Approximately one in six couples in U.S. are affected by infertility. Whereas around 75% of couples will get pregnant within 6 months, those who are still not pregnant may need medical assistance. Many common causes of infertility are PCOS, age, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, male infertility, or unexplained infertility.
Whether you have been trying to overcome infertility for years or you are just doing your homework on optimizing fertility – the most recent research has documented the connection between lowering psychological stress and significant increase in pregnancy rates. In a study of 501 women in U.S., the researchers checked the levels of salivary a-amylase enzyme, a biomarker of stress, and found that women with lower levels of pregnancy had the highest levels of this enzyme.
Patients who are struggling to conceive report feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and loss of control, with depression levels being similar to patients diagnosed with cancer. Also, according to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, even after getting pregnant, 10-25% of all pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Patients who go through infertility treatment or experience a pregnancy loss meet a criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, but often women, and men, suffer silently without getting any help.
Most infertile women don’t share their challenges with family and friends, due to feelings of shame, guilt, and low self-esteem, and these in turn contribute to the cycle of stress.
