Support during and after IVF

HavingIVF can be emotionally and physically draining, but help and support is available if you need it.

Your fertility clinic will offer you an opportunity to talk to a counsellor, and you may find ituseful tojoin a fertility support group or online forum for support.

Counselling

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that Counselling should be offered before, during and after IVF treatment (regardless of the outcome) by someone not directly involved in the management of the couple's fertility problems.

Counselling is a type of talking therapy that allows a person to talk about their problems and feelings in a confidential and dependable environment. It can help couples to understand the implications of treatment and offer support at a critical time,such aswhen an IVF cycle has been unsuccessful.

Under these circumstances, it's a good idea to wait for a couple of months before thinking about trying again. This will giveyou a break fromthe stresses of treatment and allow your body time to recover.

This break can give you a chance to talk with the clinic about the reasons the IVF was unsuccessful, to talk to your partner about how you both feel, and consider your options going forward.

It can help to talk to other people who have been through IVF. A support group or online forum, such as the HealthUnlocked IVF community , may be helpful.

Read advice on what to do when fertility treatment fails on the HFEA website.

Adapting to parenthood

Some couples who have successfully started a family with IVF can find it difficult to adjust to their new life. It's important to seek help from health professionals (such asyour fertility consultant, GP, midwife or health visitor) if you think you need it.

Infertility Network UK and Fertility Friends both have online forums where you can find other people who have dealt with the same issues.