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The Facts to Relax
How to Cope with the Stress of Infertility
By Gwen Morrison
A study led by Domar at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and published in the journal of Fertility and Sterility shows evidence that decreased stress can actually increase fertility.
The study included 184 women who had been trying to conceive for up to two years. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the study divided the women – some were assigned to a mind/body group while others underwent no treatment or medical fertility treatments alone. The group of women were followed for one full year.
Twenty percent of the control group conceived in comparison to 55 percent of those women in the mind/body groups. "We showed that support groups and mind/body groups actually increase fertility rates," says Domar. "What we need to find out is: Can you increase pregnancy rates by decreasing distress before IVF treatments begin?"
As Blitzer points out, for most couples learning the relaxation techniques are beneficial, if only to reduce the stress that often comes along with infertility. Whether or not it will help couples become pregnant is still under speculation, but the fact remains that decreasing depression and stress can only prove beneficial for one's overall health.
"Whether one gets pregnant or not, finding ways to deal with the pressure and stress of trying and all the social stigma of infertility helps one accept whatever happens," says North. "It has helped me to find the strength within myself to choose my own path in life."
North is now the mother of twins.
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