Q: Stressed out by infertility?
Posted
Monday, September 24, 2007 5:53 PM
Q: I'm having trouble getting pregnant, and it's
starting to really stress me out. Is this going to make it even harder
to conceive? How can I get the stress under control?
Dr. Joseph Hill: Some fast facts about stress and infertility:
Infertility causes stress.
Stress is associated with lower pregnancy rates.
Stressed patients are more likely to drop out of therapy.
Interventions to decrease stress may increase pregnancy rates.
In other words, you're not alone. In general, women experiencing
infertility report high levels of distress. In one study, 40% of women
evaluated for distress prior to their first infertility clinic visit
met the psychiatric criteria for anxiety, depression or both. And, in
another study, women reporting high levels of anxiety and depression
prior to starting infertility therapy were less likely to conceive than
women who were calmer and happier at the beginning of their cycle.
Another way that stress
can adversely impact treatment outcome is that distressed women are more likely
to drop out of therapy. In one study of women who were insured to have six
cycles of infertility therapy, the average patient only did two cycles. The most
common reason given for dropping out? Emotional
distress.
Experimental
intervention studies of mind/body programs including biofeedback,
counseling, yoga, mild exercise and acupuncture suggest that pregnancy rates may be
increased through amelioration of anxiety and depression. In severe cases,
medications may also be necessary to treat anxiety and depression.
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