Coming to Terms with Infertility & Infertility Support

Infertility impacts 1 in 6 couples or individuals for medical or social reasons. It is a disruption to our Family Dreams, and can present as a major life stressor for many, particularly as time frames to conceive extend.

Not everyone with infertility will access IVF, however, many will need medical treatment to have a child.

Infertility treatment and support may include sessions for:

• manage the complex emotions anger, fear, anxiety, grief and loss associated with infertility and treatment
• decision making prior to commencing treatment or making changes or treatment direction
• decision making related to stopping treatment without the hoped for family outcome
  

Pre-Treatment Counselling for IUI & IVF

I work alongside Ballarat IVF as the Senior IVF Counsellor. In Victoria, a counselling session is mandate for anyone prior to commencement of IUI, IVF.

These sessions are NOT designed to be therapy, nor to “rule you in or out of treatment”.

They are educational and consent based discuss and increase knowledge around:

• Treatment Process
• Current supports – family, friends, and formal in nature
• Concerns and worries regarding IVF/IUI
• Any predisposing mental health concerns which may impact on coping through treatment
• Coping strategies for treatment
• How to access support services through treatment
• Posthumous Use of Eggs, Sperm and Embryos
• Completion of consent forms for treatment

Pre-Treatment Counselling for Donor IUI/IVF

If you are coming to treatment with donated eggs, sperm or embryo there is a minimum of 2 sessions completed, and a 3^rd if the donor you are using is known to you.

These sessions are designed to discuss:

• The above listed information
• Grief and loss which may be associated with using a donor to conceive
• Psycho-education about donor conception
• Psycho-education about the VARTA Donor and Voluntary Registers
• The role of donor conception, disclosure to your children, why this is beneficial and when and how you can disclose information to your child
• Provision and exploration of resources which can help discuss donor conception with friends and family

Exploration of boundaries and relationships in the context of known donation, between recipient family and donor.

Donor Counselling

If you have decided to be a donor of eggs, embryo or sperm you are required under national laws to complete 2 sessions of counselling and a 3^rd if you know the person you are donating to.

Information covered within the sessions include:

• Reasons for donating
• Psycho-education regarding donor conception
• Any predisposing mental health concerns
• How to access support services as a donor
• Psycho-education about the VARTA Donor and Voluntary Registers
• The role of donor conception, disclosure to your children as to why you have decided to become a donor
• Provision and exploration of resources which can help discuss your decision to become a donor with friends and family
• Exploration of boundaries and relationships in the context of known donation, between recipient family and donor
• Completion of consent forms for donation
  

Stopping Treatment & Childless after Infertility

For some who have IUI or IVF treatment, it may not lead to a pregnancy, or a living baby. For others they may decide not to pursue or continue treatment for financial or personal reasons.

When treatment has not led to a child, the decision to cease treatment and walk the path of childless due to infertility, comes with significant grief, loss and readjustment of life plans.

Support during this time includes navigation of new goals and processing grief and loss over not having your family dreams become reality.

Perinatal & Reproductive Loss

Encompassing the loss of embryos, early pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, still birth and neonatal death – perinatal loss impacts significant numbers of Australian’s every day. While perinatal loss is common, it is no less heartbreaking knowing you are one of many. 

Perinatal and Reproductive grief is often misunderstood, dismissed or over looked, with individuals experiencing isolation and attitudes of needing to “move on” and platitudes often starting with “at least”. This grief is complex, as not only is it grief of what you have lost, but the grief of the loss of what was hoped for, longed for and imagined future, irrespective of when or how loss occurs.

Psychological support and therapy can aid to:

• Process the complexity of emotions, including sadness, fear, anger, jealousy, and anxiety
• Identify ways to remember your baby
• Continue bonds and connections to your baby as you move forward
• Plan and navigate for pregnancy after loss
  

Non-Directive Pregnancy Support

3 sessions provided under Medicare, for the purpose of decision making and non-biased support around a current pregnancy or pregnancy in the previous 12 months.

Pregnancy Support

Pregnancy is seen as a happy time, however for many it comes with significant and varied complexities, from navigating medical complications such as Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), or Gestational Diabetes, to pregnancy after loss, fertility treatment or traumatic birth.

Psychological support in pregnancy may include:

• managing anxiety
• navigating stress related to pregnancy illness
• birth preparation including birth preference and communication with your birth care team.

Support and intervention cis tailored to your individual needs, goals and outcomes identified in sessions.

Perinatal Mental Health Diagnoses

1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men will be diagnosed with perinatal depression or anxiety. Onset of symptoms can occur anytime through pregnancy or the postpartum. 



Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) are used in sessions to monitor changes in mood and anxiety, and the impact of symptoms on functioning.  Treatment for symptoms utilise cognitive and behavioural strategies, identifying considering individual needs and without increasing overwhelm.

Eating Disorder in Australia are estimated 4% of the population and can co-occur during the perinatal and reproductive phase and for same will impact on fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Eating Disorders include anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa, and treatment can be accessed through a referral from you GP with Eating Disorder Plan from your GP. We work in conjunction with a registered dietician and GP for best outcomes.

Irrespective of diagnosis treatment for mental health diagnosis will be tailored to your specific needs, symptoms and goals.

Perinatal & Reproductive Trauma

Trauma is influenced by a range of experiences across the reproductive, pregnancy and birth experiences. More commonly Birth trauma is discussed and impacts and estimated 1 in 3 birthing people, as well as partners present at birth.

Perinatal and Reproductive trauma is multifaceted and complex, often attributed the physical aspects of birth, research now shows infertility and difficulties with conception, pregnancy experiences (including loss and illness) the time leading to birth, during and after birth, as well as any time babies spend in NICU or SCU, may lead to trauma response.

Perinatal and Reproductive trauma, is based on the individuals subjective experience, as such it is vital to understand the experience of the individual and not make assumptions about events experienced.

For women who are coming to a subsequent pregnancy, particularly after traumatic pregnancy, birth or post-partum, sessions can be utilised for planning around birth and post-partum preferences, identifying supports and supporting communication with care providers within the maternity system to improve mental health outcomes.

Psychological Decision Making and Support for Medical Procedures & Reproductive Diagnosis

Sessions within this area may include:

• adjustment to medical diagnosis which may impact fertility – endometriosis or PCOS
• decision making for commencing infertility treatment, transition to donor intervention, or ceasing treatment
• referral or request from your gynaecologist to discuss and explore implications for surgical procedures including tubal ligation, or hysterectomy within expected reproductive ages