Many women believe stress contributes to fertility problems, however; it is typically the opposite that’s true. Often, stress triggers a pre-existing medical condition that in turn can affect fertility.
Connection between stress and infertility
While stress in itself may lead to certain behaviors that cause fertility problems (e.g., smoking, drinking, using drugs or dropping out of fertility treatments prematurely), stress has not been clinically proven to reduce a person’s chance of becoming pregnant. However, women struggling with infertility typically have elevated levels of anxiety, and depression, which can lead to more stress.
How to lower your stress while struggling with infertility
Reducing stress is always a good idea, and it may help your body during fertility treatments. Here are a few suggestions:
- Take your mind off your fertility
Sometimes when couples are struggling with infertility, it takes up a lot of their time and energy. Take a mental break and go out on a date with your significant other, see a movie, or take a dance class. - Keep a positive mental attitude
Try to keep negative thoughts or thoughts of hopelessness at bay by coming up with positive alternatives like “If getting pregnant was so easy, there wouldn’t be fertility clinics.” - Write about it
Sometimes the simple act of getting your worries down on paper can be enough to take the pressure off your mind. It’s a terrific way to off-load concerns you feel uncomfortable sharing. Once you’re finished, the physical act of shredding the pages and/or throwing them away may also help alleviate some of the stress.
We understand how stressful and frustrating it can be when you’re having a difficult time getting pregnant. The highly skilled endocrinologists at Reproductive Gynecology & Infertility are here to guide you along your journey to parenthood.
Call us at 866-537-2461 to schedule an initial fertility consultation or to learn more about infertility treatment in Akron, Canton, Columbus and Youngstown.