Stress might make it difficult to conceive. People may have already told you, “Just relax and it will happen,” if you’re having trouble getting pregnant. Although it may appear to be insulting, there is some truth behind it.
That’s because stress can interfere with the hypothalamus’s ability to regulate your appetite and emotions, as well as the hormones that signal your ovaries to release eggs. You may ovulate later in your cycle or not at all if you’re stressed. So if you exclusively have sex around day 14 because you think you’re going to ovulate, you can miss your chance to conceive.
It’s critical to distinguish between chronic and acute stress. If your stress level is high yet consistent, your body will likely adjust and you’ll continue to ovulate each cycle. Sudden stress, such as a car accident or a family tragedy, can throw your cycle off and prevent you from ovulating.
Of course, this differs from one lady to the next. Even a trip out of town can cause ovulation to be delayed for some women. Others have discovered that a particularly stressful event had no effect on their cycle.
It’s also crucial to realise that stress isn’t always a bad reaction. Positive stress can potentially cause you to ovulate later or not at all, depending on your cycle. Because they are blissfully concerned about their nuptials, brides frequently experience odd cycles.
If you’re trying to conceive and are stressed, your cervical fluid may send you a signal that something is wrong. You can notice patches of wetness mixed with dry days as you approach ovulation, rather than increasing cervical fluid wetness. It’s as though your body is attempting to ovulate, but the stress is keeping it from happening.
You’ll be able to tell if you’ve ovulated by keeping track of your basal body temperature. About a day following ovulation, you should see a steady increase that lasts 12 to 16 days.
The good news is that ovulation delay only lengthens your overall period. It has no effect on the luteal phase, which lasts 12 to 16 days from ovulation to the start of your next menstrual period. This is significant since an early miscarriage has been linked to a short luteal phase.
So, while stress may affect when you ovulate, it won’t necessarily affect your odds of having a successful pregnancy if you know how to detect ovulation by monitoring your cervical fluid.
See how stress may affect a man’s fertility.
FAQ
- Can stress affect not getting pregnant?
Stress is unlikely to be the sole cause of infertility. However, it can make it difficult for a woman to conceive. Women with a history of depression are twice as likely to experience infertility, according to research. Anxiety can also have a negative impact by lengthening the time it takes to conceive.
- Can anxiety stop you from getting pregnant?
‘Anxiety cannot prevent women from becoming pregnant, but it can make the process more difficult,’ says Dr. Kalanit Ben-Ari, a psychologist, author, and founder of The Village, a parenting community. There is evidence that anxiety can influence the length of time it takes to conceive.
- How can I relax when trying to get pregnant?
8 Stress-Relieving Techniques for Trying to Conceive
Allow yourself to be sad and depressed about the fact that you have yet to conceive.
Be aware that your reactions may differ from your partner’s.
Get educated.
Make a different plan.
Don’t throw your life away.
Let’s take a break.
Use the following relaxation techniques to help you relax.
Look for help for yourself. - Does stress affect your egg quality?
Increased stress hormone levels, such as cortisol, reduce estradiol production by affecting the granulosa cell functions within the follicle, resulting in oocyte quality degradation.
