For many couples, receiving a diagnosis that negatively affects their fertility can become a difficult time when identifying that there is a factor that is hindering the desire to become parents. Understanding the situation from emotions can become stressful, which, added to the medical explanation, becomes a complex moment where thousands of concerns and questions arise.
But the problem does not end there. Their parents, siblings, friends, and others in their social circle also want answers about when a child will come to their home. It is there where the couple must make decisions about how to handle the issue with their loved ones, so that this does not become another headache for their stability and their future as a couple.
The psychologist of the Inser Group, Susana Rodríguez, tells us that, sometimes, this issue can be quite critical when it comes to dealing with it as a family. The specialist says that, although many people prefer to keep quiet about their diagnosis and leave it in the privacy of the couple, “others prefer to talk about it directly, since they think that from honesty, the environment will reduce the pressure or expectations on the future child.”
Having a support network is essential for the couple looking to have a baby through assisted reproduction. This is built according to the resources and relationships that the couple has maintained over the years: “generally, the support network becomes confident in the process. These can be family members or close friends, who manage to be empathetic and open when discussing issues related to the diagnosis or possible treatments. Also, the support groups of the infertile population are very useful to talk about the different moments they face in assisted reproduction processes . Not always the one who loves you the most is the one who knows how to accompany you best, sometimes closeness generates common feelings and expectations that are counterproductive to the experience.”
Balance, limits and honesty, the basis for family communication
It is known that emotional balance is essential for couples to be more successful in their fertility treatment. This is where the family plays a very important role for couples with infertility. “Feeling loved, valued and accompanied, reinforces self-esteem and determination, crucial aspects in motivation and achievement of goals for life. Sometimes, the family can represent a source of stress, since in a subtle or very direct way, they increase the pressure on the result.”
On the subject of infertility, the family and the close environment can become the main allies when facing this problem. But sometimes, these can also hinder the emotional process that the couple abides by when they have difficulty achieving pregnancy. So what would be the solution? The limits, from love “that translate into anticipating to loved ones that only the couple will talk about their experience when they think it is necessary, since they need to be calm and focused on the work, but that love, prayers and good energies will always be well received.”
Honesty is also a great ally to set limits to the social environment “Sometimes, it helps to speak the truth, since a limit and respect is generated that invites prudence. In addition, it shows that, indeed, it is not a matter of will but of a condition that cannot be controlled and in the face of which medical guidance must be waited and followed. It is important to talk honestly about what the couple needs during the process and to manage clear boundaries and define together if any financial, logistical support, among others, is needed.”
Finally, emotional accompaniment is essential for couples to learn to manage this and other issues related to fertility, as it allows them to generate the emotional support and support necessary at all times (diagnosis and treatments), solve problems and face the consequences of infertility. They also help to facilitate the understanding of medical processes, positive or negative results, make timely decisions, among others.
If you need to know more about the psychological support that we can provide you at Inser, make an appointment at our locations throughout the country.
