Things to Know While Your Partner is Going Through Fertility Treatments

You and your partner are not alone.

The most important thing to know while your partner is undergoing fertility treatments is that infertility impact nearly 10 percent of all couples in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In other words, 50 out of every 500 couples trying to have a baby will visit a fertility specialist for help conceiving. With many advanced assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) now available (IVF, IUI, fertility drugs), infertility is no longer a persistent problem but a solvable “bump” in the road for couples wanting to have a child.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Your partner will appreciate talking openly about things that concern him or her whenever they feel like talking. Be ready to lend an ear at any time if your partner wants to discuss treatments, side effects of fertility drugs or the emotional rollercoaster they are experiencing. Don’t say things like “It will be OK” and “Stop worrying. Everything will work out”. These statements tend to shut down communication lines between you and your partner by inferring you don’t think talking about it will help. Talking DOES help so never hesitate to talk about whatever your partner wants to talk about.

Life Goes On

Unless your partner needed major surgery to correct the cause of their infertility, don’t put your life on hold while going through fertility treatments. While visits to your fertility doctor will be frequent, this doesn’t mean you and your partner can’t take weekend vacations, keep having “date” nights, go for long hikes in the woods together and take the time to engage in self-care (hobbies, meditation, reading, talking to close friends). Take time away from focusing on fertility treatments and enjoy life outside the doctor’s office.

Fertility Treatments Take Time

If you or your partner are impatient people, you’ll have to work harder on being more patient. Fertility treatments are not meant to produce results overnight or even in a few days. For example, timelines for IVF cycles could be between three to six or seven weeks, depending on what your fertility doctor recommends. Women undergoing hormone injections will have a longer cycle while women bypassing hormone injections can experience a three-week IVF cycle. Of course, conception may not occur following the completion of an initial ART and will need to be implemented again.

Side Effects of Fertility Drugs

If your partner is having IVF, she will probably need to take fertility drugs. The purpose of fertility drugs used for an IVF is controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), or the production and maturation of many eggs in one cycle. One commonly prescribed fertility drug is clomiphene citrate to induce normal ovulation. Although side effects are usually mild, clomiphene may cause hot flashes, nausea, headache, and blurry vision. Consequently, your partner may not feel her best when taking clomiphene.

Gonadotropins

Injectable fertility medications called gonadotropins contain a mixture of hormones –gonadotropin-releasing, follicle stimulating, luteinizing and human menopausal gonadotropin hormones. Side effects of gonadotropins include bruising/swelling and blood blisters emerging at injection sites and uncomfortable bloating that resolve in a few days.

hCG Injections

Human chorionic gonadotropin injections stimulate egg maturation and release from ovarian follicles. hCG injections are typically given about 35 hours prior to the egg retrieval procedure. Side effects of hCG injections include bruising/swelling at the injection site, nausea, headache, irritability, and breast tenderness. As with most other fertility drugs, side effects are temporary and diminish within several days following injections.

We are here to help you and your partner every step of the way throughout your fertility treatment journey. If you have been trying to get pregnant for at least six months without success, Viera Fertility Center encourages you to call today to schedule a consultation appointment with our fertility doctor. We offer a wide variety of ARTs as well as services for diagnosing infertility in men and women. Contact us today!