Living with Stress

Living With Stress

Why Now and Why Getting Pregnant Can Be Stressful?

The Impact of Stress On Pregnancy

Stress Quiz

Understanding Your Stress

Dealing With Stress- Alter, Avoid or Accept?

Living with Stress

Stress! We all feel it in our lives. Whether it is our response to a long line up at the grocery store, dealing with a pushy person or lack of money, we all experience it to some degree. 

Stress in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it forces us to do what needs to be done. At other times stress can be overwhelming or chronic.  This type of stress can affect your body and mind in a negative way.

Why Now?

Planning for pregnancy is a good time to look at the stresses in your life and identify how you deal with them. 

● While preparing for pregnancy may be an exciting and fun time, it can be stressful if it does not 

    happen as quickly as you expect. 

● Getting pregnant and becoming parents will create changes in your life.

● Even during pregnancy there are physical and emotional changes you have to deal with. 

● As for the stress associated with parenting, well, just ask anyone who has kids!    

● The point is, we all could learn how to relax more and there is no time like the present.

Trying To Get Pregnant Can Be Stressful

“ Just relax and let it happen, take a vacation, forget about it for awhile.”

Couples who are trying to get pregnant are often given the above advice.  Is it implying that stress can interfere with the ability to get pregnant? After years of research, this still remains difficult to answer.

First of all, stress is difficult to measure in scientific terms because we all feel and deal with it differently.  Secondly, much of the research in this area has been done on couples already seeking help for fertility issues, which in itself can lead to increased stress! So, what is known about stress and infertility? Generally, scientists agree there is a relationship between the two.^1-7  However, it is hard to determine if stress is a cause of infertility or if infertility is the cause of stress.  While it is possible that chronic or extreme stress may have some effect on the hormones associated with the reproductive system,^6,8,9 there is no conclusive evidence that normal day-to-day stress causes infertility.^6,10  Let’s face it though, relaxing a little more will not hurt your chances of getting pregnant!

The Impact Of Stress On Pregnancy…

● Recent studies suggest that high stress levels during pregnancy may lead to premature births^11,12,13

    and possibly to low birth weight, even in full term babies.¹¹ 

● Women who experience high levels of stress may not be following good health habits.  They may 

    not eat properly, or react to stress by reaching for cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs, which can place 

    a baby at greater risk.^{11, 12}

How stressed are you? Quiz.

Were you surprised? Are you happy with your situation, or could you benefit from stress management techniques?

Understanding Your Stress

Before deciding on a plan of action it is important to identify signs of stress in yourself as well as some of the current causes of stress in your life. Once this is done, you can work on activities to help reduce them.

Some of the signs I notice in myself when I am feeling stressed are:

You may want to ask your partner or a close friend to help you identify your reactions to stress.

Stresses in my life…

At work____________________________________________________________________________

At home____________________________________________________________________________

In relationships with others____________________________________________________________

With myself_________________________________________________________________________

Dealing With Stress … Alter, Avoid or Accept?

When you are feeling the effects of stress, you can deal with it in three different ways: Alter It, Accept It or Avoid It.¹⁴  The strategy you choose depends on how you view the situation.

Altering

Involves removing the source of stress by changing something about the situation. Improving communication skills, settling differences, planning your time differently, or asking for help are ways to alter a situation.

Avoiding

Ignoring the issue may be the best solution at times. However, be careful that you are not sweeping it under the rug only to have it resurface in a much bigger form. Avoidance might work for the small stuff that gets us all worked up. For example, if you know the grocery store is always busy on Friday nights, you may choose a time early in the morning. Avoiding stress may also involve saying “no” at times.

Accepting

Many problems are out of your control. The only option may be to accept them and try to increase your capacity to tolerate stress. Exercising, eating well and learning methods of relaxation can help with this. Change your perception of a situation by using humour, positive self-talk, or seeing it as a learning experience. This can help you redefine a situation so that it is seen as less stress provoking.

Now that you are familiar with the 3 A's (alter, avoid and accept), go back and look at the sources of stress you identified in the previous activity. Which “A” would you use with each issue?    

Take steps towards dealing with the stress in your life! In planning your course of action do not forget to use family and friends who could help you in accomplishing your goals.

As for the future…

You will be your children’s greatest role model. Showing them positive ways to deal with life’s situations is probably one of the greatest gifts you will ever give them.

Section References

Living with Stress:

1.             Brokovich, A.M., and Fisher, W.A. (1998).  “Psychological distress and infertility: forty years of research.”  Journal of Psychosomatics Obstetrics & Gynecology, 19, 218-228.

2.             Greil, Arthur. (1997).  “Infertility and psychological distress: a critical review of the literature.”  Social Science Medicine, 45 (11), 1679-1704.

2.              Seibal, M. (1997).  “Infertility:  the impact of stress, the benefit of counseling.”  Journal

of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 14, 181-183.

3.             Hjollund, N.H. et al. (July 1999 ).  “Distress and reduced fertility:  a follow-up study of first

pregnancy planners.”  Fertility and Sterility, 72 (1), 47-53.

4.            Sanders, K.A., and Bruce, N.W. (1997) “A prospective study of psychosocial stress and fertility

in women.”  Human Reproduction, 12 (10), 2324-2329.

5.            Schover, L. (April 1997).  “Recognizing the stress of infertility.”  Cleveland Journal of

Medicine, 64, (4), 211-214.

6.            Newton, C., Sherrard, M.A., Glavac, M.S.W. (July 1999).  “The fertility problem inventory:

 measuring perceived infertility-related stress.” Fertility and Sterility, 72, (1), 54-62.

7.            Negro -Vilar, A. (1993). “Stress and other environmental factors affecting fertility in  men and

women:  overview.”  Environmental Health Perspective Supplements, 101, (supp. 2), 59-64.

8.            Lindheim, S. (August 1997).  “letter,” Fertility and Sterility , 68(2), 384-385.

10.      Benson, M.D. (1999). “What effect does stress have on fertility and can stress cause miscarriage?”  Pregnancy Today, the Journal for Moms-to-be.  2 pages. [online], http://pregnancytoday.com/experts/ob-stress.htm [1999, December  1].

11.       March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. (1999). “Stress and pregnancy,” Factsheet.

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation [online], www.modimes.org/healthlibrary2/factsheets/stressandpregnancy.htm  [2000, June 8].

12.       Health Canada (1999). A Handbook for Health and Social Service Professionals

Responding to Abuse During Pregnancy.  (ISBN 662-27295-1).  Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

13.           Pillitteri, A. (1999).  Maternal and Child Health Nursing. 3^rd ed. Philadelphia:  J.B. Lippincott Company.

14.            Tubesing, D. A. and Tubesing, N. L. (1983, 1994).  Structured Exercises in Stress Management,

 Vol. 1.  Duluth, Minnesota: Whole Person Associates.

For credit of this information, please refer to the preconception home page.