About this episode
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you'll explore the emotional and psychological realities behind why so many women with PCOS choose to step away from fertility treatments. Drawing from a research article titled “Dropout of Infertility Treatments and Related Factors Among Infertile Couples” , this conversation dives into the personal reasons behind treatment discontinuation and what that means for women who are still hoping to grow their families. If you’ve ever felt the heavy emotional toll of month-to-month hoping, anxiety and disappointment, this episode offers a compassionate insight into a part of the fertility journey that’s rarely discussed openly. Needing a Break Fertility Tracking and Treatments Whether you're undergoing IVF or tracking cycles naturally at home, the journey is often marked by uncertainty, exhaustion, and emotional pain. You'll learn how psychological stress, not just finances or physical challenges, is the number one reason many women choose to take a break or stop trying altogether. This episode explores a mixed-method study conducted in Iran that analyzed over 400 infertile couples, combining global research, patient data, and in-depth interviews. What makes this study unique is how it blends hard data with emotional insight. While financial and physical stress were certainly contributing factors, the most significant reason women stepped away from treatment was emotional burnout. You'll discover how a lack of communication, misunderstood diagnoses, and feeling dismissed by medical teams created a deep sense of powerlessness that pushed many women to their emotional limits. The Emotional Toll of Fertility Treatments for Women with PCOS Women with PCOS often face more intense and prolonged fertility journeys. Between irregular ovulation, hormone imbalances, and metabolic challenges, treatment cycles can be longer, less predictable, and more emotionally taxing. In this episode, you’ll hear how the emotional burden builds and why some women feel like their care becomes a runaway train, something happening to them, rather than a process they are in control of. You’ll also hear encouragement that it’s okay to take a break and that doing so can actually be a powerful step toward reclaiming emotional and physical wellbeing. Reclaiming Agency in Your Fertility Journey One of the key takeaways from this research is the concept of agency. In this episode, you’ll learn why making informed, empowered decisions about your fertility care, even when that means pausing or walking away, is essential. Ashlene discusses how women can ask the right questions, advocate for themselves with their care team, and get the emotional support they need outside of medical appointments. Whether that support comes from a therapist, coach, or trusted community, it’s a vital part of the process that often goes ignored in standard fertility treatment plans. You can take the quiz to discover your root cause here Dropout of infertility treatments and related factors among infertile couples Let’s continue the conversation on Instagram! What did you find helpful in this episode and what follow-up questions do you have? The full list of Resources & References Mentioned can be found on the Episode webpage at: https://nourishedtohealthy.com/ep-168