4 Impacts of Infertility

by Maria Briggs on December 30th, 2013 | No Comments »

For the longest time statistics showed that infertility affects one in every ten couples. In the past two years alone, this has grown to every three couples in ten that suffer from it. This can be from unexplained infertility, male factor infertility, or female factor infertility, and sometimes both.

What no one tells you about infertility is how it can impact your relationships including family (especially if you already have children), your partner, and other important people in your life. Infertility doesn't only affect the reproductive system, but it can bring on depression as well.

Impacts of Infertility

Here are 4 ways infertility impacts the family and how to conquer them.

1. Don't Grow Apart as a Couple—Couples facing infertility and/or fertility treatments tend to actually grow apart. Don’t let this happen to you! You can avoid this by having date nights, staycations, or by getting away for the weekend out of town. Don’t let your intimacy depend on your trigger days. We like to call it doing the deed for fun. It can become so lonely timing your intimacy. Don’t become that couple—spice it up!

2. Communicate—Many couples tend to stop communicating. This can lead to arguments, fights, and even separation. Talk about your emotions and your feelings; chances are, your spouse is feeling the exact same way.

3. Avoid family stress. Your children will begin to feel the anxiety and stress and may ask questions or become withdrawn. Talk to them, tell them what is going on. They would love to be helpful in bringing a little brother or sister into their family. You don’t have to get into details, but don’t lie to them either. Children are smart!

4. Don't Lose Hope—It’s so easy to lose hope after a failed cycle, or a miscarriage from a successful cycle. Emotions will run high, and so will defeat. Don’t shy away from your partner. They’re feeling it too. We can go back to number two on this, and I’ll repeat, talk about it! Silence doesn’t solve anything. You can also both decide to seek counseling. Many couples do, and it helps! Yes, talking is a big thing in the infertility world. We tend to take a silent stance on the topic, and don’t realize the damage that we’re causing. If you’re willing to talk and your partner isn’t ready yet, it’s ok. Leave them notes. Let them know you care and that you’re ready to listen whenever they’re ready to talk. Always include the children. They’re smarter than you think!

How have you dealt with infertility?

Maria is a Step-Mom to three rambunctious boys aged 7, 6, and 5. She's a writer, an advocate for infertility and PCOS, and an avid baker and cook. You can find how she deals with infertility as she tries to add to her family, creates traditional Italian recipes, and more about her life at Adventures as a Homemaker. You can also follow her on Twitter and on Facebook. Grab a cup of strong coffee, a bag of popcorn, sit back, and get ready to be entertained!