Women who are struggling to get pregnant may want to try to reduce the stress in their lives before visiting a fertility clinic. In a pilot study, researchers from Emory University in Atlanta found that stress can cause fertility problems by disrupting a woman's menstrual cycle. For some women, stress can prevent ovulation completely.
The research showed that stress-reducing psychotherapy restored fertility in 80 percent of the women in the study. None of the participants had experienced a normal period for more than six months when the study began, and all had high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. During the study, half of the women received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to reduce stress levels, while the other half did not receive any therapy.
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The research showed that stress-reducing psychotherapy restored fertility in 80 percent of the women in the study. None of the participants had experienced a normal period for more than six months when the study began, and all had high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. During the study, half of the women received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to reduce stress levels, while the other half did not receive any therapy.
