Trying to start a family can be daunting, especially if you’re having problems with conception. So, what if your fertility test comes back negative?
Trying to conceive is a complex and emotional experience, especially when it comes to potential infertility. With fertility test costs, alongside the idea that you may not be able to conceive traditionally, it can all seem a little daunting. So, how can we cope when the test comes back negative?
Well, we are lucky enough to live in age where there are lots of alternatives to conceive. Services, such as fertility law solicitors, can help you decide which option suits your needs best.
Then, there’s the emotional implications of it all. For some ideas on how to cope mentally, and ways to tackle the problem physically, if your fertility test comes back negative, read on…
6 Ways to Cope with a Negative Fertility Test
Negative fertility can be devastating for everyone involved. It can easily feel like a never-ending battle, especially if there is no quick solution in sight. But, it’s important to take proactive and productive measures to help you cope, mentally and physically…
1. Allow Yourself to Feel the Pain
When you first get this negative news, it may seem as though you have to ignore the emotions in order to cope. That being said, embracing these feelings is all part and parcel of dealing with it all properly. By doing so from the beginning, you can become more in touch with how you’re feeling, and want you really want along the way.
2. Allow Your Partner to Feel it Differently
As human beings, we naturally digest grief in different ways. This is why it’s so important to remember that your partner may not show grief in the same way as you. So, try not to get angry at them for acting perhaps strangely, and just support them the best way you know how.
3. Relieve the Stress
Stress and emotions can be a massive factor in infertility, so coping with your mentality is just as important as your physical health. Anything from self-care books, to mobile apps, to groups for support could help in this regard.
4. Keep a Journal
Getting your emotions out to avoid a build-up of stress is a great way to cope. A nice way to do this could be keeping a journal, where you write down all your feelings in one place. Not only will this allow you get it all out, but it might be a nice memento to look back at over time, and see how far you’ve come.
5. Treatment Options for Negative Fertility Results
When you receive troubling fertility results, it can be easy to lose hope, which is why it’s so important to stay focused, and start planning your next steps. Thankfully, we live in an age where you have a multitude of options, which can begin your journey of coping. These include:
- Medicine to Increase Fertility: medicines are specifically advised by doctors if the reason for your fertility is clear. If, however, this reason is undefined, doctors may hesitate recommending medication.
- Surgery: there are multiple surgery options available, which could solve a number of the causes of low fertility or infertility. Surgery can solve: problems with blocked/scarred fallopian tubes; endometriosis; fibroids; PCOS; or a coil to remove a blockage/increase sperm count.
If you have treatment options available, pursue them as soon as possible. Delaying the process to grieve will simply waste time, so to ensure not all hope is lost, taking these necessary steps ASAP will help.
6. Assisted Conception
Assisted conception could be a viable option for you if nothing else seems to work. There are three different assisted contraception options when trying to conceive, which include:
- IUI: this is where fast moving sperm is selected and put in a sperm bank. You can then use a sample to conceive. The sperm is inserted through plastic tubing into the womb.
- IVF: this where a fertilised egg is inserted into the body. The process begins with eggs being removed from the ovaries, thus allowing them to insert the sperm and start the fertilisation, before inserting them back into the womb.
- Egg or Sperm Donation: egg or sperm donation can be a solution if one of you is infertile. If you choose this option, then the child is legally entitled to content their genetic parent at 18.
Coping, Changing, and Carrying On
So, those are my top tips for coping with your negative fertility test, be it emotional or productive. This will, no doubt, be a difficult time but, by acknowledging your feelings early on, you can begin to make plans for the future more rapidly. After all, the faster you act, hopefully the more success you’ll have in potentially conceiving in the future.
If you have any experience in coping with a negative fertility test, or succeeding in alternative conception, I’d love to know. By sharing your stories in the comments below, we can give hope to those most in need of it.