Margaret Dunne

The desire to have children is one of our most basic instincts and fundamental desires. Unanticipated difficulties conceiving can have a negative impact on everything from your outlook on life to your closest relationships. Research has shown that the stress associated with a diagnosis of infertility is comparable with the stress associated with a diagnosis of cancer.

Individuals and couples entering fertility treatment face the further stress of uncertainty of outcome and the possibility of unsuccessful treatment cycles. Fertility treatments can have a huge impact on each person not just physically but emotionally, psychologically and socially. Many people experience feelings of anger, isolation, depression, loss of control, fear of the unknown and frustration.

Fertility therapy provides support in dealing with family, friends and the fertile world, can help reduce feelings of isolation and can provide a supportive environment as you are undergoing fertility treatment. When a donor is involved, fertility therapy helps the recipients discuss emerging issues including how they really feel about undergoing this procedure and the possible difficulties involved. My role is to offer emotional and psychological support at this time. I am completely independent of all the fertility treatment clinics and utterly impartial.

Fertility issues include:

• I.V.F.
• Egg freezing
• Donor egg
• Donor sperm
• Double donation
• Same sex parenting
• Donor embryo
• Surrogacy
• Relationships after fertility treatment
• Anxiety and depression due to fertility issues
• Miscarriage and bereavement