Study: Stress May Have An Impact On Infertility
By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Wanna-be moms now have science on their side when it comes to their need to de-stress.
The takeaway of the recent study in the journal Human Reproduction:
"Stress can have an impact on infertility," says That's Dr Larry Barmat, an OB/GYN at Abington Memorial Hospital.
Inordinately high levels of stress -- say, suffering from anorexia -- can prevent ovulation entirely. But this research considered more 'everyday' tensions, like work and a marriage. Women who've long been stressing out over such things were more than twice as likely to fail to become pregnant or have an increased time to pregnancy.
Inordinately high levels of stress -- say, suffering from anorexia -- can prevent ovulation entirely. But this research considered more 'everyday' tensions, like work and a marriage. Women who've long been stressing out over such things had more than double the risk of an inability to become pregnant or an increased time to pregnancy.
"We need to take it very seriously and work on developing further studies to determine if this really is a causative factor in infertility," says Barmat.
Barmat says some women respond best to individual therapy, others to group sessions.
"We're also big supporters of some of the complimentary alternative medicine, the mind-body connection," says Barmat.
From acupunture to music therapy -- things that can help you chill out whether you want to be expecting or not.
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