Fertility is an essential and key element in the lives of many couples today. However, it must be noted that in today's society, stress has become a factor present in everyday life, coming to directly affect the aforementioned fertility and prevent the woman from conceiving.
In the following article we are going to talk to you in a more detailed way of the relationship between stress and fertility and how said stress can influence the process related to human reproduction.
The stress hormone
The stress hormone is cortisol and if the levels of this hormone are quite high, it can have a direct impact in the process of ovulation and at the time of conception. The big problem with this is that there are women who flatly refuse to recognize that they suffer from stress and that this situation is directly related to low fertility.
Women who are able to recognize said stress and undergo specific treatment to reduce the levels of said stress, They are much more likely to get pregnant. This is largely due to the work carried out by the professional in question, such as the psychologist.
The impact of stress on fertility
You have to start by knowing what stress is going to consist of. Stress is a natural response of the body to situations perceived as threatening. From a physiological point of view, stress will activate a series of hormonal mechanisms, as is the case of the release of cortisol and adrenaline, that will prepare the body to be able to face the stressful situation. However, it can happen that stress increases, becomes chronic and has serious consequences in terms of health and fertility.
In the case of women, chronic stress will alter the menstrual cycle and negatively affect ovulation. Various studies have been able to show that those women who have high levels of stress in their daily lives are much more likely to experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle, something that has a direct impact on fertility. Besides, Stress will also affect the quality of the eggs and significantly reduces the chances of success in the fertilization process.
In the case of men, chronic stress will have a negative impact in sperm quality. Various studies have been able to confirm a direct relationship between stress and a decrease in sperm concentration, motility and morphology. This will cause some difficulty in the ability of sperm to successfully fertilize an egg, causing serious problems related to fertility.
Biological mechanisms
When it comes to understanding how stress will affect fertility, it is important to study the biological mechanisms involved in the issue. Chronic stress will trigger an inflammatory response in the body, which in turn directly interferes with reproductive activity. In addition to this, stress also affects directly to hormonal balance, altering the production of hormones that are involved in reproduction, such as luteinizing hormone.
In addition, chronic stress affects the person's immune system, causing it to increase the production of inflammatory cytokines that interfere with the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. This can cause a high risk of suffering a miscarriage and complicate one's own conception.
Psychological incidence
In addition to the direct effects on biological processes, stress can also have a certain impact on mental and emotional health of those people trying to have a baby. The appearance of infertility will have a great impact on the couple's emotional level, causing feelings such as anxiety or depression.
The pressure on getting pregnant will cause great tension in relationships, negatively affecting the couple's quality of life and happiness. If this happens, it is important to get in touch of a good professional that is capable of exposing the necessary tools to deal with such a problem.
How to manage stress
Considering that stress is an enemy of fertility, it is important to continue a series of guidelines that allow you to manage this stress:
- It is important to seek the support of a good therapist, who can help you address the problem in the best possible way. the emotional aspects of stress related to infertility.
- Physical exercise can help reduce stress levels in the body and improve mood and well-being.
- It is advisable to regularly practice relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing. These techniques are perfect when it comes to reducing day-to-day stress levels.
- It is recommended setting clear boundaries and knowing how to say no when appropriate to prevent the dreaded stress from appearing.
- It is good to spend time doing activities that make you forget stress and that help you achieve certain happiness and general well-being. These kinds of activities help you disconnect and relax.
In short, there is no doubt and it has been demonstrated by numerous studies that stress will have a direct impact on the field of fertility. This incidence equally affects to men and women. Understanding the effects that stress has on both biological and psychological processes in the field of reproduction is essential when it comes to addressing the challenges of infertility in the best possible way. It is totally advisable to do everything possible to manage stress, since in this way the possibilities of being able to conceive and achieve the long-awaited well-being will increase.