What Are the Pros and Cons of Fertility Treatments?

The pros and cons of fertility treatments are numerous and include the cost of the treatments, the impact on the physical and mental health of the person or couple undergoing the treatments, as well as how an individual or couple feels about having a child. For many people, having a child is an important part of living a fulfilling life. When a person is unable to conceive a child naturally with a partner, she may experience negative feelings and her relationship with her partner may come under stress. Fertility treatments may be able to help a couple have a child, but may come at a steep price in terms of their financial, mental, and physical health.

In countries that do not provide infertility care as part of a government health plan, the cost can be extremely high. In some cases, the cost is so high that a couple simply cannot afford the treatments without doing irreparable harm to their finances. In such cases, adopting a child or remaining child-free may be a better financial option. Some health insurance companies may cover the cost of treatments, however, making the them, in some cases, less expensive than adoption. If a couple is particularly concerned about finances, they should consult with their health insurance company to see what kind of coverage is offered.

In some cases, fertility drugs are used to address infertility, and these drugs can have an impact on a patient's physical and emotional health. Surgical fertility treatments may have less of an effect on the emotional health of the patient, but can be invasive and may require time off of work in order to recuperate. The stress of multiple treatments, as well as the potential psychological side-effects of hormonal fertility medication, can take a toll on a couple's relationship. In such situations, a couple may wish to work with a counselor who can help them decide whether their unhappiness at not being able to conceive outweighs the potential stress of ongoing fertility treatments.

Another consideration is the priority that an individual or couple places on having a child who is biologically related to one or both partners. Some fertility treatments involve the use of donor sperm donor eggs, and for some people this can be emotionally difficult. Once again, exploring feelings about this type of procedure can be important in the decision-making process. Couples who find that it doesn't matter to them whether their child is genetically related may then have to decide whether adoption is an acceptable and realistic alternative.