How to Strengthen a Marriage During Infertility Treatment

Years of infertility treatments can take their toll on a marriage. While infertility can strengthen a good relationship, it also has the potential to destroy a marriage that's not on solid ground. Follow these steps to care for your marriage and face infertility as a united couple.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Work through fertility problems and treatments as a team, regardless of which of you has the male or female medical factor problem. Stay involved in your partner's tests and procedures and offer support when your partner is feeling upset.
2. Engage in activities both of you enjoy. Schedule a regular date night where you consciously choose not to talk about infertility treatments. Instead, enjoy time as a couple and make yourselves a priority for the evening.
3. Plan a fun and relaxing vacation when you're not scheduled for a treatment cycle. A vacation is a trip both of you can look forward to, and can provide you with a much-needed break from the stress of infertility.
4. Designate one room of your home for making love, and another for the purpose of creating a baby. Infertility treatment can harm your sexual relationship because what was once fun and spontaneous is now routine and scheduled. Try to add excitement to lovemaking on those days of the month when you aren't fertile.
5. Identify those ways in which your partner copes with the stress of infertility treatment. Learn to accept these coping mechanisms and help to ease the stress whenever possible.
6. Maintain a sense of humor. Laughter can help ease the tension and stress of treatments and can help strengthen your marriage as well.
7. Obtain professional help, if necessary. Dealing with infertility can irreparably harm a marriage, and seeking out the guidance of a counselor can help save and strengthen your union.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not blame your partner for your infertility problems. Placing blame can destroy a marriage and weakens the bond you'll need to endure the difficult journey to parenthood.
• Do not wait until you have stopped communicating with your partner before seeking professional counseling.