Many American couples now plan their families as meticulously as they do their educations, choices of career, living situations, and major financial investments-measuring all factors and waiting until the moment for starting a family is exactly right: Six years ago my husband and I got married. We knew that children would definitely be a part [...]
Hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. Because of their essential role in the body, even small hormonal imbalances can cause side effects throughout the body. Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the endocrine system. Hormones travel through the bloodstream to the [...]
Stress can make women infertile, research has revealed.Scientists found that those with high levels of a stress hormone stop ovulating and are therefore unable to conceive. • Fertility clinics ‘tricked by identity fraudsters’ • Factfile: Fertility facts and figures Women with hectic jobs are those most at risk, and are often [...]
Medical interventions may exacerbate anxiety, depression, and stress. The case of the California woman who gave birth to octuplets generated enormous media coverage and public discussion about infertility treatments. But in many ways the case is what researchers might call an “outlier” — one that is not typical — and as [...]
“You’re just trying too hard.” “You’re too stressed. Just relax and it will happen.” “You’ve got to calm down and let nature take its course.” If you’ve been trying six months or more to get pregnant, you’ve probably lost count of the number of times [...]
Approximately 10 to 15% of couples are impacted by infertility. Recently, the pivotal role that lifestyle factors play in the development of infertility has generated a considerable amount of interest. Lifestyle factors are the modifiable habits and ways of life that can greatly influence overall health and well-being, including fertility. Many lifestyle factors such as [...]
Modifications of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated changes in circulating levels of glucocorticoids form a key component of the response of an organism to stressful challenges. Increased levels of glucocorticoids promote gluconeogenesis, mobilization of amino acids, and stimulation of fat breakdown to maintain circulating levels of glucose necessary to mount a stress response. [...]
