Online Infertility Support Groups: Finding Your Community

The Importance of Infertility Support Groups

A recent Canadian study¹ surveyed hundreds of women and men struggling with infertility about their need and desire for online peer support groups. The anonymous online survey found, not surprisingly, that just above 80 percent of men and almost 90 percent of women expressed interest in joining infertility support groups online to help them grapple with the stress involved in trying to conceive (TTC). That tracks. Although nearly 15 percent of couples report fertility problems (that's millions of people), many of them feel very isolated because of the stigma surrounding infertility.² Those stresses were heightened for couples in a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious communities where discussing matters of sexuality and fertility carries even more stigma or stress. And as science has discovered, increased levels of stress can impede bodily processes required to create a hospitable environment for conceiving and carrying out a healthy pregnancy.³ Studies have shown that online social and emotional support groups for individuals experiencing infertility can help buffer participants against depression and anxiety, which seems to offer some improvement in pregnancy rates.⁴

The Benefits of Joining Online Infertility Support Groups

Many online infertility support groups exist, and certainly, there is at least one out there that will match what you are looking for—whether you are looking for a local online support group with in-person meeting options, or you are looking for a specific IVF support group online, etc. Finding the right one for you may take some “lurking” and may involve some moments where you struggle to find the right words to introduce yourself and your situation. Once you get involved, however, you may discover some tangible emotional and mental health benefits that can help you cope better as you walk through your fertility journey:

More Community, Lower Stress

If you’ve been carrying a lot of stress from infertility in your mind and body (they are intrinsically connected, after all), sharing your experience in an online support group with people who are going through the same type of struggle can lower your stress levels by helping you see that you are not alone in your TTC struggle. There is a whole community out there who understands. Studies show that empathy, shared advice, and even friendships developed through infertility support groups online lowered stress levels and gave people a supportive outlet to share their frustrations.⁵

Online Support, 24/7

If you’re up in a panic or fit of tears over your infertility journey at 2 a.m., you can log into your infertility or IVF support group online and get your feelings out right then and there. Sometimes, just getting those feelings out in a post or looking through other posts and offering support and solidarity in the middle of the night can relieve stress and allow you to go back to sleep. When you wake up, other members may have expressed their solidarity, or you may find someone else up in the middle of the night to chat with who is going through the same thing.

Advocacy and Information

Online support groups can be a good source of information and resources that you might not have heard about before. For instance, Pulling Down the Moon’s Fully Fertile App is not only a place to connect with a wonderful infertility support group, but our holistic fertility service providers have decades of scientific knowledge and expertise to share with couples seeking help to get pregnant. In our online fertility support group in the app, you can access articles, resources, information, and support to help you move forward on your journey.

So, when it feels like nobody else in your family or friend group understands what you’re going through, joining an online infertility support group can help you find that support and community that you deeply need to lower your stress levels.

How to Find the Right Infertility Support Group Online

That said, there are many infertility support groups online, and not all of them are going to suit your needs. Some have a local focus that's out of your geographical area. Some are wonderful faith-based groups. Some are especially for the LGBTQ+ community. Others are focused on supporting those going through the grieving process. Some are specifically geared towards being an IVF support group online.

3 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Online Support Groups

1. Be Open to Sharing

Remember, you are opening up in a group where everyone else is on a similar journey. Be willing to introduce yourself and share your story to your comfort level. In addition to sharing as you go, be sure to express empathy and support to others in the group. You’ll start becoming part of the community and start building and expanding it through your efforts as well. You may even make lifelong friends this way.

2. Engage Consistently

As you begin to post regularly, be sure to look through other posts and respond with support. Come back often and offer the support you’re seeking. These online support groups can become a place where you can share, receive, offer hope, and join together in your shared dreams of growing your families.

3. Leverage Additional Tools

Many support groups offer access to resources, workshops, meet-ups, and research about infertility. Make sure to delve into these resources and get to know everything your infertility support groups have to offer. As you spend more time in the group and understand its tools and resources better, you’ll be able to help other new community members enjoy those resources and the hope they provide too.

When Is the Right Time to Seek Online Support?

Anytime you feel like you need it. There’s no “appropriate” time to wait if you feel like the stress of infertility is too overwhelming for you. Don’t wait! Seek support today! Right now! Once you’re connecting with your new, empathetic community who “gets it”, you’ll probably wonder why you didn’t join an online infertility support group sooner.

How Pulling Down the Moon Supports Your Fertility Journey

Our Pulling Down the Moon team has created the Fully Fertile App to help everyone (even those outside of the Chicago and Highland Park area) connect to the amazing, supportive community we have built to share the emotional load of the journey toward trying to conceive. If you’re in the area, schedule an initial consultation to meet our patient advocate in person, or simply contact us with any questions regarding our holistic fertility services and the infertility support community we’ve created for you. Don’t wait! We’re here for you now!

References

1. ¹Grunberg, P. H., Dennis, C.-L., Da Costa, D., & Zelkowitz, P. (2018). Infertility patients’ need and preferences for online peer support. Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online, 6, 80–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbms.2018.10.016
2. ²NIH. (2018, February 8). How Common Is infertility? Http://Www.nichd.nih.gov/. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common‌
3. ³Rooney, K. L., & Domar, A. D. (2018). The relationship between stress and infertility. Body-Mind Interaction in Psychiatry, 20(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.31887/dcns.2018.20.1/klrooney
4. ⁴Erčulj, V. I., & Žiberna, A. (2021). The Role of Online Social Support in Patients Undergoing Infertility Treatment – A Comparison of Pregnant and Non-pregnant Members. Health Communication, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1915517
5. ⁵‌Malik, S. H., & Coulson, N. S. (2010). Coping with infertility online: An examination of self-help mechanisms in an online infertility support group. Patient Education and Counseling, 81(2), 315–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2010.01.007