject better. As you learn more about infertility, you understand that there are several causes of infertility and most often, it is not your fault.</p>
<h3><span class="display-4">Infertility is common</span></h3>
<p>Studies from <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WHO</a> show that around 17% of all couples experience fertility problems at some point in their life. Infertility can be caused by many different reasons, but in approximately 33% of the cases, the reason is found in the man&rsquo;s sperm quality. In the other 33% of the cases, the reason is found in the woman's reproductive system and in the last 33% of the cases, the reason for infertility is unknown.</p>
<h3><span class="display-4">Books that may help you cope with infertility</span></h3>
<p>When trying to educate yourself and understand infertility we recommend you use respected and peer-reviewed sources or organisations like WHO. You can also try to gain a better understanding of infertility through books. We have gathered a list of 5 books you may find helpful:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tcoyf.com/taking-charge-of-your-fertility/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taking Charge of Your Fertility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Love-Plastic-Cup/dp/0061859486">How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup</a></li>
<li><a href="https://itstartswiththeegg.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It Starts with the Egg</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Infertility-Enhancing-Fertility-Inferti/dp/0142002011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conquering Infertility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Infertility-Journey-voices-issues-insights/dp/1535129166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Infertility Journey</a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span class="display-4">Articles on infertility</span></h3>
<p>You may also be interested in learning more about infertility and how to fulfil your dream through the use of a sperm donor. By following the links below, you can read more about fertility treatment with donor sperm and what to do next.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/the-stages-of-grief-when-dealing-with-infertility/">Infertility grief: Exploring 5 stages related to infertility</a></li>
<li><a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/why-am-i-not-getting-pregnant/">Why am I not getting pregnant - 10 possible reasons why</a></li>
<li><a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/what-is-childlessness-and-how-is-it-experienced/">What is childlessness and how is it experienced?</a></li>
<li><a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/what-is-secondary-infertility-and-what-are-the-treatment-options/">Secondary infertility: Why can't I get pregnant again?</a></li>
<li><a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/fertility-tourism-why-travel-abroad/">Fertility tourism: Why travel abroad?</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><span class="display-3">3. Talk to your friends and family</span></h2>
<p>It is not only important for you to focus on maintaining good communication with your partner, but you also need to seek support from friends and family. Infertility can be a lonely and isolating experience, making it important to share your emotions. You can also try support groups, which can provide a safe and supportive environment where you can connect with others facing similar struggles.</p>
<p>We can recommend our Facebook group "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/cryosinternational/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Family Dreams</a>" where couples that previously struggled with infertility shares how they had their dream come true.</p>

Anger or rage is normal if you experience infertility

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<h2><span class="display-3">4. Check if you suffer from depression</span></h2>
<p>A significant concern when dealing with infertility is the risk of depression. The emotional toll of infertility can be profound, and if these feelings are suppressed or not properly managed, they can potentially lead to depression. It is crucial to recognize this risk and take proactive steps to safeguard your mental health.</p>
<p>While depression differs from person to person be on the lookout for changes in your appetite, general mood, sleep patterns, and your weight. Remember, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to reach out to a healthcare professional.</p>
<h2><span class="display-3">5. Consult with a professional</span></h2>
<p>While the support of friends and family is invaluable, there are times when the complexities of infertility require the guidance of a professional. The emotional rollercoaster that often accompanies infertility can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of anxiety, isolation, and even depression.</p>
<p>Professional healthcare workers, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, or licensed counselors, are trained to help you navigate these challenging emotions. They can provide you with effective coping strategies tailored to your specific situation and emotional state. This could involve cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques, stress management strategies, or other therapeutic approaches.</p>
<h2><span class="display-3">6. Focus on the present</span></h2>
<p>Dealing with infertility can hurt your marriage or relationship. Therefore, it is important to try and focus on the present and take time to make plans and enjoy each other's company. It is probably the easiest thing to say, but the hardest thing to do. But, by focusing on the present, you may end up forgetting about your struggles for a while.</p>
<h2><span class="display-3">7. Take good care of yourself</span></h2>
<p>One aspect of coping with infertility you can control is your physical well-being. Simple strategies for maintaining physical and emotional well-being include eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and taking breaks from treatment when needed. If you are about to enter fertility treatment, you can <a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/blog/how-to-increase-chances-of-getting-pregnant/">increase your chances of getting pregnant</a> by having a regular BMI.</p>
<p>You could also try mindfulness or meditation to try and provide a sense of calm and serenity during the infertility journey. These practices can help reduce stress, manage emotions, and improve physical and emotional well-being. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily life can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to practice deep breathing or mindful meditation.</p>

