Support Groups

• A support group can be a valuable aid to anyone undergoing treatment for infertility. Group members can assist you emotionally and psychologically through the battle with infertility. Sharing stories of mishandled medications or the search for the right fertility center can make the process of treatment feel less isolating to you. While support groups can be valuable, such groups can also be a source of pain if some members are successful and others are still unable to conceive a baby despite repeated courses of infertility treatment.
  
  

Psychological Counseling

• Many infertility treatment centers offer those undergoing infertility treatment direct access to psychological counseling. Psychological counseling can help those undergoing treatment find new methods of better managing their feelings. A psychologist can inform you about resources such as books and medical studies you may not have known about before.
  
  

Online Support

• Internet bulletin boards can serve as a source of support for patients undergoing infertility treatment. Bulletin boards such as IVF Connections (see Resources) have specific boards where individuals can interact with other people who are also undergoing infertility treatment. Here you can have your questions answered by other patients. You can exchange information on such topic as how best to avoid side effects from medication and how to cope when fertility treatments fail.
  
  

Partner Support

• People undergoing infertility treatment can find support from their partner. Your partner may be the only person who understands exactly how you feel. The shared stress of fertility treatments can bring you closer together and lead a to feeling of being united in pursuit of a common goal. Your spouse may administer drugs to you and share in the financial burden of paying for treatment.
  
  

Work Support

• You may need to come in late for work or leave early from work as a result of fertility procedures. You may also need to take time off to visit fertility centers or take time for testing. This can force you to confide your problems to co-workers or a boss. If fellow employees find out about your treatment they may be able to offer emotional and psychological support. One or more co-workers may have undergone infertility treatment themselves and understand exactly what how you feel.