Stress is body response to any threatening situation. The body can respond by fight or flight. Both cause an increase in stress hormones. Stress can cause infertility in women. It is seen that women who are stressed have higher levels of cortisol. They have more menstrual and ovulatory problems. Cortisol suppresses the body’s main sex hormones GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone) and impacts ovulation, and sperm count. . Ovulation can be affected by stress as the signal to the brain is affected which in turn causes changes in hormones secreted by brain to release the egg from the ovaries.
Chronic stress may also cause a lack of libido. It was seen that the stress increases levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme in saliva. Women with high levels of biological markers were less 29% less likely to conceive. Infertility is on the rise because of increased stress in current lifestyles.
Stress may be work related. It could also be relationship related where because of infertility the relationship is going through a difficult phase. In one study it was shown that success rates of IVF increased if the patient was made to laugh after interacting with a clown.
There are various ways of decreasing stress. It could be Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, exercise, massage, laughter therapy, support groups and listening to music. The way to react to situations must change in order to remove stress. The very diagnosis of infertility causes stress. The treatment is a stressful one and counseling becomes an important aspect of this treatment. Infertility causes a fear of loosing control, low self esteem, marital and sexual strain, and a financial drain. Support of the spouse is very necessary. Regular sessions of psychotherapy help. It may be a vicious cycle. If one is stressed it is difficult to get pregnant easily and infertility can cause more stress.
The role that stress plays in infertility is not exactly understood. Some women who are stressed may get pregnant very easily while others do not. Hence reproductive hormones may be more sensitive to stress in some women. Thus these women may not ovulate and hence will find it difficult to have a baby. Stress also causes male infertility.
Source: www.ivf-india.in
Stress may be work related. It could also be relationship related where because of infertility the relationship is going through a difficult phase. In one study it was shown that success rates of IVF increased if the patient was made to laugh after interacting with a clown.
There are various ways of decreasing stress. It could be Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, exercise, massage, laughter therapy, support groups and listening to music. The way to react to situations must change in order to remove stress. The very diagnosis of infertility causes stress. The treatment is a stressful one and counseling becomes an important aspect of this treatment. Infertility causes a fear of loosing control, low self esteem, marital and sexual strain, and a financial drain. Support of the spouse is very necessary. Regular sessions of psychotherapy help. It may be a vicious cycle. If one is stressed it is difficult to get pregnant easily and infertility can cause more stress.
The role that stress plays in infertility is not exactly understood. Some women who are stressed may get pregnant very easily while others do not. Hence reproductive hormones may be more sensitive to stress in some women. Thus these women may not ovulate and hence will find it difficult to have a baby. Stress also causes male infertility.
Source: www.ivf-india.in
