When fertility treatments fail: Coping, healing and facing the next chapter

When fertility treatments fail: Coping, healing and facing the next chapter (Photo: iStock)

Every so often, a reader of this column writes to me with a specific request about a topic they may wish to read about. Due to the nature of my work, I receive many requests related to infertility. But as this column is meant for the wider public, I tend to mostly honour requests on topics of general interest. But this week, I feel compelled to honour a recurring request on failed fertility treatments.

Those who have ever suffered infertility will be well versed with all the trauma that comes with the diagnosis. It all starts with the frustrations of not getting pregnant, when everybody else appears to be getting pregnant, if when they don’t want to. Then there are seemingly endless diagnostic evaluations, followed by proposed treatment options. Some will get pregnant quickly following specific interventions. But others will not. Failure is associated with psychological and physical trauma, all on top of the vast financial burden inevitably associated with fertility treatments.