How Anxiety Affects Conception

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Studies on pregnancy, fertility and conception in relation to anxiety are complex because they rely largely on self-reported anxiety. Many are unaware of their anxiety levels, especially if anxious all the time. My awareness of this was one of the driving forces behind me writing my book. 

 

 

Studies have shown that pregnancy rates increase when psychological distress was lowered through treatment. E.g. take a look at this one entitled The relationship between stress and infertility. 

The Impact of Stress Hormones and The Physiological Manifestation of Anxiety

Increased cortisol levels, a stress hormone, can negatively affect many different aspects of health. It is highly likely that fertility is one of them.

Other than an increase in stress hormones like cortisol, the physiological manifestations of anxiety include an impact on the gut, thyroid function, immune system functioning, elevated inflammation.

These physiological changes due to anxiety and stress will likely have an impact reproductive function, including implantation of an embryo into the womb

Anxiety may also increase the likelihood of:

  • Sleep issues
  • Eating disorders
  • No exercise or doing too much exercise
  • Alcohol issues
  • Smoking
  • Increased caffeine intake
  • Lack of interest in sexAll of which have links to fertility.

The Chicken or The Egg?

Whilst science does not agree on the impact of stress and anxiety on conception, no one questions that infertility causes stress and anxiety.

It is if anxiety itself causes infertility that is still debated.

Many studies do show links between levels of day-to-day stress and anxiety and lowered chances of pregnancy.

For example, in one study, women whose saliva had high levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that marks stress, took 29% longer to get pregnant compared to those who had less.

The body is clever and knows that when the body in continually in a sympathetic nervous system response, when levels of stress hormones, most specifically cortisol, are high, your body knows that it is not an optimal time to conceive.

Reducing Stress and Finding Calm is Always a Good Idea

Whatever debate may exist in scientific and academic realms, if you are struggling with your fertility, pregnant, or in the postnatal period, reducing your overall levels of stress, and increasing your awareness of your own body and when it is holding stress and tension, is an extremely good idea.

Breathwork, for me, is the perfect antidote to this. My book, Breathing for Pregnancy, Finding Calm Through the Four Trimesters, is available here.

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