Stress and Infertility

-Relax, -Take a vacation, -Stop trying so hard, -Adopt, these are among the well-intended suggestions from family and friends heard often by infertile couples. Frequently, infertility causes couples to struggle with feelings of inadequacy and failure. To suggest that they are to blame for their infertility because of an attitude or difficulty coping with the stress of the process causes couples undue pain and guilt.

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it.

Does Stress Cause Infertility?

As experts in the field have stated, "Infertility causes stress; stress doesn't cause infertility." Although infertility is a highly stressful experience, there is very little evidence that infertility can be caused by stress. In rare cases, high levels of stress in women can change hormone levels and cause irregular ovulation. Some studies have shown that high stress levels may also cause fallopian tube spasm in women.

There have been a number of studies that show that high levels of stress can also decrease production of sperm, or increase production of abnormal sperm. There was a study done in Germany where a group of rapists who had impregnated their victims were put on death row. When each man was asked to give semen sample, all of them had sperm counts of zero. Clearly they had been fertile when they raped their victim, but the stress of being on death row negatively impacted sperm production.

Does Infertility Cause Stress?

Not unless you find your entire life revolving around reproduction stressful. Just a few areas that couples may find difficult:

• Fighting insurance companies
• Struggling to pay for treatments
• Undergoing invasive, and sometimes painful tests
• Feeling completely and totally overwhelmed by emotions and hormones
• Making difficult decisions about appropriate treatment that may involve religious, moral, or ethical dilemmas.
• Working in doctorîs appointments with a career
• Trying to keep romance alive while having to sex on command

Research has shown that women undergoing treatment for infertility have a similar, and often higher, level of "stress" as women dealing with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Infertile couples experience chronic stress each month, first hoping that they will conceive and then dealing with the disappointment if they do not. The toll of timed intercourse, perceived failure of oneîs partnerîs body, and hormones ravaged by medications means intimacy often suffers as well.

Coping with Stress

Research has, however, demonstrated the prevention power of relaxation by increasing one's immune response. Relaxation can often create a state of well-being and improve your coping ability, all of which is an added plus in battling infertility. Alice Domar, PhD, is director of women's health services at Harvard Medical School's world-renowned division of behavioral medicine. Her research on the effects of stress on female well being shows that the practice of self-nurture can treat a host of women's health problems, including infertility.

-I think the most effective techniques to reduce stress in infertile women are relaxation techniques, mini relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, journaling and social support. I think most infertile women find that other people getting pregnant is one of the hardest things about infertility, and I tell my patients that there are certain rules they are allowed to follow.°

-Rule number 1: do not go to baby showers. Rule number 2: do not go into baby boutiques to buy baby gifts. Both of those things are likely to make you feel worse. A really nice thing to send somebody who's having a baby is order online your favorite childhood books. They'll appreciate the gift and it's more fun for you. There's no rule that says you have to go to baby showers. During this crisis in your life, you need to protect yourself.°

-I also suggest some strategies for transforming negative thoughts into positive ones. In both of my books, we talk about a process called cognitive restructuring.

The idea is to actually challenge the negative thoughts that play over and over again in your head. If you start with a negative thought such as "I'll never have a baby," the idea is restructure it to something that is true such as "I'm doing everything I can to try to get pregnant." This may sound simple but it's effective.°

-We teach Hatha yoga to our patients for two reasons. It's a wonderful form of relaxation and it also helps women keep physically toned, because we do recommend that women going through infertility stop aerobic exercise for several months. If they continue with yoga, their muscles will stay in shape.°

For more information:

Healing Mind, Healthy Woman (Dell 1997) or Self-Nurture (Viking 2000) by Alice Domar, Phd.
(other articles on aromatherapy, massage, etc)

Similar of Stress and Infertility

Patient Fact Sheet on Stress and Infertility

Stress can come from just about anything that you feel is threatening or harmful. A single event (or your worry about it) can produce stress. So can the little

9 Surprising Symptoms of Stress Seen in Women

See if yours body is telling you that you're too anxious and what you can do about it. Eye Twitching The often temporary condition can be annoying and

Stress Basics

What is Stress? Definition: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation. Stress is

Deal with Stress: Setting priorities, exercising and helpful steps

For many people, stress is triggered by lack of control. Both at work and at home, stress is more related to lack of control than to heavy demands. Menopause

Infertility

For many couples, infertility is a crisis, often accompanied by feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But a diagnosis of infertility is not a verdict of sterility.

Infertility

Causes There can be many reasons why you don't easily become pregnant. Only a third of those trying fall pregnant each month, although some of these will

Qus & Ans: Unexplained Infertility

I have been trying to conceive for two years now and recently I read an article about dysmenorrhea. I feel that I have some signs of this, like painful periods

Topics:

• Men's Health
• Women's Health
• Therapy