The relationship between stress and infertility has become an area of growing interest, with medical science revealing just how deeply interconnected our psychological and physical health is. Chronic stress not only hinders our ability to conceive but can also exacerbate the emotional toll of infertility, creating a vicious cycle. However, expert insights, like those of Dr Seema Jain, Director of the IVF and Fertility Department at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals in Pune, offer hope by explaining how stress management can break this cycle.
Chronic Stress and Hormonal Imbalance: The Hidden Culprit One of the primary ways stress impacts fertility is through hormonal imbalances. Dr Seema Jain explains, “Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are essential for short-term survival, but when they are consistently elevated, they interfere with reproductive health.” For women, chronic stress can disrupt the production of key sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which regulate ovulation.
Similarly, the hypothalamus, which governs reproductive hormones, can be affected, leading to irregular or missed periods. In men, the picture is equally concerning, as elevated cortisol levels can reduce testosterone and impair sperm quality and count. In this way, the stress response—designed to help the body manage immediate threats—becomes a long-term barrier to conception.
Dr Jain points out, “Couples dealing with infertility often face the additional stress of trying to c.
