Stress and Infertility

formerwigirl · August 2013

Hey ladies,

Just wanted to ask /get advice on stress during infertility. I have an a-type personality so having this be something beyond my control has been very difficult. Add to that my work just went through a major change and everyone is really stressed out. I can't just leave my job because the benefits are great and we can't afford for me not to be working. We are working on our way to be debt free but are at least 2 years away from having the majority of our bills paid off. Part of me thinks we should wait to try to have a baby, but I just don't want to. That being said I know stress can affect fertility. So a major concern is we could go through treatments and end up with no baby because I can't get my stress under control. I have looked into acupuncture and plan to make an appt soon. I have also tried to get a hobby etc but sadly life is getting in the way. Any words of wisdom or advice. I wish I had great coping skills for all of this, but I don't. TIA.

whoberry · August 2013

I do not believe that stress has any impact on fertility. Doctors have never said anything to me about stress and I've never seen a legitimate scientific article say it has any impact. In fact I believe there are studies showing it has no impact. I think it's an old wives tale and the standard thing that your average fertile person thinks is preventing us infertiles from getting pregnant.

ETA: Fixed typo

Allison7 · August 2013

I think that we all have heard that we should "just relax" and then it will happen for us!! Haha. I know plenty of people who were pretty stressed out when they got pregnant. Still, I just try to make sure I don't get too worked up (easier said than done on fertility meds). I have some meditation podcasts that I really like to relax me. When I have time, I take yoga. I just like to clear my mind of everything, not just the IF stuff.

Twinkie0612 · August 2013

My doctor gave me a handout that specifically said that except for rare cases, stress does not cause IF. The handout went in to say that IF can be very stressful and gave some tips on how to reduce stress.

Tiko99 · August 2013

I usually lurk, but wanted to post about this topic. I am EXTREMELY stressed it seems all the time, especially recently due to a stressful job and move. All my friends that know I've been TTC have told me to relax and once all this crazy stuff goes away I will get pregnant. Even my primary care doctor told me stress can affect TTC, but after reading "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and other studies it seems stress does not influence fertility.

I recently received my FSH, estradiol and thyroid fertility results back and all are normal...and my progesterone test came back normal as well, so I'm even MORE stressed out! Anyway, good luck and decreasing stress in general is a good idea for overall body health. That is what I'm going to do and hope for the best.

nicole336 · August 2013

Your post really hit a nerve for me- I am very type A and was just talking about this with DH today. TTC is the only thing that I haven't been able to throw myself into, work hard, and accomplish it. It's so effing frustrating!

I have no great stress relief knowledge but I am considering acupuncture to help me deal with everything...

lest12 · August 2013

nicole33647 said:
Your post really hit a nerve for me- I am very type A and was just talking about this with DH today. TTC is the only thing that I haven't been able to throw myself into, work hard, and accomplish it. It's so effing frustrating!

Ditto!

Love4Science · August 2013

This is me to a T. I'm not used to failing, so now that I'm failing at the one thing my body was designed to do, I'm taking it extra hard. My fertility center provides free one-on-one counseling for patients so I'm seeing someone tomorrow. I know the first thing she's going to say is "Have you thought about ways to reduce stress?" I will have to figure out how to keep my hormonally-driven b**** reflex under control. But unless I quit my job AND get pregnant, the stress isn't going anywhere. Yoga 3x per week is the best I can do.

ccollins06 · August 2013

Sorry you are dealing with this, OP. I don't put too much stock in the whole "stress can cause infertility" notion, but I'm pretty sure it's been researched that stress CAN delay ovulation. Delayed ovulation or a 'missed' period does not equal IF, however, as everyone skips a cycle or few throughout their reproductive years.

Good luck with the Actupunture! I really enjoy it and wish I could do it regularly, it's just so darn expensive considering we are already OOP for all treatments

Barbedoll78 · August 2013

This post definitely hits home with me.

Hey Allison7, do you mind sharing the name of your meditation podcasts?

Thanks and hugs to all!

FutureMrsW9 · August 2013

I don't necessarily buy into the "stress can cause IF...." but I do think there's something to be said for how stress affects you body overall. When I'm extremely stressed out I get these horrific back aches that will not go away no matter what I do - I've even tried going to the chiropractor and nothing. The only thing that makes them better, and it's pretty instantaneous, is when whatever is stressing me out gets resolved or I make a change. My only advice would be to try different methods of relaxation/meditation/etc. I've heard yoga helps, but I've never been into it. I've also seen a lot of ladies posting about acupuncture, again it's not something I'm into but you never know if it'll work for you. Good luck!

sparkles2040 · August 2013

This is me as well. I am a planner. I make spreadsheets. I make a plan. I set a goal. I accomplish it all. This is driving me insane. If one more person tells me to let it go, I will scream. How can you "let it go" when REs are saying you are low on eggs and need to move quickly. I tried acupuncture on Monday and did enjoy it. I wasnt relaxed because I was nervous but I go back in a few weeks and think it will actually be relaxing. I've gotten into scrapbooking. Its only one day a month that we get together but it takes up some of my everyday time. Oh and I joined a bookclub. I was reading anyways so now that adds a social element to it. My RE said stress isnt great for everyday health but has so direct impact on IF alone. Good luck!

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