Stress, Fertility and the Foetus

STORY Rebecca Galton

Do you know what sets us humans apart from other animals? We have the ability not just to stress about things, but to stress about the stress itself. Lucky us.

And there are two major life events where this is less than helpful... when you're trying to conceive and when you're pregnant.

These are both understandably stressful times in any person's life and the idea that anxiety can have a negative effect on your fertility and your foetus only adds to this stress. That's why it's important to look after yourself, learn to identify when you're feeling overwhelmed and make sure you're not stressing about your stress!

Stress and Fertility

Stress can interfere with proper hormone function and ovulation. When you're stressed, your body releases cortisol. It's the hormone needed for the fight or flight response and it plays an important role in keeping us safe.

It's normal to feel anxious when you're trying to conceive, but our bodies are clever and if we're constantly in a state of stress they recognise that perhaps this isn't an ideal time to fall pregnant.

But the thing is, this isn't an absolute. There's no set level of stress that will impact your fertility; there are no definites. Everyone is different and everyone reacts differently. If stress meant that women couldn't conceive, there'd be no babies born in war-torn countries.

The best thing to do is be kind to yourself. Find ways to lower your anxiety, but also give yourself permission to worry occasionally, because it's absolutely normal. There's no point stressing about your stress. Stress and the Foetus

If you've been lucky enough to fall pregnant and the stress of trying to conceive is behind you, you most likely have a whole new set of worries. High up on the list is probably 'is my anxiety harming my baby?'.

While there's evidence linking prolonged periods of stress to premature birth, low-birth weight babies and behavioural issues, you shouldn't be concerned about the normal anxieties of pregnancy. Falling pregnant is a major life upheaval and feeling stressed is a natural reaction.

However, if your anxiety is unrelenting, disproportionate to the situation or affecting your daily life and function, you should talk to your health care provider. Antenatal anxiety and depression affect one in five expecting mothers and one in 20 expecting fathers, so it's important to know the signs and get help early.

How to Reduce your Stress

Sometimes, stressful situations are beyond your control, such as a death in the family or a loss of employment. It's important to manage what you can control. Here are some ways to reduce stress:

Talk to your partner, friends or family members. Enlist their help when you're feeling overwhelmed and accept offers of support.

Stay healthy. Exercise regularly, even if it's just going for a walk in the park or along the beach. Eat a wide variety of healthy, nutritious food, and make sure you get enough sleep.

Find a relaxation technique that works for you, such as yoga, journal writing, mindfulness or meditation.

If none of this seems to help, speak to your GP or see a counsellor.