When Should You Get Infertility Counseling and Support?
1. If you are consumed with thoughts about getting pregnant or are feeling angry, anxious, depressed, resentful, confused or alone. Many women suffer in silence. If you are struggling with infertility, you might feel like others do not understand what you are going through. See the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Medicine Fact Sheet on Infertility Counseling and Support. You may be experiencing feelings of loss and grief. Infertility stress and grief involves a range of feelings that a counselor can help you work through. Prolonged infertility can disrupt relationships with friends and family. Counseling can help you regain a sense of control and work through common relationship concerns.
2. If you are thinking of using donated sperm, egg or surrogacy. Your fertility specialist may recommend that you seek counseling before deciding to use third party reproduction methods such as egg or sperm donation.
3. If you are having trouble getting pregnant a second or third time. Secondary infertility (a couple having trouble getting pregnant after having a child) can be the loneliest kind of infertility.
4. If you and your partner are having difficulty communicating or have different ideas about what direction to take.
5. If you would like to understand your options better. Fertility consultation can provide valuable information on issues such as disclosure, non-genetic parenting or adoption.
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)- Third Party Reproduction
Are you considering gamete or embryo donation? If so, you may have questions beyond medical procedures alone. Some of these concerns may be hard for you to voice. Infertility counseling can help couples talk freely about their concerns.
Mental Health Evaluations
Contact us for more information about mental health evaluations and screening for egg donor or surrogacy.
ASRM - American Society for Reproductive Medicine membership. Fertility and Family, LPC offers infertility consultation and counseling and helps couples explore various reproductive solutions with an open mind, realizing the complicated and personal nature of this issue. Email for an appointment or phone consultation.