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When Dreams Come True

Pregnancy After Infertility

By Gwen Morrison

Every couple going through infertility treatments has one goal: to become pregnant. But what happens when you finally receive that positive pregnancy test?

"When that happens, most couples feel both elation and fear," says Diane N. Clapp, medical information director at RESOLVE (The National Infertility Association). "For many couples who have experienced the hope and disappointment of infertility, it may be hard to believe that something is really 'going right.'" Many couples who have struggled with the emotional ups and downs of infertility find it hard to make the transition into the reality of pregnancy.

"We tried to get pregnant for five years before we sought help from our fertility clinic," says Shelley Brown Parish of Hampton Falls, N.H. "Because of my age, we went right to the IVF cycle. We were absolutely blessed, as we were given less than a 10 percent chance of getting pregnant, and we were successful!"

Parish, who was 42 at the time, says she went through a mixed bag of emotions when she received a call from the clinic confirming her pregnancy. "I was elated, excited, shocked that it had worked, scared, thrilled and very thankful," she says. For Parish, the second part of her journey began that day.

"During pregnancy, many women who have come out of infertility successfully are very anxious and tentative about the pregnancy itself," says Dr. Ann Dunnewold, psychologist. "Having invested so much hope in this goal for so long, they may be reluctant to allow themselves to feel it emotionally."

Dunnewold, who specializes in women's health related to reproductive issues, explains that it is quite natural for couples who have undergone infertility treatments to go through an array of emotions during their pregnancy. The concerns that most pregnant women face, such as having a healthy baby, are often amplified considerably after the infertility experience.

Want to see more?

• Infertility FAQ: Common Questions Answered
• Are You or Aren't You? Common Signs of Pregnancy
• Baby's Early Days: First Trimester Growth
• Talk about it!