If you’re planning to get pregnant, you can maximise your chances of success and diminish factors reducing the likelihood of falling pregnant, such as excess weight, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and so on. These risk factors are known to affect conception success, but the influence of stress has been less clear.

That is why researchers from the Oxford University set out to evaluate its effect by measuring stress levels in 274 healthy women between the ages of 18 and 40 who were planning a baby. Stress was assessed by measuring markers for two stress hormones in saliva: alpha-amylase and cortisol.

Results showed that the women with high rates of alpha-amylase (an indicator of adrenaline levels) had about a 12% reduced chance of getting pregnant as compared to those with the lowest levels of this marker. However, cortisol levels were not found to affect chances of conception.

The authors concluded that, “Stress significantly lowers chances of conceiving during fertile days” (the time span during which sperm can survive in the female reproductive organ before ovulation and fecundation occur). The effects of stress are probably related to the sympathetic nervous system and further studies are required to explore this mechanism, but this study is the first proof of a direct link between stress and fertility.

So, try and stay as relaxed as possible about getting pregnant, and reduce your lifestyle related stress levels. Yoga, relaxation, sport and leisure are all very helpful in getting rid of the sources of harmful tensions.

Source:
"Stress reduces conception probabilities across the fertile window: evidence in support of relaxation", G.M.B. Louis et al, Fertility and Sterility, July 2010