If you’re like most people, you may not realize the plethora of adverse affects that stress can have on your body. When stress goes unchecked, there are many health problems that can occur. Then, worrying about your health causes more stress, and a vicious cycle begins.
This is often the case when it comes to women and their fertility. Infertility is very common and can strike anyone at varying degrees. When a woman decides to have a baby, the desire can be very strong and any kink in the road can seem like a major setback, causing even more stress.
The best you can do for yourself is to step back and remain as stress free as possible, because stress and health play major roles in fertility.
Stress and Fertility
When there’s too much stress in your life, it can affect fertility in harmful ways. This goes for both men and women. Stress affects your hormones and, when your hormones are out of whack, it can disrupt the natural flow of life.
Some say that stress affects fertility because of a natural block against conceiving during an inappropriate time. This just means that if you’re dealing with too much stress, your body might be telling you that it’s not the right time to have a baby.
If you use regular relaxation techniques to relieve your stress, you can improve your chances. You must maintain your relaxation routine though, because if you only remain stress free for a short while, your body will eventually return to its stressed state.
Too much stress can interfere with a woman’s monthly cycle. Stress can delay ovulation even if ovulation is already approaching. Your body may sense the stress and then stop the process, only to “try again” a few days later. In some instances, you may not ovulate during a cycle at all.
Irregular cycles are common, but if you used to be regular and are finding that you’re now irregular, it could be because of stress. Your doctor can help determine if the cause is stress or an underlying physical issue.
Men also need to pay close attention to their stress levels. Too much stress can affect healthy sperm levels.
Health and Fertility
It’s also important to pay attention to your health when you’re trying to conceive a child. A healthy lifestyle can boost your fertility and help you produce a healthy child. Exercise can help both men and women become more fertile.
You’ll also want to pay close attention to your diet. Women should especially consider taking prenatal supplements for up to 3 months before they plan on conceiving a child. This is mainly to make sure that the body has time to store a supply of folic acid. Folic acid is very important for the baby’s brain development, so it’s particularly important during those first few weeks of pregnancy.
Women, especially, should keep up on their vitamins, because many women don’t find out about their pregnancy for several weeks. In this instance, if they weren’t taking a vitamin, they’d miss out on those important nutrients during the first weeks of pregnancy.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Having a positive attitude is also very important to your fertility. It can keep you energized and is an important component to your mental health and, of course, your relationship with your spouse. It can be tough when you run into problems, but you must have faith that everything will work out the way it’s meant to be.
You can take heart in the fact that there are many medical advances in the field of fertility, and many women these days are able to conceive children with alternative, natural means, such as the Creighton Model Fertility Care System or the Billings Ovulation Method.
Keep in touch with your doctor to stay on top of your fertility and learn more about these natural fertility systems by doing some research online. When you reduce your stress, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and undergo proper fertility care, you’ll achieve the best results.