Fertility Counselling

Pre-conception and fertility support

Narelle has specialised her practice in the area of Infertility counselling for close to 20 years. She is an active member of ANZICA (Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association), the professional association for infertility counsellors practising in Australia and New Zealand. Infertility counsellors must have and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the contemporary human reproductive technologies, the legislative frameworks within which the technologies are practised, and the emotional/ psychological experiences and needs of infertility patients and other relevant third parties.

Specialist infertility counselling provides an opportunity to ensure that anyone undertaking fertility treatment understands the possible consequences of the proposed treatment for themselves, their relationships, family and any child born as a result of treatment.

Support may be sought for:

• assistance with coping with non-pregnancy cycles/treatment failure
• Help to better manage the emotional and physical demands of treatment
• developing stress management/coping skills and self-care strategies

In some cases, counselling may be concerned with more disturbing and distressing consequences of both infertility and fertility treatment. Such as:

• clinical disorders such as depression, anxiety and panic states
• relationship difficulties, including sexual difficulties and dysfunction
• grief and loss issues related to infertility, pregnancy loss, repeated treatment failure
• preparing for and adjusting to ceasing treatment and planning for the future
• preparing for and adjusting to parenthood after a long period of infertility,  including adjusting to parenting a child conceived with the help of a donor or surrogate.
• The decision to conclude treatment when treatment has not been successful

Fertility Preservation

More and more people are wondering whether they should protect and preserve their fertility for the future. For some, fertility preservation treatment is recommended in the context of a medical diagnosis where the treatment places their fertility is at risk (eg cancer). For others, it might be that they are not yet ready to become parents, but want to ensure they are still fertile when the time is right to begin trying for a pregnancy – a type of “fertility insurance policy”. We can support your decision making around whether to embark on fertility preservation, and what the best treatment might be for you. Queensland Family and Fertility Support remains proudly independent from all fertility treatment providers.