Research has shown that our mental state affects the outcomes of treatment in all disease conditions, including infertility, where it may decrease the chances of conception. Couples dealing with infertility go through immense stress, often times severe depression, as the follow up and treatment of infertility itself may cause anxiety and depression.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are talking to practising psychologist Dr. Alice Domar, a pioneer in the field of mind/body medicine, director of integrative care at Boston IVF and associate professor of reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School. She conducts ongoing ground-breaking research which focuses on the relationship between stress and various medical conditions, the impact of cognitive behavioural interventions, as well as the impact of lifestyle habits on mental and physical health. She has been a keynote speaker and workshop leader at conferences worldwide.

In this webinar Dr. Domar will highlight effective mind-body strategies to reduce stress, decrease physical/psychological symptoms of infertility, and develop a positive mental state which may increase the chances of conception.

Expert Speaker:

Dr. Alice Domar

Dr Alice Domar is a health psychologist who focuses on the application of mind/body medicine to women’s health issues. Her research focuses on the relationship between stress and infertility, with a focus on the impact of cognitive behavioral interventions as well as access of care. She is also a practicing psychologist and does individual, couples, and group therapy. She is the executive director of the Domar Centers for Mind/Body Health, the director of mind/body services at Boston IVF, and an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. She is a past-chair of the mental health professional group of ASRM. Dr. Domar is on the board for Parents Magazine and served ten years on the board of Resolve, the National Infertility Association. She is the narrator of the DVD’s “Stress and Relaxation Explained” and “Infertility Explained”. She is the author of seven books, including “Conquering Infertility” and the co-creator of the apps FertiCalm and FertiStrong.

Host:

Shweta Mishra

Shweta is a biochemist, nutritionist, a diabetes educator, and a fertility advocate, passionate about science behind happenings of life. She finds deep interest in research, reading and writing on various medical/scientific issues of which fertility is close to her heart, being a survivor. Now a mom to a 3 year old, she struggled through more than 7 years of infertility to get her son through IVF. Her past experiences include research in cell biology, writing consumer articles for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry on subjects like preconception nutrition, infant and child nutrition, cancer, infertility, and assisted reproduction techniques including teaching biochemistry and diabetes pathophysiology. Having gone through the pains and emotional upheavals of infertility, Shweta wants to help as many people as possible to overcome the associated depression and guilt and reach the joys of parenthood, by educating through her research, discussions, and writings on this issue on CureTalks.