Deciding to Stop Fertility Treatments

There comes a point for some couples when they have tried all available treatments and, sadly, the hoped-for pregnancy has still not resulted. Each couple must decide for themselves when enough is enough and when it is time to move on.

The decision is not a simple one. It is easy to become trapped in the belief that the next cycle will be THE one, and to keep pushing beyond emotional and financial limits. Many couples feel guilt that perhaps they are giving up too soon.

It is a good idea to try to set some limits before you begin treatments. Decide as a couple what those limits will be – for example, three cycles of Clomid and three of IVF; two cycles of IUI and no more. Discuss the possibility that you will not become pregnant. What then? Will you pursue adoption? Is surrogacy an option? Or will you be content with a child-free future?

Even the best-laid plans may become derailed once you have actually begun treatments, but the following are some indications that it might be time to stop:

• Are you spending more and more time asking yourself if the constant medical visits are worth it?
• Is your relationship falling apart because of the stress?
• Is sex associated only with disappointment?
• Are you going into debt to cover treatments that might never work?
• Are fatigue and depression taking over your life?

It’s natural to go through a grieving process when you decide to stop fertility treatments; after all, you are saying goodbye to a dream. Making a definite decision will not take away the pain of infertility but it will bring a degree of closure, allowing you to move on with life, whatever that may bring.

"If Only I Had Teeth Down There." Is the Rapex Condom a Solution to Rape?

We are giving away Free Quote Magnets