Navigating Infertility as a Couple: Create a Plan

An Excerpt from Fertility & Beyond: Join the Conversation

Fertility challenges can be very difficult for couples to face. It’s a rollercoaster ride that you can’t get off of until you bring your baby home (or redefine the definition of your family with your partner).

Here’s a useful tip to help navigate infertility as a couple: Create a plan

This can be tough due to financial constraints, emotions, and physical stress, but work with your partner and your doctor to set a game plan from the onset. You should take into account medical history, results from preliminary tests, etc. to create a realistic plan. Be sure to lean on your doctor here.

• What protocols are you willing to try?
• How many attempts before moving on to the next? (i.e. three IUIs before moving on to IVF)
• What options are ultimately acceptable to you? (i.e. donor eggs, gestational carrier, adoption, or other)

Set limits on how long you’re going to try for (i.e. your insurance covers X treatments, you’ll try for 12 months only, etc.).

NOTE: You may not stick with the plan 100% due to how you respond to various treatments and recommendations by your doctor, but having some sort of strategy going in makes it easier to make changes and lets you feel like you still have some control over your treatment.

Fertility & Beyond was written to initiate the conversation about infertility. The author shares a bit of her personal experience with infertility. This is the journey she and her husband took to have their two beautiful daughters. Join the conversation or share this with someone facing infertility.