| Stress causes infertility and miscarriage and infertility | | | | lawyer. She had no trouble conceiving but she |
| and miscarriage cause stress. The cycle continues and | | | | continually miscarried. Her diet and lifestyle were |
| consumes the affected couples. It is important to | | | | otherwise ideal. After five miscarriages she decided |
| minimise stress so couples who are experiencing | | | | to work only two days per week with the intention |
| problems should seek help as early as possible. This | | | | of resigning once she was fourteen weeks pregnant. |
| early help should not involve rushing to an IVF clinic | | | | The reduction in hours achieved their goal. She is now |
| but to a service, like my own, that evaluates possible | | | | the mother of four beautiful daughters. Julie is able to |
| nutritional deficiencies, sub-clinical infections and | | | | describe the huge change that occurred in her body |
| general lifestyle factors that are the common causes | | | | once she reduced her exposure to the highly |
| of reproductive problems. | | | | stressful situation. |
| Stress is very individual. When we are excited or | | | | Many couples who have been stressed conceive |
| fearful our bodies excrete stress hormones. We | | | | naturally once the stress is taken away. However |
| need these to survive - they are a normal part of | | | | releasing the stress hormones can also reduce the |
| life. However stress hormones are primarily for 'flight | | | | problem. Taking up an exercise program is often |
| or fight' and when they are not used for either fight | | | | helpful - this creates an outlet that is equivalent to |
| or flight, they can build up in the body and cause | | | | 'flight', one of the purposes of stress hormones. |
| illness. Different people produce different amounts of | | | | Another very helpful outlet is adopting a martial arts |
| stress hormones in response to the same levels of | | | | program. The simulation of 'fight' has extremely |
| external stresses. Our level of response probably | | | | beneficial effects on stress hormone levels. |
| involves our genes but our diet also affects our | | | | There are many stories of how reducing stress |
| moods and our stress responses. High GI diets | | | | resolves fertility problems. Some might involve other |
| increase stress hormones whilst lecithin, a special | | | | additional factors. For example whilst going on a |
| type of fat that can be used as a supplement, | | | | holiday might reduce stress, it might also remove the |
| reduces our hormonal response to stress. | | | | exposure to some toxic agent in the environment. |
| Here are a couple of stories that describe the types | | | | Being infertile or having miscarriages is extremely |
| of stress that cause fertility problems. | | | | stressful. Once a problem has been identified it is |
| Marie and Alex were building their own home so they | | | | important to reduce all stresses. If you recognise |
| went to live with Alex's mother. Marie found the living | | | | that you are living in an environment that is causing |
| arrangements very demanding. She felt she was | | | | you stress, try to postpone reproduction until you |
| treated somewhat like a servant and was | | | | can leave that environment or can eliminate the |
| continuously criticised. In the twelve months they | | | | stress. Also try to optimise your environment and |
| lived there, Marie was unable to conceive but shortly | | | | lifestyle to optimise fertility and minimise the risk of |
| after they moved into their own home, she became | | | | miscarriage. The older you are, the more important it |
| pregnant. | | | | is to reduce stress when you are trying to conceive. |
| Julie worked had a stressful job as a corporate | | | | |