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Recent studies have shown that 1 in 8 couples will have to deal with the issue of infertility. These issues can lead to major problems in a relationship and must be dealt with in a proper manner. Here are some of the alternatives for those who face this situation, and tips for handling the issue.
- A fertility problem is a crisis
A fertility problem can be one of the biggest challenges a couple faces in a lifetime. Both the partners need to acknowledge this. It will help the couple to cope. By meeting the problem head on, you can move beyond the emotional aspect.
- Work with your partner as a team
This is a time to support each other unconditionally. It is not time to assign blame. Pay close attention to what your partner is going through and experiencing. You can also share the burden in practical ways. If she is undergoing treatment, he can do the insurance papers. If he is receiving therapy by injection, you can give him the shots.
- Get educated
There are many excellent infertility clinics that have free monthly seminars where you can learn all about the causes, and the options you have to still have a family of your own.
- Decide how much you are willing to spend
In virto fertilization (IVF) can cost as much as $12,000 or more per cycle. This is a fertility treatment in which eggs and sperm are combined in a lab setting. The resulting embryo can then be transferred to the woman’s uterus. This is the most common method used in the United States today.
Egg donation is available for women who cannot get pregnant with their own eggs, and it can cost 37K plus. It involves many things, including a surrogate mother, and administration and attorney fees. Only about 3,000 babies are born annually in the United States via this alternative.
Obviously, both of these alternatives involve considerable expenses. You and your spouse will need to sit down and come up with a financial plan to pay for it. Start with your insurance. You need to know what it will cover, and what it will not cover.
If your insurance will cover some, or all of one of these options, decide who will handle the paperwork and do the negotiating with the insurance company. Then take a close look at all of your assets, and determine your outlays, and for what treatment. Just make sure you have a plan B, since nothing is entirely certain with fertility treatments.
- Get professional help and help from others who have experienced it
People who have not experienced the heartbreak of infertility do not understand it. This is why it is important to get professional help, and to seek out other people who are going through, or have gone through, the same things you are.
You can share stories and get advice on how to handle your situation from those who have walked down the same road you and your spouse are now traveling. You may very well make some new friends that you will have for a lifetime.
Dealing with infertility will never be easy for anyone. But with the help of family, friends, professionals, and others, you can make the right decisions so you can move on with your lives, and hopefully have the family that you long for so much.
