Boston doctor discusses mental health impact of infertility

SHAYNA: FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TONIGHT. THE IMPACT OF INFERTILITY. A NEW REPORT FROM THE WORLD HEALTH GUYS ASIAN SAYS IT AFFECTS ONE IN SIX PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IS DR. MANUEL PACHECO, A PSYCHIATRIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. ED: THE WHO CALLS THIS NEW STATISTIC STAGGERING. WE WILL REPEAT IT FOR YOU. ONE IN SIX. BUT IF INFERTILITY IS SO COMMON, WHY DO SOME COUPLE SAY THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? >> INFERTILITY IS A VERY COMMON, SENSITIVE, PRIVATE AND INTIMATE ISSUE PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED DISCUSSING WITH OTHER PEOPLE. HOWEVER, IF YOU TALK ABOUT IT WITH CLOSE FRIENDS OR FROM MEMBERS, PEOPLE ARE FREQUENTLY SURPRISED HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES . THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT THAT CAN BE FOUND WHEN YOU SHARE WITH TRUSTED PEOPLE. PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. IT IS COMFORTING AND CAN MARKEDLY DECREASE YOUR SENSE OF ISOLATION. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SHARE THAT WITH SOME PEOPLE AND A LOT OF COUPLES I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE FOUND A LOT OF SUPPORT AND IT DECREASES THE ISOLATION BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES DEALING WITH IT AND YOU ARE NOT. SHAYNA: THOSE NEGATIVE FEELINGS CAN TRIGGER MORE SERIOUS CONDITIONS SUCH AS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. OR THEIR ANTIDEPRESSANTS THAT YOU CAN SAFELY PRESCRIBE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO CONCEIVE? >> THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS I HAVE BEEN ASKED WHEN I SEE PEOPLE IN MEDICAL AND SURGICAL UNITS IS WHAT IS SAFE DURING PREGNANCY AND CONCEPTION AND WHEN YOU ARE BREAST-FEEDING. PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY RELUCTANT TO TAKE ANYTHING THAT IS UNNECESSARY DURING THESE PERIODS BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO HARM THE BABY OR DECREASE THEIR CHANCES OF GETTING PREGNANT. HOWEVER THIS IS KIND OF A CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN WITH THEIR OBSTETRICIAN GYNECOLOGIST OR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER. THERE ARE MEDICATIONS. SOME ARE SAFE THAT CAN BE USED. THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT OTHER ALTERNATIVE THINGS YOU CAN USE TO HELP WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SUCH AS THINGS LIKE ACUPUNCTURE AND MEDITATION. THE WHOLE POINT IS THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO BE AN ONGOING PROCESS WITH THE PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF YOU BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM YOU THAT COULD HELP YOU DURING THIS EXCITING AND STRESSFUL TIME. ED: SOME INFERTILITY TREATMENTS CAN TAKE YEARS. IT IS NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT CAN COST A LOT OF MONEY. I CAN BE REALLY HARD IN A RELATIONSHIP. WHAT DO YOU WANT COUPLES TO KNOW ABOUT COPING WITH THE STRAIN? >> IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE PEOPLE. THINGS LIKE SUPPORT GROUPS AND OTHERWISE. ONE OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC IS SUPPORT GROUPS HAVE BECOME VIRTUAL WHEREAS BEFORE IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT TO THE PLACE PHYSICALLY WHERE PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE GROUPS IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE IS A WEBSITE I WANT TO MENTION TO PEOPLE. IT IS CALLED RESOLVE NEW ENGLAND .ORG. IT IS A BIG RESOURCE THAT TALKS ABOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS, OTHER THINGS YOU CAN MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU. BETWEEN A WEBSITE LIKE THAT AND TALKING TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE, YOUR OB/GYN PROVIDERS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO TAKE THAT OUT OF YOUR HANDS. ED

Boston psychiatrist discusses mental health impact of infertility

Updated: 5:29 PM EDT Apr 5, 2023

In what it calls a staggering new statistic, the World Health Organization reports infertility affects one in six people worldwide.

BOSTON —

In what it calls a staggering new statistic, the World Health Organization reports infertility affects one in six people worldwide.