When I tell people I am an IVF coach, the next question is almost always the same.

“What is IVF coaching?”

It is a fair question. Most people have heard of life coaches and sports coaches. Far fewer know that coaching can be part of IVF support.

So here is a plain-English answer: what IVF coaching is, what it is not, and how to know whether it might help you.

What is IVF coaching?

IVF coaching is one-to-one support for the emotional and practical side of IVF.

Your clinic looks after the medical side: your medication, scans, procedures and results. An IVF coach helps with what you carry around all of that. That might be the fear before an appointment, the pressure of decisions, the strain on your relationship, or the waiting that never seems to end.

Coaching is focused on the present and on what comes next. Together we look at what feels hardest right now, what support you already have, and what would help you feel more prepared for the next stage.

It is practical. You leave each session with something you can use, not only something to think about.

One woman I worked with put it simply:

“Sometimes I think just having someone understand the journey, sit for a while in the unknown with you, is the most helpful thing.”

That is a large part of what IVF coaching is.

What IVF coaching is not

Knowing what coaching is not matters just as much.

It is not medical advice. An IVF coach does not tell you which medication to take, which clinic to choose or whether to try another cycle. Those are decisions for you and your medical team. A coach can help you feel clearer as you make them.

It is not counselling or therapy. Counsellors and psychologists are trained to assess and treat mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma and complicated grief. A coach does not diagnose or treat these. Many women see a counsellor and a coach at different times, or even at the same time, because each offers something different.

It is not a promise of a result. Coaching cannot change your medical outcome, and no coach should suggest it can. What it can change is how supported you feel as you go through IVF.

If you are feeling persistently low, hopeless or unable to cope, please speak with your GP or your clinic’s counselling team. If you are in crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Who is IVF coaching for?

IVF coaching can help at different points.

Before IVF begins. Your first appointments are booked, but something does not feel settled. You may be carrying past disappointment, fear about the process or pressure to get everything right.

During treatment. Each stage brings something different. Injections, scans, egg collection, transfer and the two-week wait can all stir up worry in their own way. If waiting is hard for you, you may find The Two-Week Wait After IVF helpful.

Between cycles. After an unsuccessful cycle or a loss, starting again can feel very different from the first time. Coaching can offer space to steady yourself before deciding what comes next.

You do not need to be falling apart to deserve support. Many women I work with are coping well on the outside and still feel tired underneath. If you are not sure where you are, Am I Emotionally Ready for IVF? Six Situations to Consider may help.

How IVF coaching works alongside your clinic

A good IVF coach works alongside your medical team, not instead of it.

Your clinic is the expert on your treatment. A coach supports you as the person going through it.

In practice, that might mean:

• preparing questions before an appointment so you feel heard

• finding ways to steady yourself on difficult days, such as results days

• working out what you need from your partner, family or workplace

• noticing when you are trying to control everything and finding a gentler way through

• planning for the waiting, so it does not take over your whole life

Coaching does not replace the support your clinic offers. It adds to it.

Is fertility coaching regulated?

This is an important question, and the honest answer is no.

In Australia, coaching is not a registered health profession, and “fertility coach” is not a protected title. That means anyone can use it.

This does not mean coaching is not valuable. It means it is worth choosing carefully.

Ask any coach you are considering about their training, how they work and whether they have experience with IVF. I am a Certified Fertility Coach and a Certified Results Coach, and I bring my own lived experience of IVF to my work.

How to choose a good IVF coach

Look for a coach who:

• is clear about what coaching can and cannot do

• respects your medical team and does not contradict medical advice

• suggests counselling or other support when that would serve you better

• explains how they work and what it costs before you commit

• gives you space to decide, without pressure

Be cautious of a coach who:

• promises or hints at a pregnancy or a better IVF result

• tells you your stress or mindset caused your infertility

• pressures you to sign up on the spot

• sells supplements or treatments as part of coaching

• suggests you change or stop your medical treatment

You deserve support that makes your journey lighter, not heavier.

What does IVF coaching cost?

Fees vary between coaches, and depend on how many sessions are included and how long support continues.

Coaching is not covered by Medicare, and most private health funds do not cover it. Check with your fund if you are unsure.

Before you begin with any coach, you should know exactly what is included and what it will cost.

What IVF coaching looks like with me

I am Margaret Cali, an IVF Readiness Integration Strategist and Certified Fertility Coach based in Sydney. I work online with women across Australia and internationally.

My work focuses on emotional readiness for IVF. I often talk about The Readiness Gap™: the space between what IVF is asking of you and the support you currently have.

My eight-week, one-to-one program, The RISE Method™, moves through four phases: Release, Integrate, Strengthen and Equip. Together we look at what you are carrying into treatment and build the support to carry it differently.

If you have more questions, What Do People Ask an IVF Coach? answers the ones I hear most often. You can also learn more about my fertility coaching.

And if you would like to talk about whether coaching could help you, you are welcome to get in touch. There is no pressure and no expectation.

With gentle hope,

Margaret Cali

About Margaret: Margaret Cali is an IVF Readiness Integration Strategist, Certified Fertility Coach and creator of The RISE Method™. Based in Sydney, she supports women preparing for and navigating IVF with practical emotional readiness support alongside their clinical care.