Less Stress May Increase Pregnancy Odds

Researchers have evidence that some women may be able to improve their chances of getting pregnant by reducing stress.

Many factors, affecting both men and women, can cause fertility problems. It's long been thought that the stress of daily life is related to infertility.

Acupuncture techniques may improve the chances of conceiving a child by managing and reducing stress in women with a condition known as amenorrhea, in which a woman's monthly periods are interrupted and ovulation doesn't always occur. Amenorrhea is thought to be caused by poor nutrition and over-exercising.

A combination of stress management therapy and diet and exercise coaching restored fertility in 80 percent of the women who took part, compared to 25 percent in a control group.

The researchers measured stress by monitoring levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the women. The psychotherapy and behavioral therapy appeared to reduce the levels of cortisol and restore ovulation.

The researchers say this study underlines the contribution lifestyle factors play in fertility.

Failure to ovulate is thought to be the result of too much energy being used up by excessive exercise and poor nutrition. But the researchers in this study theorize that dieting and excessive exercise might actually be a way of trying to cope with underlying stress, especially in women who aren't ovulating.

If you are having trouble conceiving a child, talk to your doctor to get a diagnosis. There are many causes of infertility and many treatments available that have helped many couples. Chinese medicine can be very helpful to increase fertility chances.

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