Can Stress Reduce A Woman’s Ability To Get Pregnant?

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In some cases, stress may interfere with your ability to conceive, but is this true in all cases?

The risk of pregnancy has been associated with the level of daily stress experienced by women, according to several recent studies.

Nevertheless, here we are discussing unusually high levels of stress, or chronic stress, not the everyday anxiety that we all experience when preparing for a big meeting, or being late to the office etc.

Is it possible that stress can make it more difficult for a woman to conceive? Read more on Can Stress Reduce A Woman's Ability To Get Pregnant here.

Can Stress Reduce A Woman's Ability To Get Pregnant?

It is important to understand that a little bit of stress from time to time should not negatively affect your fertility, but there is a connection between extreme levels of chronic stress and infertility.

Chronic stress can cause two things to occur that can adversely affect your chances of becoming pregnant, including a decrease in sex drive and an increase in ovarian activity [1].

• In cases of decreased sex drive, especially if you are trying to conceive, there is an obvious explanation - the person is not in the mood to have sex, which means they do not have enough sex to become pregnant [2].
• On the other hand, anovulating, or failing to release an egg, is more complicated. If you are not ovulating, you cannot become pregnant. Chronic or excessive stress can disrupt ovulation [3].

Why is this? Well, ovulation is regulated by two hormones produced by the pituitary gland. An excessive amount of emotional or physical stress can adversely affect the pituitary gland, disrupting the release of these hormones, and resulting in an inability to release an egg.

Additionally, excessive mental stress, as well as excessive physical activity, can prevent ovulation as well.

What Are The Effects Of Stress And Unhealthy Habits On Fertility?

When you are stressed out, you may engage in unhealthy behaviours that will negatively impact your fertility.

For example, you may engage in the following behaviours when you are stressed [4][5]:

• Too much or too little sleep
• Having difficulty maintaining a healthy diet
• Exercising too much or skipping your regular workouts
• Overconsumption of alcohol
• Start smoking, or re-start smoking if you have stopped
• Overconsumption of caffeine, especially if you are sleep deprived
• Loss of interest in sexual activity

The habits listed above can all adversely affect your ability to conceive.

Is There A Link Between Stress And Trying For A Baby?

Also, couples may experience stress due to frequent and timed intercourse while trying to conceive. The process of trying to conceive can ultimately be stressful for most couples, and that stress is usually caused by the failure to become pregnant after several months of trying [6].

It is possible that the stress of trying for a child is contributing to infertility, but it could also be as simple as not knowing when to have sex, which is why taking an ovulation test may be helpful.

Is There A Way To Reduce My Stress While Trying To Conceive?

The reduction of stress in your life while pursuing fertility treatment may not result in pregnancy in and of itself. You can, however, improve your overall well-being by developing better-coping strategies to cope with the stress associated with an infertility diagnosis and treatment.

Some of the more popular methods recommended to fertility patients for reducing stress include [7]:

• Acupuncture
• Aerobic exercise, meditation, walking, yoga etc.
• Guided imagery
• Listening to music
• Massage therapy
• Mindfulness
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy
• Support groups

On A Final Note...

It is important to recognise that chronic or extreme stress can adversely affect your body, your health your fertility, as well as your chances of becoming pregnant.

It is important to take care of yourself and reduce your stress levels if you are able, however, stress should not directly affect your ability to become pregnant; it may have indirect effects, such as decreased libido and anovulation.