Is infertility causing you stress, or is stress causing your infertility?

2 mins to read

Difficulties in conceiving can be highly stressful. But can stress actually worsen your chances of a healthy conception? Naturopath Stephanie Hamilton investigates.

Pregnancy and preconceptionEveryday health

Stress is a modern day epidemic. Financial stress, family stress, time stress, work stress, and home stress all contribute to illness and disease. And when we do fall ill or problems occur with our health, we are naturally concerned, anxious and stressed about that too.

Many of us experiencing stress from some of the above causes also want to start a family. When it comes to infertility (male or female), it is always useful to look at the degree of stress in your life. While it is not usually the sole reason for infertility, it may be a contributing factor.

What exactly is stress?

Stress may be defined as a mentally or emotionally upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health.

Stress first activates the sympathetic nervous system which triggers the release of adrenal gland hormones resulting in a number of different effects on the body necessary for survival. This is called the alarm phase of the stress response. When stress is continuous and constant, people enter the resistant phase and then the exhaustion phase of stress where the body is under a large amount of pressure. This is when certain organ systems such as digestion and reproduction can start to shut down.

Stress impacts the female reproductive cycle

During the alarm, resistance or exhaustion phases of stress, the impact on reproductive hormone secretion can be enough to disrupt the menstrual cycle. Stress is actually one of the most common causes of an irregular menstrual cycle. If the hormones that control the menstrual cycle are impaired, ovulation may not occur and fertility is greatly affected.

What does this mean for your fertility?

Infertility can be incredibly stressful and emotions such as shock, anger, grief and confusion are all very normal. These feelings can carry on for months and months while you wait for the news you so desperately want.

It is important to recognise when you are stressed and to understand the impact that stress has on your fertility. It is even more important to do something about it. Below are some self care tips to help you manage your stress levels, but if you feel it is out of your control, consider seeing a naturopath or counsellor privately to get professional support.

5 tips to reducing stress during infertility

Engage in regular relaxation techniques to calm the nervous system. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises are very effective, or listen to some calm and relaxing music.
Eat a nourishing and healthy diet. Focus on fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. Oats for breakfast is a great stress buster as it provides nourishment for the nervous system and helps to stabilise the blood sugar levels, helping to prevent sugar cravings common in stress.
Stress can zap crucial nutrients, so consider supplementing accordingly with adequate B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. These nutrients support the development of a healthy baby.
Take some time out from actively trying to conceive. Let it slip to the back of your mind for a couple of weeks. Reconnect and have fun with your partner. Go out on a date, or away for the weekend and make love because you want to, not just to “make a baby”.
Sip on a calming herbal tea made from herbs such as lavender, lemon balm, chamomile and passionflower.

DID YOU KNOW?

Painful periods are more common during times of stress and women who experience particularly bad PMS symptoms generally have had a more stressful month.

References available on request