The Role of a Reproductive Mental Health Professional During Infertility Treatments
Family building through fertility treatment is rarely a straightforward path. Medical decisions, emotional highs and lows, and deeply personal choices all converge, and often, patients navigate this without the mental health support they deserve. That’s where reproductive mental health professionals come in.
These specialists are licensed clinicians with training in both the medical and psychological aspects of family building. They play a critical role in supporting individuals and couples through infertility, loss, and third-party reproduction.
A Growing Field of Expertise
Reproductive psychology has grown significantly since emerging as a clinical specialty in the 1980s. As Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) like in-vitro fertilization became more common, so did recognition that infertility causes deep psychological distress.
Today, reproductive mental health professionals are vital members of the fertility care team. Their role is multifaceted:
They provide psychotherapy, help patients manage decision-making, support couples through loss, and offer guidance around fertility preservation and third-party reproduction.
They also counsel individuals from diverse family structures, including single parents by choice, same-sex couples, and transgender patients, on their options and emotional needs.
Reproductive mental health professionals should also be able to refer appropriately to a specialist in the field if they are presented with an issue that is beyond the scope of their expertise.
What Do Reproductive Mental Health Professionals Do?
While psychotherapy is a key part of their work, reproductive mental health professionals do much more than provide emotional support. Their expertise often includes:
Psychoeducation about treatment and its emotional impact.
Crisis counseling for patients facing pregnancy loss or failed cycles.
Couples therapy to support communication and relationship resilience.
Evaluations for egg/sperm donors and gestational carriers.
Support for third-party reproduction, including gamete donation and surrogacy.
Guidance for fertility preservation, especially for cancer patients or those delaying parenthood.
They also help parents explore how to discuss donor conception with their children in age-appropriate ways and navigate disclosure in families created through third-party reproduction.
Supporting the Clinical Team
In more recent years, greater attention has been paid to the role of reproductive mental health professionals not only as support for patients, but also as integral members of the medical team.
These professionals are uniquely positioned to educate clinic staff on the emotional needs of patients undergoing fertility treatment and to offer strategies that help prevent burnout among providers, including physicians, nurses, lab technicians, and administrators.
In some clinics, reproductive mental health professionals are embedded into the fertility team, providing immediate access to support. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that all clinics offering ART should either employ or maintain close relationships with qualified mental health professionals to meet minimum standards of care.
Those in private practice may offer broader services, including support for decision-making, stress reduction, and processing grief or trauma. For patients using donor eggs, sperm, embryos, or a gestational carrier, reproductive mental health professionals also conduct required evaluations and consultations.
Training and Qualifications
Not all therapists are equipped to handle the unique challenges of fertility treatment. According to ASRM guidelines, a reproductive mental health professional should:
Hold a master’s or doctoral degree in a field such as psychology, social work, counseling, psychiatry, or marriage and family therapy.
Be licensed to practice in their state.
Have academic and clinical training in areas such as grief and loss, crisis intervention, personality theory, and family systems.
Be trained in various therapeutic techniques, including individual, couples, and group counseling.
Have at least one year of supervised clinical experience in reproductive mental health.
Be knowledgeable about ARTs, third-party reproduction, and relevant legal and ethical considerations.
Simply put, not every licensed therapist is a reproductive mental health specialist. Experience, advanced training, and comfort navigating the complexities of fertility care are essential.
Finding the Right Support
If you’re a patient, your OB/GYN or fertility provider is a great place to start. Many practices work closely with therapists who specialize in reproductive health or have someone on staff. You can also explore in-network providers through your insurance company but be sure to research their experience with fertility-related concerns.
To find a qualified reproductive mental health professional, check the following directories:
ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). Offers a mental health provider finder and patient resources.
RESOLVE. A national infertility association with peer support, educational content, and a mental health directory.
Postpartum Support International. Offers provider referrals for mental health support across the reproductive spectrum.
Seleni Institute. Offers therapy and education for patients navigating infertility, loss, and complex family-building paths.
When selecting a therapist, look at both qualifications and fit. Ask about their experience with fertility-related issues, confirm they’re licensed in your state, and check whether they are in- or out-of-network with your insurance plan. Most importantly, find someone you feel comfortable with. Rapport is one of the strongest predictors of successful therapy.
Why It Matters
Some people have described their family building struggles as one of the most emotionally difficult times in their life. Research shows that people undergoing fertility treatment experience significantly higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population. Despite this, many still go without adequate support.
Working with a reproductive mental health professional can make a tremendous difference. They understand the emotional landscape of infertility and provide compassionate, practical care to help individuals and couples feel less alone.
Whether you’re navigating the stress of daily monitoring, coping with loss, or making big decisions about donor conception or surrogacy, you don’t have to do it alone. Don’t be afraid to seek support during what is for most people, a very challenging time in life.
Clinicians: If you aren’t already working with a reproductive mental health professional, consider building this connection into your practice. Whole-person care isn’t complete without it.
For Clinicians: The Time to Act Is Now
At the Seleni Institute, we believe whole-person care starts with integrating emotional support into every fertility journey. That’s why we’re creating evidence-based Fertility Coursework, a new multi-course training designed to help mental health professionals, OB/GYNs, nurses, therapists, and other professionals provide more compassionate, inclusive, and effective care.
Ready to move from awareness to action?