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<h2><span class="display-3">8. For couples: Be honest with your partner</span></h2>
<p>Open and honest communication is important when coping with infertility in a marriage or relationship.&nbsp;The feelings experienced when struggling with infertility is so powerful, they may end up hurting the relationship. Try to set aside some time with your partner or friends, where you can be honest and talk to them about your feelings and how the process may affect you.</p>
<p>Infertility often impacts the intimacy between you and your partner. To preserve your relationship, you must address these challenges and seek support from a therapist or counsellor if needed. It is important to try and retain a normal relationship since it can be hard to rebuild anything that may be lost during a tough journey with fertility treatments.</p>
<h2><span class="display-3">9. For couples: Remember that you are a team</span></h2>
<p>It is important to remember that you are a team and infertility is a shared experience that can affect both men and women equally. In approximately 1/3 of couples struggling with infertility, the cause is a combination of factors in both partners and unknown reasons. For the remaining 2/3 of couples undergoing fertility treatments, the source of infertility is typically traced back to one partner or the other.</p>
<h2><span class="display-3">10. <strong>Exploring alternative options to fulfil your dream</strong></span></h2>
<p>For couples struggling with infertility, alternative paths to parenthood may be required. The first step would be to enter fertility treatment with your partner's sperm. Depending on whether the problem is caused by female or <a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/about-sperm/why-use-a-sperm-donor/infertility/">male infertility</a>, you may need to use <a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/find-donor/search-egg-donors/">donor sperm</a> or <a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/find-donor/search-egg-donors/">donor eggs</a>.</p>
<p>Other alternative options for you to research could be adoption or surrogacy. It is important to understand the emotional, legal, and financial implications of these options and seek support from experts and support groups.</p>
<p>If you have any questions regarding the use of donor sperm or eggs, then contact our <a href="/en-gb/dk-shop/private/about-us/contact-cryos/">Customer Care Consultants</a>, they are more than happy to answer every question you might have.<br><br></p>

<h2><span class="display-3">Frequently asked questions about dealing with infertility</span></h2>
<h3><span class="display-4">How do I get over the grief of infertility?</span></h3>
<p>There are a lot of things you can do to get over the grief of infertility. In this blog post, we have listed 10 strategies to use when trying to cope with infertility. Some of the strategies are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Try to understand infertility</li>
<li>Remember to acknowledge your feelings</li>
<li>Try and focus on the present</li>
<li>Remember to be honest with your partner</li>
</ul>
<h3><span class="display-4">How to cope with infertility when everyone is pregnant?</span></h3>
<p>Coping with infertility is hard, but coping with infertility when everyone around you becomes pregnant is even harder. One way to cope with infertility is to try and distract yourself with exercise, mental exercises, or spending time with your family and friends.</p>
<h3><span class="display-4">Can a relationship survive infertility?</span></h3>
<p>Yes, many relationships survive infertility. The important thing when trying to cope with infertility in a relationship is, to be honest with each other and talk about your feelings and how you are doing.</p>
<h3><span class="display-4">How to deal with infertility in marriage?</span></h3>
<p>In marriage, there are a lot of ways to deal with infertility. Remember to acknowledge each other's feelings through conversation with your partner or friends and family. If the emotions you experience are severe enough, you may need to seek help from a professional healthcare worker.</p>