Infertility is a problem that has significant emotional consequences for couples. It causes a lot of stress, which directly or indirectly impacts all aspects of their lives. While some couples are aware of how stress affects their health, very few truly know how it affects fertility.
In this article, we will explore the link between stress and fertility and what you can do to manage your stress levels if you are trying to conceive.
What is stress and its physiological effects?
Stress is characterized by physical and emotional reactions of varying intensity caused by very demanding situations or activities. It is your body’s response to a threat by going into flight or fight mode in order to protect itself.
When you are in psychological distress, your body activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and releases stress hormones such as cortisol and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH).
The production of these hormones causes physiological changes such as increased heart rate, shallow breathing, high blood pressure, and headaches.
These physiological changes, as well as the presence of the alpha-amylase enzyme in saliva, are some of the biomarkers used in research to assess stress.
During extremely stressful situations, any system that isn’t absolutely necessary for survival shuts down.
Stress can even inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which regulates the reproductive system. This can cause a disruption in the connection between your brain and your ovaries, resulting in delayed or absent ovulation as well as irregular or missed periods.
Therefore, if you’re stressed out for an extended period of time, your menstrual period may be late or stop entirely.
Your body prioritizes functions to help you get through this stressful period because your body knows that reproducing while being hunted is a bad idea, so the reproductive system suffers.
Fertility Stress
The symptoms of infertility-related stress can be similar to those of chronic or long-term stress from other causes. They may even resemble the agony experienced by people suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer or HIV.
Despite the similarities, stress is especially common among women who are having difficulty getting pregnant.
A study of 112 women seeking fertility treatment revealed that 40% of participants had a diagnosable mental health issue such as generalized anxiety or major depression throughout their treatment.
Another study that followed 352 women seeking fertility treatment revealed that more than half of the women showed signs of depression and about three-quarters showed signs of anxiety.
Stress levels can rise as time passes without a successful pregnancy.
How Can Stress Impact Your Fertility
Researchers and physicians are attempting to determine whether the psychological effects of stress can contribute to conception difficulties based on existing medical evidence.
It is estimated that about 30% of all infertility cases may be caused by stress factors.
Stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine typically rise during stressful situations and can have a negative impact on fertility.
Stress and the menstrual cycle
As previously stated, the physiological effects of stress can disrupt ovulation and negatively impact the function of our reproductive system.
A 2015 study of 259 women who completed perceived stress assessments reported that the high-stress group had lower levels of estrogen, luteinizing hormone, and progesterone and higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone during the luteal phase of their cycles, indicating a higher likelihood of anovulation.
It is important to note that anovulation, or delayed ovulation, is not the same as chronic infertility.
When your cycles are irregular, one of the most difficult challenges is not knowing when to time intercourse or insemination to increase your chances of getting pregnant — and if your period stops completely, you will not be able to conceive at all.
Stress, conception rates, and time to pregnancy
According to a 2010 study conducted by Oxford University and the National Institutes of Health, the 25% of women with the highest levels of alpha-amylase, a substance secreted into the saliva that has been linked to stress response, had more difficulty conceiving than women with lower levels of alpha-amylase.
While this study discovered a link between stress and infertility, it does not establish stress as a cause of infertility.
Although not every study demonstrates a link between stress and fertility issues: A December 2019 study of 111 women who kept stress journals found no difference in conception rates.
Finally, this new study suggests that moderate levels of stress in relatively healthy women do not interfere with conception.
Stress and IVF outcomes
Researchers discovered some contradictory data regarding stress and IVF outcomes. Some studies indicate a link to negative outcomes, while others do not:
A large 2014 study of 400 IVF patients found that women in the highest stress group (as measured by a stress biomarker in their saliva) had a 29% lower conception rate after one year than women in the lowest stress group. Nonetheless, the study found no link between cortisol levels and pregnancy delay — and the same researcher’s 2010 UK study found no link between self-reported stress and pregnancy outcomes.
According to a 2017 study of 485 women undergoing IVF treatments, perceived stress, infertility-related stress, and high cortisol levels, were not associated with IVF cycle outcomes.
Other ways stress may impact your fertility
Stress can lower your libido, resulting in less frequent intercourse and fewer opportunities for the sperm and egg to meet.
When you are stressed, your nervous system produces compounds known as catecholamines (like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine). These compounds may have an impact on blood flow to vital reproductive organs.
Stress management techniques for improving Fertility
If you and your partner are having trouble conceiving, you might want to consider managing stress with some stress management techniques we will highlight shortly. These techniques will help to reduce your stress and improve fertility.
Acupuncture is one stress management technique that is proven to be effective. According to a study, women who received acupuncture before and after embryo transfer during IVF treatment had a higher chance of getting pregnant than those who did not.
Massage may aid women in overcoming the negative effects of stress. It is well known that massage soothes the heart and brain.
Address potential causes: Spend some time addressing any external factors that might be causing you stress. Improve your work-life balance, set aside more time for friendships, and, if you have a partner, work on improving your relationship.
Seek support from your partner: According to a 2018 study, partners who are both psychologically impacted by infertility should be open to therapeutic interventions.
A 2017 study says that psychosocial support for couples receiving fertility treatments can lower cortisol levels and emotional distress, both of which can enhance the success of pregnancy.
Other effective methods of reducing stress include yoga, psychotherapy, aerobic exercise, and support groups.
Additionally, deep breathing, meditation, and listening to music are other techniques for inducing the relaxation response in a person, which results in a calming experience both physically and mentally.
In the end, women must examine their daily levels of stress honestly and devise methods for reducing some of it. This will benefit her overall health as well as improve her ability to conceive.
Conclusion
Despite the lack of a clear answer regarding the relationship between stress and fertility due to research limitations and conflicting opinions, there is a connection. If you are experiencing fertility issues, it may be worthwhile looking into your stress levels and making some changes to increase your chances of conception.
You can always contact us if you are experiencing stress while trying to conceive. We provide resources for support, such as therapists and psychologists, while also helping you feel more in control of the process and working with you to make things as stress-free as possible.
Do not give up hope; with some effort, you may be able to reduce your stress and anxiety and increase your chances of conceiving.
Call us on +234 809 515 9681 or visit our contact us page.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/symptoms-causes/syc-20374554
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0163834302001949?via%3Dihub
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2975045/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315337/
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