A research team from Boston IVF, a private, academically affiliated infertility center, in Waltham, MA conducted a randomized controlled study with 143 women, 40 years old or less, to determine if a mind-body program, delivered in a group, would yield higher pregnancy rates than treatment as usual.
I led a support group with women who were experiencing challenging fertility issues. I played a smattering of relaxation audio programs from my library, each of the weeks we met, to give them a flavor of how they could use their powerful minds to help alter their injured vision of themselves and their bodies, after all they had been through.
In addition, I introduced them to polarity and craniosacral therapy. One of the practitioners in my practice offers this treatment as a way to expand energy channels and resolve blockages.
Vicky (not her real name), who had endured several heartbreaking
miscarriages of hard-won pregancies in the past, took advantage of this
treatment (4-6 times). The practitioner said she was able to identify
some of the "body memories" that Vicky held from childhood that may have
been interfering with her ability to get pregnant and retain
pregnancies (she had had 4 miscarriages in all).
My husband and I have been going through fertility treatments for the past year, and since it all began there was dark cloud around me. The last treatment was an IVF cycle which resulted in a pregnancy, but ended a week later with a miscarriage.
I already wasn't myself, but this threw me completely off my axis.
My older sister, who also has had some problems, recommended your program and meditations. After I listen to your program the other night, it was like a weight was lifted off of me. I felt like myself again. I awoke the next day feeling good emotionally and physically. I haven't felt like that in over 18 months. So, thank you. Your program brought me back to life and out of the darkness that was with me everywhere I go.
I have a renewed hope, dream, and spirit.
Thank you from every part of my now not breaking heart.
A staff member found this excited, bubbly report about our Help with Fertility and Healthy Pregnancy & Successful Childbirth imagery on Amazon. We think it goes a bit overboard in giving excess credit to the guided imagery, but her delight and gratitude for this baby girl is palpable and fun to see. Here is what “Ang” writes:
“I cannot say enough positive things about guided imagery and affirmations. In fact, I used Help with Fertility when my husband and I were sent to a specialist and were told that we couldn't get pregnant on our own. Surprise! We did - without any help from our new doctor!
Someone just sent us the link to this very encouraging review of our Help with Fertility imagery. We think this woman nails some of the key features BR was really trying to achieve on this audio… the main thing being that there are many ways to have a positive outcome to this challenge, all the way from having your own pregnancy, to seeing your baby growing in somebody else’s belly, to adopting your child, to being at peace with not becoming a parent.
We should note that not everyone is wild about BR’s voice, but this listener liked it. We’ve also heard a lot about increased negative self-talk - this seems to be a natural by-product for many people undergoing IVF and other daunting, baby-making procedures.
Scott Simon, the 55 year old NPR reporter who hosts Weekend Edition, gets interviewed about his adoption, 5 years apart, of two little girls from China. Get out your hankies, people, and watch this.
We found attached to an order form a thank you from a woman named Mary, who wrote that our guided imagery targeted toward fertility had really helped her, and, subsequently, the pregnancy/childbirth imagery, too. We wrote back, asking if she really thought the imagery helped her conceive, or if she was just being nice, and also, what else did she try to help move the process along. Here’s what she wrote back – very helpful info for those in a similar scenario:
I had been dealing with infertility for almost four years. After the first dismal try (and “failure”, as they like to call it) with IVF, I realized I was going to need help, because the whole process was upsetting, and I wanted to be able to stick it out. I was feeling discouraged, depressed and, in a way, disabled. I began searching the web for books, CDs and videos that could help me cope.
Before beginning the second round of IVF, I purchased your CD, Help for Fertility. I listened to it every night before falling asleep. It brought me a great sense of calmness and hope. I know you could argue with me about this, but I think this relaxing, positive imagery helped me get pregnant.
Like a certain percentage of comments we find here and there on the internet (especially Amazon), the writer at first finds my voice pretty weird, but then gets used to it, and maybe even likes it (hard to say). Either way, it does get the job done of putting her to sleep! Read on, it’s funny and engaging!
My 41 year old daughter is a successful research scientist who took her time finding the right man to marry. Four years ago, she finally found him. They married a few months later and immediately tried to start a family. She could not get pregnant, in spite of the fact that there were no hindrances detected clinically in either one of them.
Sarah is a bit high strung to start with, but this situation created great levels of stress in her and for them as a couple. It was heartbreaking to watch my lovely daughter, who had so much of her life together at last, become a tense, distracted, unhappy person. She has always been a high-energy, productive, happy person.
From psychotherapist Susan P:
Someone just sent us the link to this very encouraging review of our 
My 41 year old daughter is a successful research scientist who took her time finding the right man to marry. Four years ago, she finally found him. They married a few months later and immediately tried to start a family. She could not get pregnant, in spite of the fact that there were no hindrances detected clinically in either one of them. 
