You do not have to carry this alone
Fertility treatment touches every part of life. What you feel is normal, and there is kind, practical help for every stage.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, or feel you are in danger, call your local emergency number now (112 in India).
Where you are
How are you feeling right now?
Choose where you are. Whatever you feel, someone else has felt it too.
Hearing the news
When you first hear it
It is normal to feel
- Shock
- Sadness
- Anger
- Guilt
- Relief at having answers
What can help
- Give yourself time before any big decision.
- Write your questions down for the next appointment.
- Share it with one person you trust.
During treatment
In the middle of treatment
It is normal to feel
- Hope
- Worry
- Tiredness
- Feeling out of control
- Mood swings
What can help
- Keep a simple daily routine around the injections.
- Ask your nurse anything, however small it seems.
- Say no to things that drain you, just for now.
The two-week wait
Waiting for the result
It is normal to feel
- Hope and fear together
- Restlessness
- Reading every twinge
- Trouble sleeping
What can help
- Plan one small, kind thing for each day.
- Step away from searching symptoms online.
- Agree together how you will hear the result.
When it does not work
When a cycle does not work
It is normal to feel
- Grief
- Emptiness
- Anger
- Feeling alone
- Envy, and guilt about it
What can help
- Let yourself grieve. There is no timetable.
- Lean on the people who care about you.
- Talk to your doctor and a counsellor before deciding what is next.
Pregnant after infertility
Pregnant after a long road
It is normal to feel
- Joy
- Disbelief
- Fear of loss
- Guilt toward friends still waiting
What can help
- Take it one scan at a time.
- Find people who understand pregnancy after infertility.
- Tell your doctor or midwife how you are feeling.
Our care
Ways we support you
Private and confidential. Ask your coordinator what is included with your treatment.
- One-to-one counsellingTime with a counsellor, just for you.
- Sessions for couplesTalk it through together, with help.
- Support groupsMeet people who understand.
- Online supportHelp from wherever you are.
Small things that help
None of these fix everything. Together, they make the days a little lighter.
Rest without guiltA slow cup of tea, an early night, a quiet hour. Rest is part of treatment, not a break from it.
Write it downA few lines at night can take the weight of a thought off your chest, and help you see how far you have come.
Say it out loudTo a partner, a friend or a counsellor. Feelings shared are lighter than feelings carried alone.
- Step away from searching online late at night.
- Move gently: a short walk counts.
- Keep one thing in your week that has nothing to do with treatment.
For partners
How to be there for each other
Partners go through it too, often quietly. Small things make a big difference.
- Come to appointments when you canEven one scan together can make the journey feel shared.
- Share the loadHelp with the injections, the reminders and the paperwork.
- Ask what helpsInstead of guessing, ask: do you want ideas, or just someone to listen?
- Look after yourself tooPartners feel it as well. Counselling is there for you, together or alone.
Right now
If you need to talk to someone now
If you are thinking about harming yourself, or feel you are in danger, call your local emergency number now (112 in India).
For everything else, you can talk to us, or to one of the helplines here.
Talk to us
When you are ready
Whenever you are ready, we are here.
Your first conversation with us is private and without any pressure.
Questions
What people ask us
Is it normal to feel this low during treatment?
Yes. Many people feel sad, anxious or angry during fertility treatment. These feelings are a normal response to something very hard.
Does counselling mean something is wrong with me?
Not at all. Counselling is part of good fertility care, the same as scans and tests.
Can my partner come too?
Yes, and they are very welcome, together with you or on their own.