Why Do Women Fear IVF?

Fear is an emotion that is driven by imagination more than the actual expected events. “Many man gave up even before he began, for fear of failing.” Does this describe you? Psychologists say that people should face their fears to overcome them. This is much easier said than done.

The fear of IVF may be a little different. It is not something that you face head-on. We first need to identify the fears that women have before looking at possible solutions.

A healthy lifestyle includes

Fears Related to IVF Treatment

The thought of undergoing a medical treatment that is prolonged over a number of weeks or months can be daunting. Women are immediately filled with fear as soon as they learn of the treatment and what it entails. Some of the greatest fears that concern women about IVF treatment are:

Injection Phobia

IVF does involve a lot of needles, and if you are scared of needles, then there is nothing that you can really do to face this fear. Finer and smaller needles ensure that the pain of the prick is minimised as much as possible.

It's often not the needle that hurts but your fear that makes it worse. If you're afraid of injections, let the nurse know. They can help by distracting you and ensuring you don't feel the needle.

The Pain of Egg Retrieval

During egg retrieval, doctors use a needle to collect mature eggs from your ovaries. The procedure is done under general anaesthesia to ensure no pain for the patient. Afterwards, you may experience mild cramping, similar to ovulation, lasting about an hour.

Concern Regarding Taking Hormones

The awareness that taking hormones and steroids can cause you a lot of harm and have adverse side effects makes women shirk at the thought of hormone injections during IVF.

You should discuss this with your doctor in detail to ensure the injections are necessary and safe or explore alternative medications that could achieve similar results. The hormones used in IVF treatment are the same as those produced by your body, but in more significant amounts to help more eggs mature.

OHSS Side Effects

Ovarian stimulation may cause side effects similar to those of your period, such as abdominal cramping, moodiness, possible nausea, and lightheadedness. You can ask your doctor for medication to ease the pain, and these symptoms may last for about a week.

Multiple Pregnancies

The Octo Mom story, where an IVF patient gave birth to octuplets, serves as a reminder of the risks of multiple pregnancies. Today, doctors discuss the number of embryos transferred before the procedure, usually recommending no more than two or three, depending on the patient's age and the type of transfer. This practice has replaced the old method of transferring six, eight, or even ten embryos at once.

Anaesthesia Fears

This may sound illogical, but the cinema has led people to believe that not all patients wake up when given anaesthesia. This can be a very genuine fear and one that is difficult to deal with.

Anaesthesia is often misunderstood. Talking to people who have undergone surgery can help dispel misconceptions about not waking up from anaesthesia. It's important to understand that anaesthesia simply puts you to sleep, and even an overdose will not lead to death.

Premature Menopause

Many women are concerned about their ovarian reserve. For the IVF egg retrieval procedure, a large number of eggs are removed. They are worried that this might deplete their ovarian reserve faster and cause them to enter premature menopause. This is not entirely true.

During each ovulation cycle, the ovaries begin to mature about five eggs, of which only one is used and the others discarded. The IVF ovarian stimulation retrieves these eggs that would otherwise have been lost.

Ovarian Cancer

The concern among some women is the increased risk of ovarian cancer due to ovarian stimulation. However, studies have shown that there is no link between the two. Women who have IVF babies with the help of ovarian stimulation have lived healthy lives without any trace of ovarian cancer.

Undergoing IVF treatment can be overwhelming, but with support from your partner, family, and doctor, you'll emerge stronger and unafraid of medical procedures.

Overcoming Ivf Treatment Fears

How do you overcome your fears? There is nothing that anyone can say that can actually convince you that it is going to be okay. Some of the things that might help you are: Get your fears in perspective:

List Your Fears

Discuss with Your Fertility Consultant

Talk to Other IVF Moms

Case Study Of Shobha

Overcoming Silence

Fear of IVF Failure

Are you too scared to try IVF treatment in case it might fail? This is quite normal and nothing to feel ashamed about. There are social concerns and anxieties about what people will think if you are not pregnant after so many months of treatment. IVF failure is not the end of the road.

There is always another try and another. Just because your first attempt was not successful, there is no point in giving up.

High Success Rate

Increased Chances with Multiple Attempts

Perspective on Failure

Choose a Reputable Clinic

Fear of IVF Costs

There is no limit to the costs associated with medical treatment. There is always some additional medication that is required, and you only know how much it is going to cost once the chemist presents you with a bill. Usually, the medication prescribed by doctors in such situations is quite expensive.

Prepare for Extra Costs

Medicover EMI Facility

Involve Family

Conclusion

IVF offers promising success rates: 30% of women achieve pregnancy on their first attempt, increasing to 70% by the third try. While failure is a possibility, it's important to persevere, knowing you can keep trying until you succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions