Correlation Between Stress and Infertility

Couples struggling with infertility said they are already stressed, depressed and anxious. But did they know that their lifestyle and the stress they petted on a regular basis are one of the main reasons behind their current situation?

Science says that there is a deep correlation between stress and infertility, and infertility specialists strongly agree. Read further to understand the relation between stress and infertility and how it impacts your pregnancy as a whole.

What Is the Correlation Between Stress and Infertility?

Stress alone does not cause infertility, but it does interfere when a woman tries to conceive. Through years of thorough observation, doctors have found that women with a history of depression, anxiety, and stress, have an increased chance of being infertile.

This relationship between stress and infertility became more prominent when women undergoing in vitro fertilization were kept under thorough observation.

A study revealed that a woman’s day-to-day level of stress could lower their chances of getting pregnant. It is indicated by Alpha-amylase, an enzyme that determines stress levels. If your saliva contains a high percentage of this enzyme, it can take 29% longer for you to become pregnant.

Infertility specialists also note that stressed women did not engage in sexual activities too frequently. Also, they were more likely to smoke a lot, consume too much caffeine, and drink too much alcohol, to deal with stress. All these factors combined result in increasing chances of infertility.

Stress hormones like cortisol massively derange the network between your brain and your ovaries. This condition can further result in ovulation disorder. Likewise, you will notice that if you are continuously stressed out for a long time, you end up having irregular periods. Irregular menstruation is usually an early sign of infertility.

The studies revolving around stress and infertility are pretty complex; however, there is evidence that your stress levels directly impact your hormone levels, which can affect your menstrual cycle and ovulation in a negative way.

For instance, a study by the Boston University School of Public Health in 2018 discovered that women with high levels of stress experienced lower fertility levels than women with less stress. However, it is not just about the women; if either partner experiences too much stress in their life, it reduces their chances of conception.

How Does Stress Impact Infertility?

Too much stress in your life can entice you to follow unhealthy behaviors, which further hastens infertility. Let us explore all the factors one by one.

1. Lack of Sleep

Stress causes a constant lack of sleep, which negatively impacts your life and reduces your level of fertility.

If "graveyard shift" is your thing, then it is time you look for a job change. In a 2019 study of 22,744 females, it was found that women who worked night shifts at least twice a week could not stay pregnant between 8 and 22 weeks. Additionally, their risk of miscarriage increased by 32%.

There are more frequent studies on the correlation between stress and infertility, which also revealed that night shifts were the main reason behind irregular menstrual cycles and a prime reason behind early onset of infertility in women.

2. Unhealthy Eating Habits

Due to stress, you might be eating a lot or not eating at all. Whatever the scenario, it can cause serious metabolic and health issues, even leading to infertility.

For instance, you are eating junk and gaining weight rapidly, and you become a victim of obesity. There is a strong connection between obesity and infertility. In fact, even if you are a little bit overweight, then it can cause reproductive issues in both men and women.

Likewise, there are individuals who break up with food when they are stressed. Dieting when stressed is not a good sign at all. Similar to how obesity causes infertility, being underweight also has a similar harmful effect on your pregnancy. Being underweight causes amenorrhea, the complete absence of the menstrual cycle. This means zero ovulation, and without ovulation, you can't get pregnant.

Therefore, if you plan to get pregnant soon, consult a dietician and follow a regular diet by sincerely committing to it.

3. Excessive or Insufficient Exercise

Exercising is good for your overall health. However, only a healthy amount of it is recommended. You can look good, feel good, and have a healthier body if you exercise regularly.

However, it's all about balance; too much exercise can negatively affect your fertility. In a study including 2000 women, it was found that women who exercised a lot regularly could not conceive any further. Also, men who spend long hours in the gym had low sperm motility or sperm count.

A thorough observation of IVF outcomes showed that females who regularly exercised for four hours or more were 40% less likely to get pregnant through IVF than those who never exercised.

As a final takeaway, reduce your hours in the gym and on extensive cardio workouts. If you want to lose weight, practice moderate exercise for less than 4 hours daily.

4. Over Consumption of Alcohol and Smoking

Stress can influence you to adopt heavy drinking and smoking, but both of these practices are harmful, causing infertility in both men and women.

If you drink a lot regularly, then you will have a lower sperm count. Habitual drinking is bad for both men and women, and IVF success rates are much lower for women who are regular drinkers.

Also, couples trying to get pregnant should completely cut on alcohol consumption and smoking, says a study on the relationship between stress and infertility. Pregnant women who consume alcohol have an increased risk of miscarriage. Also, if you smoke a lot, be aware that it can block your fallopian tubes, cause cervical cancer, reduce ovulation, and increase the risks of miscarriage.

5. No Sexual Desire

Stress leads to lower libido, so getting busy between the sheets is also a struggle for you. Your poor sex life is another severe cause of infertility.

When you lead a very busy life, you end up planning time to have sex, and planning sex might hinder your performance and ultimately result in low fertility.

So, if you and your partner are too busy to make time for baby-making as you come home tired every night, try engaging in intercourse some other time instead. Furthermore, you and your partner can also opt for counseling if the problem is too serious.

How to Deal With Stress to Prevent Infertility?

Now is the appropriate time for you and your partner to bond together and be there for one another, no matter what. You can adopt the following stress-reducing activities together:

Massage therapy
Yoga
Walking/ hiking
Mindfulness and meditation
Journaling
Aerobic exercise
Reading self-help books
Meditation
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy

In a nutshell, stress and infertility are correlated. However, if you understand the causes of stress and adopt methods to lead a better life, you can overcome your fertility situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ How much stress can affect fertility?

Experiencing high amounts of stress on a regular basis will majorly affect your fertility and lower your chances of pregnancy. This is applicable to both men and women.

✓ Does stress affect your egg quality?

Stress increases the production of cortisol and estradiol hormones. This affects the granulosa cell functioning inside the follicle. Furthermore, it results in the deterioration of oocyte quality and affects your pregnancy in a bad way.