It is normal to feel overwhelmed during treatment, but the ability to convert the process into a positive experience will favour your wellbeing
Certain situations exist in which our bodies react and remain alert, generating feelings of anxiety and tension. These conducts usually appear in special circumstances and often quite unexpectedly, as in monitoring assisted reproduction treatments. It is only natural to feel stressed during the process, but if you use the resources available to combat it, you can face your efforts to conceive more calmly and even consider them a rewarding experience.
Although each person experiences stress in different ways and some are even able to face it without it interfering with their daily lives, others will be affected to such an extent that they may consider giving up on their goal even before all the options of getting pregnant have been exhausted.
“Firstly, it is very important to accept that emotions of this type will emerge during treatment”, says Dolors Cirera, who is a psychologist at Eugin. “Our patients often feel that way and we have to remind them that this is only natural; they are facing a new situation which will change their routine for a few days and in some cases they may feel unprepared”, she adds.
“To make them feel better”, says the psychologist, “they should try and accept that they have a certain level of stress and find a way to reduce it, to make sure that it interferes with treatment as little as possible”, she goes on.
Maintaining illusion
The decision to undergo assisted reproductive treatment is an important step. For this reason, it is advisable to determine the right moment for starting it. However, experts recommend not “pushing all other matters aside”: it is just as important to focus your energy on this project as it is to have other plans that will also bring motivation and generate illusion.
Physical exercise
As well as keeping your mind occupied with other motivations, carrying out physical exercise that helps you feel at ease will also bring increased wellbeing and combat the sensations of anxiety. One interesting activity is yoga, which not only helps you maintain good physical shape, but also offers resources such as breathing techniques which can serve as relaxation in your everyday activities.
References
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1. Emotional distress in infertile women and failure of assisted reproductive technologies: meta-analysis of prospective psychosocial studies J Boivin, professor and health psychologist, E Griffiths, assistant clinical psychologist, C A Venetis, research fellow, Cardiff University, UK. February 2011
2. Stress, distress and outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART): a meta-analysis SMS Matthiesen, Y Frederiksen, HJ Ingerslev, R Zachariae, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. August 2011
