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IVF Fear -Why Do So Many Couples Suffer From It?

 

It’s not uncommon to see many couples fearful of doing IVF. While some of them are just mildly apprehensive about it, some couples are so overwhelmed by this fear, and they just don’t even want to consider this option; in many ways, this deprives them of their best bet of having a baby. There are a number of reasons why people are so fearful of this treatment:

  • Injections- It’s true that patients have to take injections daily in the course of their treatment and this becomes a major fear factor for some
  • Pain- Some women are worried that IVF is a very painful procedure and that they will have to  suffer a lot of pain while their eggs are being collected
  • Side effects- Some women worry that the hormonal shots will have side effects. These shots are given to help women grow more eggs
  • Multiple pregnancies – This is a very common fear as they feel that with IVF treatment, they will end up having multiple pregnancies- either twins, triplets or even more.
  • Anesthesia- Certain women feel that once the doctor puts them under anesthesia, they just won’t wake up at all
  • Failure of the IVF cycle- Many women fear that their IVF cycle will fail and if that happens, they will be doomed and will have to live a childless life
  • The Cost- For patients with modest means, cost becomes a major hurdle. They just keep wondering what will happen to them in case their IVF cycle fails. They feel that all the money they spent on the cycle in the first place, will just be as good as washed down the drain.


Confront your fears 

I feel it’s extremely important for patients to confront their fears. The one way to do this effectively is to change your perspective as most of these fears are just the game that your mind plays with you – they are irrational and more importantly, they are untrue.

There is no doubt about  the fact that IVF is expensive and we can never give a guarantee about the outcome; however the only risk you face is a financial and emotional one. There is no pain and absolutely no medical risk. The one way to bash these myths is with the use of information therapy. This will help you make a much more well-informed decision.

I always tell all my patients-“It’s possible that an IVF cycle will fail. However, doing IVF doesn’t really leave you any worse off than you are now! And regardless of what the outcome is, doing IVF in good clinic will give you peace of mind you did your best!”

Summary

it’s common to see a number of couples very fearful of doing IVF. In some cases , they are so overcome with this irrational fear, that they are just not willing to consider this treatment option and this deprives  them of their best chance of having a baby.

drmalpani