Emotional Support

At Northwestern Medicine, we understand that the journey to parenthood may involve a long and winding path that can take an emotional toll on individuals, couples and families. You may feel a sense of loss, anger or guilt. These feelings can change over the course of treatment and can differ for men and women.

Because of the differences in coping strategies, men and women facing infertility may have difficulty communicating with each other, which can lead to misunderstandings and strains on their marriage. Avoiding the subject and blaming yourself can also cause stress for individuals and couples.

Comprehensive Care

Because infertility and its treatment can result in diverse emotional reactions, we offer personalized pre-treatment psychological consultation, individual and couples counseling, psychological assessment, and emotional support to you through the infertility treatment process and beyond.

These emotional support services focus on the often complex nature of emotions around fertility treatment. We can help you:

Cope with the stress of treatment
Understand and adjust to the feelings of grief and loss that may arise if you need to use donor eggs or sperm, or a gestational carrier
Explore the decision to become a single parent
Manage depression or anxiety
Manage relationship issues with your partner, family and friends
Cope with negative pregnancy test results or pregnancy loss
Manage non-fertility related stress

When to Schedule an Appointment

An appointment with one of our providers is scheduled for you as part of the in vitro fertilization registration process, as well as when choosing to use donor sperm or donor eggs, or a gestational carrier.

Other times when appointments could be beneficial to you:

After negative pregnancy results or a pregnancy loss
When you are unsure about emotional readiness to continue or end treatment
If you are considering disclosing your use of assisted reproduction to your child or others
When you are considering multiple pregnancy reduction or pregnancy termination
If you have been diagnosed with cancer and are concerned about your future fertility
If your mood begins to interfere with your daily functioning, your relationship, your work or other aspects of your life
If you and/or your partner notice increased difficulties in your relationship

Request an Appointment

You may be referred to our psychologists by a healthcare provider, or you may self-refer.

Call 312.695.7269 to schedule an appointment and to ask about your insurance coverage for outpatient mental health benefits.

Meet Our Team

Emotional support services are provided by our three licensed clinical psychologists, who have specialized training in psychological issues related to infertility, reproductive loss, parenting and other reproductive concerns, and all specialize in women’s reproductive health.

Susan C. Klock, PhD

Angela K. Lawson, PhD

Amelia Swanson, PhD

RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS CLINIC

Recurrent pregnancy loss can be physically and emotionally difficult. At the Northwestern Medicine Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Clinic, we help people become parents by offering comprehensive care that addresses both their medical and psychological needs.

HOW TO COPE AFTER MISCARRIAGE

WHAT NOT TO SAY TO SOMEONE WITH INFERTILITY CONCERNS

DEALING WITH INFERTILITY
Angela Lawson, PhD

STRESS AND YOUR INFERTILITY TREATMENT
Susan Klock, PhD

Northwestern Medicine
Center for Fertility & Reproductive Medicine