Steps taken to reduce stress and boost emotional health, such as practicing yoga, can actually enhance the success of fertility treatments, notes a University Reproductive Associates infertility specialist.

University Reproductive Associates’ Dr. Rita Gulati discusses how measures taken to help infertile couples relieve stress during treatment can enhance their chances of success.

According to the National Institutes of Health, one in eight American couples struggles with infertility, and many of them will turn to a range of fertility treatments to help them build their family. While the expert team at Hasbrouck Heights-based University Reproductive Associates (URA) offers patients the most leading-edge medical services, diagnostic testing and fertility treatments — from hormone therapy to intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and more — they’re equally focused on helping patients manage their stress and mental health during the fertility treatment process.

Without a doubt, confirmed Rita Gulati, MD, FACOG, reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at URA, the infertility experience can be extremely stress-inducing.

Rita Gulati, MD, FACOG, reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at URA

 “Infertility can often introduce stress as patients undergo medical procedures, feel uncertain about the outcome, are concerned about the financial costs, and grapple with unwanted advice from well-meaning friends and families trying to be helpful,” Dr. Gulati said. “At the same time, people often feel shame, guilt, and/or isolation when they can’t reproduce naturally, and that reality can cause communication breakdowns between couples and strain marriages or partnerships.”

“Physiologically, the body goes into a fight-or-flight state to protect itself when it’s under stress, driving an elevation in heart rate, blood pressure and energy level to help the body through the situation,” Dr. Gulati noted. “But when this occurs repeatedly for long periods of time, as can happen to those experiencing infertility, people can feel overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, depressed and/or irritable.”

For those reasons, Dr. Gulati reiterated the importance of supporting a patient’s mental state through the process because steps taken to reduce stress and boost emotional health can actually enhance the success of fertility treatments. “The fact is, stress can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones involved in conception,” she said. “Studies show that couples struggling with infertility who report positive feelings and lower levels of stress have higher fertility success rates.”

While addressing infertility issues, it’s also important for couples to schedule time to do fun things together.

Top Tips for Reducing Stress

“Though we can’t eliminate stress from our lives completely, we can work to minimize it,” said Dr. Gulati. Following are some of her top tips for reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being during fertility treatments:

• Embrace Aerobic Exercise — “Activities like walking, running or swimming boost the release of feel-good endorphins in the body,” she said.
• Practice Yoga — “Yoga is a great lifestyle exercise that brings breathing, mind and body all together for tremendous health benefits,” Dr. Gulati said.
• Explore Acupuncture — Another modality that positively impacts both body and mind, “acupuncture helps improve uterine and ovarian blood flow and brings relaxation and peace,” she said.
• Be Mindful — According to Dr. Gulati, meditation, journaling and guided imagery help keep people in a relaxed state and deliver both physical and emotional benefits.
• Connect with Others — “Many couples benefit from reading self-help books, connecting with local mental health counselors (whom we can refer them to), or participating in couples or fertility-based group therapy so that they don’t feel so alone,” she said. “Support from family, friends and community members can also be helpful.”
• Establish Your Boundaries — Dr. Gulati recommends being respectful of those who share unwanted fertility advice, but understanding where the input is coming from and taking it with a grain of salt as necessary. “Sometimes it helps to change the topic or postpone the conversation to another time, but always while keeping the tone of the discussion and your outlook positive,” she said.
• Schedule Date Nights — “It’s not always good for couples to go ‘all in’ on fertility treatments and then that’s the only thing they talk about,” said Dr. Gulati, who reminds couples to keep things in perspective. “Schedule time to do fun things you enjoy and try not to let treatment overwhelm your life.”

A Holistic Approach to Patients

“At URA, our team of specialists sees patients as a whole — they’re not just a medical diagnosis,” Dr. Gulati confirmed of her practice. “We understand the struggles associated with infertility, the important relationship between stress and infertility, and the techniques that can enhance the chances of a successful outcome. We talk with our patients, listen to their concerns, and help educate and map out the process with them to give them a sense of control and make them feel heard. Everyone at URA is part of our patients’ support team and we take pride in being their biggest fans and cheerleaders,” she said. “Ultimately, there’s a way for everyone to build their family and we’re here to help.”

For Dr. Gulati, seeing her patients’ dreams become reality is among her favorite parts of the job. “I love helping people navigate their fertility journey and then witnessing their sense of peace and completeness at the end,” she said. “It’s extremely rewarding to enhance their success and help bring them joy.”

For More Information

With locations in Hasbrouck Heights, Hoboken and Wayne, University Reproductive Associates has been helping patients complete their journey to a joyful pregnancy for over three decades. For more information, call 201-288-6330 or visit uranj.com.