If you've been wanting a baby for a while and have been trying in vain, you've probably heard the popular wisdom: just don't push it and it will happen! Of course, it's hard to smile and say thank you while your hands clench into fists...
Of course, they mean well, because they know: unsuccessful months are a source of extra stress, and stress is not good for conception...
Why is this so?
Again, evolutionary psychology provides the answers.
Stress signals to your body through hormonal, physiological and emotional channels: you are not safe! And getting pregnant and giving birth to an offspring in a dangerous environment is a high risk, because the pregnant individual, whether human or animal, is more vulnerable, more exposed, and even if she can give birth to a viable offspring, her ability to raise it in dangerous conditions is questionable. Whether these dangerous conditions are perceived or real, the organism reacts to them in virtually the same way.
In the old days, the threat of a predator or a war in progress was a hardship, but today it's more about making a living, worrying about your job, your boss being stupid or your partner having a big fight, a deadline at university and your grandfather getting sick. The thing is, the stress response is indiscriminate, it doesn't care if the danger is in your brain or your mind, if there's a war or couple tensions. Evolution has therefore developed mechanisms that inhibit the reproductive system in response to intense stress, and if that seems the lesser evil, the organism may choose to abort.
A wealth of research supports the link between stress and fertility problems. Emotional strain on women , chronic work stress, long hours and fatigue can lengthen or confuse the cycle, possibly leading to a complete absence of menstruation. It is also a fact that women who have experienced depression or increased anxiety symptoms in their lifetime are twice as likely to become infertile as women who have not.
Who are the most likely women to be very stressed about getting pregnant? Those who are about to undergo IVF treatment, because by the time they get to that point they have already been through a lot of humiliating, stressful events and the diagnosis of infertility can be a shock. Women who go on to IVF usually already suffer from severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, which in itself can inhibit reproductive function. There is obviously a heightened anxiety in the woman both about the emotional-social impact of infertility and the expected treatments. Those with high levels of anxiety or depression are the most unsuccessful with IVF treatments.
The stress level is therefore a decisive factor, and there are also a number of other factors that influence the success of IVF, such as the age of the mother, whether the infertility is functional or organic, the length of the previous failure period, the quality of the marital relationship, the level of social support, etc.
To help you manage your stress and support your body and your unborn baby(ren), we have developed a deep relaxation programme specifically tailored to the IVF treatment process. It includes breathing techniques, relaxation and deep relaxation techniques, and positive suggestion techniques to help you experience assisted reproductive procedures in a calm, balanced way, reducing stress and increasing your chances of success.
We would like to offer you our latest Relaxation CD for a Balanced and Siekres Lombik Program!
And if you're already a success, here's a storybook for your baby conceived through a fomb, available to order from today!
More information and ordering:
Nóra Árvai
psychologist, perinatal counsellor, specialist writer,
Apply for a consultation: www.endoblog.hu/eshop/booking
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