Can Stress Prevent Pregnancy?
British researchers at University of Oxford tell us this may be true.
It took me 5 years to conceive. During this period, I experienced excitement, anxiety and yes – stress – each month as I waited for my ovulation cycle to be completed. Meanwhile, family and friends and that tirelessly ticking biological clock were putting even more pressure on me. Getting pregnant was stressful for me.
What Stress and Starchy Foods Have in Common
The British researchers report that fertility problems may be linked to a certain substance that is indicative of stress. The culprit is called alpha-amylase, an enzyme found in the saliva which helps digest starch. Alpha-amylase is secreted by the parotid gland in response to starchy food – and to physical and psychological stress.
The researchers followed up 274 English women who wanted to get pregnant. They were given home kits to tract their monthly cycles and saliva samples were collected during their window of fertility. The results showed that women with higher levels of alpha-amylase are less likely to conceive than those with low levels of this compound. 25% of the women with the highest amylase levels had a corresponding 12% reduction in their chances to become pregnant.
As each of my attempts to get pregnant failed, the pressure and the stress built up to reduce even more my chances to conceive. Women like me who tried so hard for so long know this vicious cycle.
Methods to Control Your Stress Levels
With this discovery, the researchers hope to help couples with fertility problems overcome this unending cycle of stress and failed attempts at conception. They recommend alleviating the stress of women using natural and safe ways such as yoga and other relaxation techniques and support groups.
It took me 5 years to conceive. I don’t know how and why I eventually succeeded but it happened. Maybe I eventually overcame the stressful cycle. Maybe I simply gave up and stopped trying too hard as I grew older. At any rate, I was blessed with twin boys 7 years ago. Now, that’s another kind of stress I might tell you about someday.
Margaret Ida says...
It’s great to see that research is confirming what has been part of the ‘lore’ for a long time, i.e. ‘stop trying so hard’ is so often the way to get pregnant when it doesn’t happen as soon as you wish it would.
It was part of my experience, too. The three years before my first baby came were three v e r y long years! It was only after we had learned that there were clinical reasons that would make it difficult for us to conceive and decided we would just have to be patient until the Lord blessed us, that we were able to conceive our first child – it happened within 3 months!
Then we were so relaxed and happy after his birth, that the next one came along only 15 months later!
Patience and enjoying the journey are not easy for young people, but they are, indeed, the answer for a joyful life.
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Anne says...
This is really true. I was working already before me and my husband got married. After we got married it took so long for us to conceive a baby. Even though I was working, I really wanted to have a baby. My job was really stressful. After 2 years, I resigned from my job. My husband has a great job so it’s ok if I just quit. I do yoga and it really helped me. Then I conceived a daughter. Now, I am working online.
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Nikki says...
I’ve had three early losses last year and finally last October I got pregnant a fourth time and am now almost 15 weeks pregnant! Maybe it worked out because I sort of gave up and kinda went, “Whatever,” and just stopped actively trying!
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