Stress

There is considerable research into how stress affects  fertility treatment. Immediately it appears not that stress pays any benefit. This was not expected either. However, it is very difficult to measure people's stress levels objectively, in order to compare different people's individual response.

In a new Danish study couples were interviewed prior to the start of IVF treatment, to assess their stress levels before starting treatment. It turned out that especially impacts which we have no influence on, for example, illness or death in the family and violence, increase stress levels dramatically.

It was found that women who were exposed to these stressors produced 1 egg less on average, compared with women who were not particularly affected prior to starting treatment. But there was no difference in the number of pregnant women after treatment.

We recommend: Do not stress yourself unnecessarily during treatment. Think about whether there are things in your everyday life you can change, so the treatment becomes less stressful.

Often, the psychological burden of being in treatment is as huge as the physical stress. Try to focus less on the changes occurring in your body and try to live life as normally as possible. Think about whether there is anything you can do for yourself to feel comfortable and well. Although we attempt to control and manage your medical treatment very accurate, it is, as a fatter of fact, a complex biological process.

Once the embryos or sperm are put back into the womb, we can not do any more. The rest is pure biology, so try to let go and leave your body to the forces of nature.