Infertility is an issue that affects many people who want to become parents, and it is likely that you will know someone who has experienced infertility in your lifetime.
Struggling with Infertility
Rather than avoiding them or feeling as if you are going to make a misstep, here are some of the actions that you should take to help people who are infertile, whether you know and are friends with them or not.
Become a Surrogate
Do you constantly think about those who do not have the advantages that you do and who cannot have children? If you want to give the gift of parenthood to others and allow them to start a family of their own, you should consider becoming a surrogate. Becoming a surrogate can allow you to help people who would make great parents and who are desperate for a child of their own to conceive and bring a baby into the world. Not only this, but you can get paid for being a surrogate, and this can help you to do your part toward ending infertility for others. As well as making you feel good, surrogacy, you will also be able to experience pregnancy without having a child of your own and will be able to develop a close connection with the people you are a surrogate for. By becoming a surrogate with the right organization, you will also get all the support that you need to see you through to the end of your pregnancy. You should then look around for organizations that can help you on your way to becoming a surrogate and that can tell you all you need to know about surrogates in the United States.
Be a Donor
Surrogacy is not the only way that you can help someone who is infertile. There are many other paths that you can follow to help those struggling with infertility that do not take up so much time and energy, and that do not change your body to such a dramatic extent. For instance, you might decide to become a sperm or egg donor. To become a sperm or egg donor, you need to be between the ages of 18-44, and you also need to be healthy, with no concerns within your medical history. If you are donating eggs, you also need to have a regular period each month. To find out whether you are suitable, you will need to book in a few assessment sessions where a professional can decide whether you are a good candidate for donation. After this, the process is relatively simple, although it is slightly more complex for women, who will need to take part in the first stages of IVF in order to have their eggs extracted. However, becoming a donor comes with many benefits, as well as feeling as if you have gained purpose and had a positive impact on the world and the lives of others.
Be a Listening Ear
If your friend is struggling with the knock-on effects of infertility, though, all you need to do is to provide a listening ear for them. By offering them a shoulder to cry on, and simply sitting with them, you will be giving them the chance to express feelings and emotions that they might have previously bottled up in a safe and non-judgmental setting. You should also avoid giving advice to them, as it is likely that they will have already thought hard about their options, and you might not have complete knowledge of their situation or of infertility solutions. Even if they do not want to talk, being with them in silence can ensure that they do not feel so alone and can provide them with a comforting presence that can calm their emotions and enable them to relax after weeks of stress and tension. You could plan to meet up with them in a neutral setting or in one of your homes, or you might simply continue to check in with them by phone or text. Giving them multiple communication options will allow them to choose a method that suits them.
Offer to Help With Chores
However, if you are looking for a more practical way that you can support your friend through this common issue and get them through this difficult time, you might offer to help them with chores. These daily tasks, such as cooking and cleaning, can often go out of the window when someone is distressed, and they can quickly get into a vicious cycle where the state of their home and environment negatively affects their mood more. This means that you should try to support them and give them your hands in any way that you can, including fetching groceries and taking them to doctor’s appointments. You should always ask them what they need and want from you first though, and you should not presume that you know the right way to help, or this can distress them further.
Research Resources
Another way that you can show your support is to be in the know and to try and avoid ignorance at every stage of the infertility journey. This can enable you to be sensitive and recognize the best ways that you can help, as well as make sure that they do not have to spend their free time teaching you about a subject matter that might pain them to talk about in detail. If they want you to and agree, you might even be able to support them in finding new and developing treatments that could help them to get the baby that they desire and that can allow them to feel fulfilled. However, when you are looking for this information, you should make sure that you are using respectable websites and journals to conduct this research, or you might find that you are offering them unreliable details. You might also ask them whether they would like you to attend their appointments with them, as this can give you the opportunity to understand and take notes for them while they deal with the emotional side of what the doctor tells them.
