Fertility and Hypnosis: The Mid-Body Connection

If you are facing challenges in fertility, you’ve likely read just about everywhere about the importance of “the Mid-Body Connection” as part of your conception plan. This is a proven statistic in many studies. A Harvard University study showed that 55% of women conceived after following a mind-body practice versus only 20% of those who didn’t. And 76% of those conceiving had done so naturally in 12 months. Ready to learn more?

What is the mind-body connection?

Our minds and bodies do not exist separately. Our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and past experiences powerfully affect our bodies. Stress, in particular, affects our hormones our muscle tension and contributes to everything from migraines to high blood pressure, digestive issues to decreased blood flow, and more. It makes sense, then, that our body’s ability to conceive and carry a pregnancy can be directly affected by our mental and emotional health.

How does my mental and emotional health affect my fertility?

Studies have shown that women suffering from stress, anxiety, or depression are half as likely to conceive as those who don’t. Furthermore, the emotional effects of dealing with infertility and treatments have demonstrated the same levels of stress and despair as being diagnosed with a terminal illness! This only adds to the difficulty in conception. Our reproductive hormones are regulated by the same part of the brain that manages other hormones – particularly those dealing with stress. It is no surprise that reproduction and stress are intertwined.

How can I create and maintain a healthy mind-body connection that meets my needs?

There are many varieties of methods to create a conscious mind-body connection. Some commonly suggested ones are yoga, self- or guided meditation and visualization, self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy, biofeedback, acupuncture, and therapy or counseling. You need to find one you feel comfortable with, which also helps create a strong, healthy connection and self-awareness.

How does hypnosis help create and maintain the mind-body connection and enhance fertility?

Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation that allows individuals to access their subconscious mind, where beliefs and behaviors are stored. By accessing the subconscious mind, hypnosis can:

• Reduce stress! Hypnosis can help you attain greater control over your mental and emotional state, which in turn has a strong effect on the endocrine system and help better regulate hormones – particularly cortisol and other stress-related hormones. Did you know that the stress levels of many involved in fertility treatment are equal to those who have received a terminal medical diagnosis? Stress hormones affect heart and breathing rates, blood flow, blood pressure, and digestion and can influence or decrease the production of hormones required for ovulation and implantation! Stress isn’t just an emotion, it is a physical state affecting your body and mind. Learning to self-calm and achieve deep relaxation quickly can improve your quality of life and overall health – and significantly improve your chances of successful fertility treatments!
• Increasing confidence: Hypnosis can help you to feel more confident and positive about your fertility treatment. This can improve your mental and emotional state, which can have a positive impact on your physical health and fertility. Your confidence is tied to your ability to be a strong advocate for yourself, to be able to think clearly and rationally, to make good decisions, and to better care for yourself.
• Be better prepared for and cope more effectively with fertility treatments and procedures: Being prepared for and maintaining calm during treatments and procedures contributes to creating that healthy hormonal balance, leading to better outcomes and reducing the harmful physical effects of stress. By working on specific areas that may cause anxiety and providing the tools to cope and get through procedures – such as blood draws or egg retrievals – or appointments more smoothly, your mind will help your body will be in a better position to achieve success.
• Addressing subconscious beliefs: Hypnosis can help you identify and address any subconscious beliefs or fears that may affect your fertility. For example, some individuals may have beliefs about their ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term, affecting their fertility. Past experiences or outdated beliefs may be causing the subconscious blockage. Hypnosis can help to address these beliefs and replace them with more positive and supportive beliefs.
• Enhancing visualization: Hypnosis can be used to enhance visualization, which can help you to visualize a successful outcome for your fertility journey. This can help to reduce anxiety and increase feelings of hope and optimism. Using direct and indirect suggestions, affirmations, and symbolic and supportive guided visualizations, your hypnotist can guide you toward hope rather than fear and can give your subconscious mind a strong sense of your body and mind working together toward your goal on a deep inner level. The importance of hypnotic visualization was documented in a medical study that more than doubled the success of IVF procedures using hypnosis to create a visualization during an embryo transfer procedure! Imagine having support throughout the process.

How does hypnosis fit into my fertility treatment plan?

The wonderful thing about hypnosis is that it is non-invasive and perfectly complements any form of treatment you are receiving, medical or holistic, while also boosting any other mind-body practices you are doing. Meditation is often mentioned as an excellent way to achieve mind-body connection – but did you know that hypnosis is shown to establish a meditative mind state far more quickly? Hypnosis is something you can do that is created to fit your situation uniquely, providing you not only with support throughout your infertility journey but giving you a life skill that can serve you going forward for the rest of your happier, healthier life.

What can I expect from a good hypnotist? What should I be looking for?

A good hypnotist will help you develop the skill of self-hypnosis, which can serve you all through life and create sessions directly addressing your personal needs and issues. You may work with someone virtually or in person. They may have specific sessions that work toward specific stages of treatment or procedure. You will want to work with someone certified, preferably one trained in fertility-specific hypnosis or hypnofertility, in particular. Be sure that your hypnotist supports your type of treatment choices, meeting you where you are in your fertility journey.

What will I have to do as a client?

An open heart and mind is a great place to start. Be ready to be fully committed to your treatment – you are an active participant – even when you are under hypnosis! You’ll get the best benefits if you follow directions, practice your techniques, and listen to any support recordings provided. Realize this is a process – not magic, even though it can feel that way!  – and will likely take several sessions to truly achieve maximum benefits. Your success will come to you at the right time and in the right way.