After Unsuccessful IVF, What Comes Next?
For many who struggle with infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF) represents a beacon of light that will lead them down the path of parenthood. However, while IVF can certainly increase the odds of getting pregnant, it’s not a guarantee.
For many people, an unsuccessful round of IVF can be devastating, especially if they have been trying to conceive for a long time.
The Emotional Aftermath
After an unsuccessful cycle of IVF, many people are faced with a sudden whirlwind of emotions, such as grief, loss, and hopelessness. It’s important to give yourself time and space to process these feelings, so take a break from all things fertility, take some time off from work, or take a break from your social obligations. The only thing you need to focus on is nurturing yourself back to some semblance of emotional equilibrium.
During this time, remember that what you’re feeling is totally normal. These emotions you’re feeling are huge and need to be released. Try to engage in activities that will help you return to normalcy, such as listening to music, exercising, or even just binge-watching your favorite shows.
It’s also a great idea to enhance your support system. Find a support group, seek out professional help with a counselor, or join an online forum. It’s important to talk to people who know what you’re going through because, although friends and family mostly offer love and support, they can sometimes unintentionally make insensitive comments or ask intrusive questions.
Trying Again
Once you’ve allowed yourself to process what happened and you’ve reached a point of normalcy, it’s time to pick yourself up and figure out the next steps. Schedule an appointment with your fertility specialist so that, together, you can review the failed IVF cycle and identify a new strategy going forward.
There are lots of ways that a new round of IVF can be re-strategized in order to optimize your chances of conceiving. Some of these methods include:
- Genetic screening procedures, such as preimplantation genetic diagnosis or screening (PGD/PGS)
- Adjustments to medications
- Assisted hatching
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI)
Finally, if IVF continues to be unsuccessful, you can talk to your fertility specialist and a counselor about other paths to parenthood. These options can include using a third-party reproduction method (donor eggs/sperm and surrogacy).
Moving Forward
After an unsuccessful round of IVF, it’s important to take care of yourself and to get ready for the next steps in your fertility treatments. Remember – going through a failed IVF cycle doesn’t necessarily mean that your dreams of building a family are impossible. There are many reasons why IVF might be unsuccessful, and achieving success might just be a matter of rethinking the approach you and your fertility specialist will take.
To learn more about all the fertility treatment options available to you, contact Aspire Fertility today.
