What is the Connection Between Stress and Infertility?

Stress and infertility may be directly related through certain hormones, many doctors believe. Stress may also keep a couple from having sexual intercourse, which naturally leads to problems with conception. The biggest connection between stress and infertility, though, may occur while a woman is going through infertility treatments in a bid to become pregnant.

After trying to conceive for a long time, many couples may feel as if it is impossible for them to have a baby. It starts to become stressful for them, and they may be too discouraged to even have sex. The pressure they feel about the need to have sex whether they're in the mood or would rather skip it also adds to their stress.

It can be hard for a couple to deal with a diagnosis of infertility. Many times, unless previously known medical conditions have caused the infertility, the couple is shocked to find out that it may be hard, if not impossible, to conceive. Often adding to the stress of the infertility diagnosis is societal and familial pressure to have a baby. Infertility treatments are usually expensive and often not covered by health insurance policies, adding financial stress to the infertility equation.

Stress and infertility treatments can greatly affect a marriage. If only one person in the relationship has an infertility problem, he or she may become scared that the other spouse will leave and seek someone else with whom to have children. Sometimes the spouse with the problem may attempt to convince the other to leave because he or she feels guilty about ruining the dream of having a baby. If infertility treatments do not work the first time, the husband and wife may become angry at each other.

Some of the side effects of infertility treatments may cause stress, as well. Hormones given to a woman to help the problem may affect her mood, causing her to be depressed or irritable. The couple's doctor also may assign certain times of the day or month for the couple to have sex. This may result in a lack of sex at other times, and the act may become more of a chore than a thing of pleasure.

While it is difficult to deal with stress and infertility, there are many couples who have gone through it and ended up getting pregnant. Many options exist for those who cannot get pregnant even with the help of infertility treatments. Adoption, sperm or egg donors, and surrogates can give a couple the child they have always dreamed of, regardless of stress and infertility.