Infertility and Stress
The effect of stress on a woman’s reproductive system is infertility.
The whole communication that is facilitated by the hormonal system, from the mind, the pituitary gland, the ovaries, right through to the egg maturation and the subsequent ovulation are affected.
A whole range of neuro-chemical changes happen when woman are stressed and the stress of infertility is no different to the anxiety and stress that patients experience that are suffering from conditions such as cancer, HIV or heart disease.
The whole time line and sequence of the release of the hormones that affect the whole orderly process of menstruation that is needed to fall pregnant will be affected.
The fine balance of the right concentrations of the chemicals that is needed to get the right message at the right time to the right area of the reproductive system change every time your emotions change.
It has been shown that their is a direct link between the emotions and the effect that emotions have on infertility.
But their is the actual physical nerves that is providing a direct link between the fallopian tubes the uterus and the brain.
There is then a direct influence by the nervous system that affect the ovaries in their ability to produce the right quantity of hormones and a healthy egg for fertilization.
It has been shown that stress cause spasms in the uterus and fallopian tubes. These spasms interfere with the proper movement of the fertilized egg through the fallopian tubes and the proper implantation into the uterine lining.
This emotions that stress cause, affect fertility through the way it change the pituitaries ability to release the proper hormones and this abnormal autonomic nervous system responses in the reproductive system.
It once again show the effect of emotions and physical stress can have, so much so that it can actually cause infertility.
Even the fertility of men are influenced by stress. Stress affect the sperm count, the motility of the sperm as well as the healthy structure of the sperm.
The other more physical manifestations of stress in men is impotence and then the more uncommon problem of ejaculation difficulties.
Unfortunately it is a vicious cycle.
Infertility can lead to stress that can lead to infertility that cause more stress that make infertility worse.
For women, especially through society and family expectations, often blame themselves if they are unable to fall pregnant.
Men start to question their own manliness.
The relationship between the couple start to suffer and sex become a baby making chore with a negative expectation of the outcome.
The focus changes from making love and the negative expectation are reinforced every month when the woman’s period start.
The vicious self-fulfilling cycle of stress and infertility continues if something is not done to disrupt this pattern.
