Infertility is often a silent struggle. It can have far reaching effects. It can affect a person’s relationship with family and friends, create financial difficulty, affect the relationship between partners and negatively affect the couple’s sexual relationship. Research has shown that women with infertility have the same anxiety and depression levels as women with cancer, heart disease and HIV.
Does Stress cause infertility?
Infertility causing stress is a known fact but does stress cause infertility is yet to be confirmed. Several studies have found links between woman’s level of day-to-day stress and lowered chances of pregnancy. While its unlikely that stress alone can cause infertility, it interferes with a woman’s ability to get pregnant. Women with higher level of stress took 29% longer to get pregnant to those who had less.
About 1 in 10 women of childbearing age have trouble conceiving or finishing the pregnancy. Most of the time, it is usually due to reasons like blocked fallopian tubes or hormonal conditions like infertility. But as months go by without getting pregnant, slowly stress and depression may kick in which eventually leads to infertility which might again lead to more stress thus forming a vicious cycle.
Studies also show that stress also decreases the chance of success/ success rate in women undergoing IVF.
How does stress cause infertility?
First, you are more likely to avoid sex when stressed out – an obvious fertility derailment. For some women chronic stress interferes with ovulation leading to less ovulation. This makes it eventually difficult to plan a baby, make use of the best time when they are most fertile. Stress also interferes with fertilization, implantation in female uterus. However, stress does not cause permanent infertility.
In some individuals, stress might also lead to binge drinking and smoking, both of which are known to be a big contributor of infertility.
What can you do to tackle this?
If you have been trying to have a baby for a while, these few changes might just increase your chances
- Exercise: Physical activity reduces stress and boosts fertility. But moderation is the key. Doing moderate amount of exercise like walking/ working out 1 to 5 hours in a work has been shown to raise the odds of conception.
- Control of weight: Major problem of stress is the associated binge eating that provides emotional comfort. Being over – weight or obese makes it harder to get and stay pregnant. Research suggests that women who are obese may be 3 times more likely to have trouble conceiving than other women. Sometimes stress might lead to loss of appetite in few individuals making them lose weight. Being significantly underweight can cause amenorrhea, and no menstrual cycle means no ovulation and no pregnancy.
- Eating a healthy diet: Having a balanced diet, complete with whole grains, lots of veggies and fruits, healthy fats and protein is recommended in people trying to conceive.
- Cutting down on caffeine: Too much coffee can have a negative effect on fertility. Also drinking too many cups of coffee is associated with miscarriage, IVF failure etc.
- Quitting alcohol and smoking: Alcohol and smoking is a big NO – NO in pregnancy and also if you are trying to conceive. According to studies, no amount of alcohol has been proven to be 100% safe in pregnancy. To be on the safe side, avoid drinking while you are trying to get pregnant.
In women, smoking is associated with an increased risk of blocked fallopian tube, increased cervical cancer risk, damage to the eggs in ovaries and an increased risk of miscarriage.
TAKEAWAY
The effects of stress during pregnancy on the body should never be taken lightly. At Fertility Foundation/ SISU Hospital, our team of experts offer the best pregnancy care tips and suggestions so you can improve your peace of mind and conceive without any issue. For further assistance, contact us at +9194433 00000 or visit www.sisuhospitals.com.
