Your emotional well-being affects your fertility, so it’s important to go into your IVF procedure with a positive mindset and attitude. Draw strength from your partners, friends and family, and don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for the support that you need. Women may or may not successfully conceive after a single cycle of IVF, so be realistic about your chances, and don’t count your eggs before they’re hatched. Throughout the process, keep communicating with your partner, and ensure that you’re on the same page.

Unfortunately, plenty of couples will find that the mental and emotional strain of IVF treatment will get to them, and negatively impact their relationship. Here’s my advice: understand that your partner may have a different way with dealing with these adverse and difficult circumstances, and don’t assume that any action or inaction on their part stems from being disinterested or unsupportive of the treatment. Some women, in trying to cope with IVF, will clam up in an effort to not overburden their partner. Other women might want to involve their partner in every single aspect of the treatment, and they may get frustrated when they feel their partner isn’t committed. Either way, the best solution is to talk through your feelings honestly and candidly, and give your partner a chance to open up as well. Don’t underestimate how mentally draining an IVF procedure can be. If the event that your partner finds it tough to cope with the ups and downs, or your partner travels overseas regularly for work, you’ll want to have a support system of close friends and family who can step in and be there for you. Many women also find that it’s useful to confide in someone who’s not their partner, as this person can provide a neutral or different perspective.

Last but not least, it’s not a wise move to set a timeline for yourself when it comes to IVF. Some women may tell themselves or their fertility specialist that they hope to conceive within two or three cycles, but this puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the whole situation. Take your treatment one step at a time, and keep focusing on the positive. If you don’t succeed with your 120 first cycle, for example, at least your fertility specialist will have amassed information that will help them fine-tune and optimize your subsequent treatment and cycles.