Is stress making you infertile - a connection to consider seriously

Dr Shobha Gupta

Deccan Herald

There have been controversies from so long that whether stress can cause infertility or infertility causes stress. A new research conducted in US stated that stress causes infertility in women. Infertility is a term used to explain the inability of a woman to conceive after two years of constant efforts whereas the term Stress is the most over used word in today’s world. We can say that both stress and infertility are co-related terms.

Too much stress may cause infertility among women, says a new research conducted in US. Women with high levels of stress were 29% less likely to get pregnant each month than those women with lower levels, the researchers found. An estimated one in seven couple in India have fertility problems and mostly there is no known medical explanation. It is believed that 10% of the general population suffers from some form of infertility. India has a population of over 1.2 billion, the number of Indians suffering from infertility is huge. Of every 100 couples reporting to fertility clinics, 40 per cent are cases of male infertility, 50 per cent are of women, and the remaining 10 per cent of both partners being infertile.

If get diagnosed with infertility, many couples feel smashed out and blame their destiny which is no longer in control of them or their life plan. They become stressed.

Navbharat Times

Women with prolonged and hectic jobs are mostly at risk, and are often denied about the stress in their lives. Women often found more stressed than men. Trying to get pregnant adds more pressure on already stressed women. But thanks to technology due to which we have found the treatment for infertility through IVF or IUI. Today women as well as men are also trying stress management techniques to overcome this problem.

On the other hand, Men who work in night shifts affected more as compared to men working in morning shifts with infertility as their biological clock is very badly disturbed. They usually sleep during the day and to keep themselves awake, they often smoke, drink caffeine which damages the system further. The stress at work place and sitting for long hours at work stations is also contributing to reduce the sperm count.

Factors contributing to stress which causes infertility are:

• Marital disturbance

• Job or business stress

• Financial loses

• Personal injury or illness

• Death of a close family member

• Late marriages

There are numerous methods for decreasing stress are available today, including learning relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation and stress management strategies, going for a vacation, deep breathing exercises etc.

We also provide counselling sessions on one to one basis to couples so that they can freely speak up their mind. This helps in overcoming their problem.