Nova IVF initiated Circle of Hope Support Group for More Than 2,000 couples struggling with Infertility in Maharashtra

Infertility is still a taboo in Indian society, with women having to bear the brunt of it, in most of the cases. It’s often seen people struggling with infertility feel hopeless, helpless, and lonely because there is a lot of hush hush around the topic and at the same time, they do not get an enabling environment to share their feelings. With the objective of bringing & connecting the people and helping to understand that there are many people living with similar issues, Nova has initiated “Support Groups”. Nova’s support group is called ‘Circle of Hope’. The Circle of Hope (CoH) meetings are those gatherings or get-togethers where a group of people with similar problems/concerns/issues come together and provide help and companionship to one another. Due to the nature of these groups, the participants feel comfortable sharing their problems without any hesitation. More than 5,000 couples are a part of it and have got support and counseling through this group.

Mrs. Nyra Kapoor (name changed) *, who worked in a Mumbai-based MNC was battling infertility. She researched Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) on Google and was anxious about the treatment. She was working and simultaneously had to come for injections. The psychological Counsellor observed the stress and confusion of hers and arranged for a CoH with the patient who was working in MNC and had 1-2 failed cycles as well. Mrs. Nyra also expressed her willingness to speak to someone who is of her age group, working and had a similar journey to hers.

In the first place, Mrs. Nyra felt connected and relieved to see someone like her, who managed the treatment and work simultaneously. The CoH also helped her to gain confidence to go for further treatment. The realization that there are many people like her who are trying to achieve pregnancy and doing whatever it takes to fulfill their dream of parenthood. People in every walk of life go through infertility, strike a work-life balance and continue with their procedure. During her stimulation time, which is day 5 or 7, a deciding stage for the doctor when the follicles are developing, she was calm and composed. Her first cycle failed, but she didn’t panic. A repeat cycle was done, embryos were frozen, and she was pregnant after repeating frozen embryo transfer. There are many other patients like Mrs. Kapoor who was able to emotionally support and help through this circle of hope.

Diana Crasta, Chief Psychologist, Nova IVF Fertility said, “Infertility is seen when the male or female is unable to conceive due to a problem with the reproductive system of either partner. Currently, infertility cases are rising at an alarming rate in the country owing to various factors such as obesity, stress, smoking, suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and eating disorders. It is essential to address this issue with the right kind of approach and provide that much-needed support to the ones undergoing infertility treatment. This is where support groups come in. It can help to provide mental and emotional support to patients in such tense situations.”

The concept of The Circle of Hope (COH) support group was initiated in 2015, and the first meeting was conducted in 2016 so that people with similar problems and concerns come together and discuss their life wherein others listen to them. This support group is a way to share each other’s experiences and journeys. This platform was created for people to come together, share their problems and interact with each other so that they feel they are not alone in the journey. Along with treatment, dispelling myths about infertility, how to cope with stress and people will also talk about their personal life experiences. Initially, there was one circle of hope that was not very consistent. Now, people voluntarily come and talk about their experiences since 2017 and even during the pandemic. Virtual sessions were conducted by COH for couples during the lockdown. Many women, who were Covid positive, restarted their treatment, and got pregnant and spoke about their journey to educate others. People were still enthusiastic to attend COH meetings and were happy that they were being heard and taken care of. The Circle of Hope helps to develop an optimistic approach when it comes to those with infertility.

“Infertility is a physical condition and a biological issue, not a social issue. One feels that she is alone as infertility can take a terrible emotional toll on women or couples. While the end goal can be incredibly rewarding, the accompanying risks can be daunting. In India, having children is the social norm while infertility is socially stigmatized. Infertility has a profound effect on the psychological and social well-being of women much more than men. IVF cycles can often evoke powerful feelings including inadequacy and vulnerability, as well as cause disruption of relationships. Counseling plays a very important role in helping the couples glide through the cycle with as much emotional support as possible. The patients are often not well educated due to a lack of awareness about fertility preservation”, said Diana

Diana Crasta added, “The Circle of Hope is an excellent way for patients to educate themselves about the nuances of the treatments from someone who has experienced it first-hand. This also helps promote a secure feeling among the patients, giving them the necessary support and helping them realize that they are not alone in this journey and ensures their emotional wellbeing. There is a fear that people will get judgmental towards women with infertility, not accept them, and ridicule them. This circle of hope helps to manage emotions by giving one-to-one or group counseling or even couple counseling. While the expert group of doctors and embryologists do an excellent job in ensuring success, these groups bring in the much-needed emotional support to make the treatment cycle easier. Even a little extra help does go a long way in ensuring success. Men taking any ARTs speak to other men with similar experiences and clear their doubts. These groups are the need of the hour and an add-on to the treatment. Approximately 2,000 people have been benefited through the CoH in the state of Maharashtra,” said Diana Crasta.

The circle of hope is a great initiative taken by Nova IVF Fertility, for the people who are planning to take fertility treatment which provides the support system during the fertility journey. It gives the platform to share their concerns, issues or feelings and at the same time, empowers them in taking informed decisions regarding treatment. Infertility and the struggle around it is a reality and most couples are vulnerable and feel overwhelmed during treatment. This group sends the message that we are together in this and there.