Fertility treatment triggers suicidal thoughts in nearly half of patients

One in 10 patients undergoing fertility treatment experience suicidal thoughts “all the time”, a survey suggests.

Fertility Network UK, which carried out the poll, said the findings reveal the “far-reaching trauma” of experiencing infertility and undergoing IVF in the UK.

Four in 10 respondents - 98% of whom were women - said they had experienced suicidal feelings.

Gwenda Burns, chief executive of Fertility Network UK, said: “Fertility patients encounter a perfect storm: not being able to have the child you long for is emotionally devastating.

"But then many fertility patients face a series of other hurdles, including potentially paying financially crippling amounts of money for their necessary medical treatment, having their career damaged, not getting information from their GP, experiencing their relationships deteriorate, and being unable to access the mental support they need."

“This is unacceptable. Infertility is a disease and is as deserving of medical help and support as any other clinical condition.”

Three in four patients said their GP did not provide sufficient information about fertility problems and treatment.

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: The Telegraph, 31 October 2022