According to the NHS, around one in seven couples in the UK may have difficulty conceiving. Despite this, experts are saying that fertility treatment in the UK is inadequate.
Additionally, research from Fertility Family has found that one in three couples trying to conceive have sought treatment abroad.
In their Infertility Awareness Report, the fertility experts have found that not only are people struggling to conceive naturally but when they speak to a specialist, they often don’t feel like they are even being taken seriously.
Costs of UK fertility treatments has resulted in prospective parents seeking treatment abroad
Fertility Family said: “The cost of fertility treatment has had a huge impact on the way people are seeking help.
“According to the results of the survey, the high cost of fertility treatment in the UK has driven over one in four people to spend over £10,000 on both treatments and investigative procedures.”
This has led to people considering going abroad for fertility treatment thanks to the allure of lower costs. However, of those seeking fertility treatment in a foreign country, only 14% believe that clinics abroad have a higher success rate.
The attitudes of health professionals don’t help either. Over 50% of the respondents said that they felt dismissed by medical professionals when they discussed fertility problems, and only a third felt listened to.
This desperate situation, which seems near-impossible to navigate, has had a huge impact on people’s mental health. Half of the respondents admitted that they feel ashamed due to their difficulties in trying to conceive.
Others admitted that they believe those around them think ‘less’ of them because of their infertility, which further highlights the need for more mental health considerations within fertility support.
Dr Gill Lockwood, Consultant at Fertility Family, said: “Although the psychological struggles of infertility can be overwhelming, many patients ultimately reach some type of resolution.
“Some of the alternatives include becoming parents to a relative’s children, adopting children, or deciding to adopt a child-free lifestyle. Needless to say, this resolution is usually psychologically demanding, and patients may feel forever impacted by the experience of infertility.”
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.