How Does Stress Impact Your Fertility Health? Expert Lists Preventive Measures And Tips. (Image: iStock)
Stress is your body’s natural way of responding to a challenging event or a situation. It is often accompanied by symptoms like feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression while being overwhelmed. Stress is becoming increasingly common in today’s fast-paced world. This negatively impacts one's mental as well as physical health more than you may think. It can also influence various bodily functions including reproductive health. So if you are worried about your reproductive health or fertility in general then make sure that you manage your stress levels for the betterment of your health.
In both men and women, stress has been significantly linked with hormonal imbalances that can impact one's menstrual cycles, production of sperm or egg, and reduced libido. It also lowers one's chances of conceiving naturally.
Times Now Digital spoke to Dr Soumya Shetty, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility, about the negative impact of stress on fertility. Here is how it affects your fertility and how to stay protected.
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Hormonal Imbalance: When you are constantly stressed, your body tends to produce more cortisol levels than usual. Cortisol levels are also referred to as stress hormones. Increased levels of cortisol can be high with various reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are vital for regulating menstrual cycles and conducting a healthy pregnancy.
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Menstrual Irregularities: You may notice significant changes in your menstrual cycles when you are extremely stressed. When stress sustains for a longer duration it can cause menstrual problems like missed or irregular periods than usual. A significant inconsistency in your periods can make it challenging to track ovulation.
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Delayed Ovulation: Stress can create a hindrance when it comes to conceiving. It heavily disrupts the ovulation process, the release of eggs from the ovaries. Most couples actively try to conceive while tracking the ovulation phase. So if the ovulation is delayed it becomes harder to navigate through this for optimal fertility. This can further lead to feelings of frustration and irritation while contributing to stress.
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Decreased Sperm Quality: Stress is not only harmful for women but also for men. Chronic stress in men can lead to problems like low sperm count and reduced sperm motility. These evident changes can make it extremely difficult for the sperm to efficiently travel through the reproductive tract in women while promoting fertilization of the egg. Excessive stress can increase the risk of experiencing several sperm abnormalities in men which can further complicate the process of conceiving successfully.
This is why it becomes crucial to manage your stress levels. Regularly engaging in activities like deep-breathing exercises, meditation or yoga can help lower your cortisol levels. It will also help maintain hormonal balance while reducing the impact of stress on your reproductive health. Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet that is enriched with essential nutrients can be beneficial for your fertility and mental health. Consider consulting a doctor to discuss your concerns and queries related to the correlation between stress and fertility health for expert guidance.
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