How stress impacts your fertility

“You're too stressed.” “You're making yourself sick stressing yourself out like this.” “You need to let go of your desire for motherhood: you'll see, the day you relax, it will come by itself.” If you're reading this today, you may have already heard these words. Words that are meant to be reassuring but are extremely judgmental. Extremely frustrating. In today's article, there's no question of making you feel guilty: we're explaining in a completely neutral way how stress impacts your fertility, your menstrual cycle, and your period. And we're offering solutions if you realize you're in this anxious situation.

How can stress cause a late or missed period?

We promised you objectivity and neutrality: let's start with a reminder about the menstrual cycle to better help you understand the role of stress on the menstrual cycle.

Reminders about the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is the process that occurs each month in menstruating people of reproductive age. It begins with menstruation. At the same time, the follicular phase begins, where an egg is created. This phase ends with ovulation, when the egg is released. Then comes the luteal phase. These stages prepare the body for a possible pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur, the cycle ends with menstruation, and a new cycle begins!

The length of a menstrual cycle is often reduced to 28 days for practical reasons. However, it can vary greatly from one person to another, but also from one cycle to another, in the case of irregular cycles. It can be natural to have a short cycle of 21 days , or a long cycle of 38 days . This has no impact on fertility.

The role of hormones in the menstrual cycle

Hormones are the conductors of the menstrual cycle. The best known are estrogen and progesterone, but other hormones, such as FSH and LH, are essential. It is their levels that trigger the phases of the menstrual cycle, which in turn allow other hormones to be present in the body.

Why am I talking about hormones here? Because stress plays a major role in hormone secretion , and that's why it can play an important role in the menstrual cycle.

The role of stress on the menstrual cycle

In stressful situations, whether for a one-off episode or over a longer, chronic period, the body secretes several hormones, such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol. These interact with the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.

Several effects can thus be observed:

Delayed period

Chronic or acute stress can disrupt the hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle (particularly luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone), potentially leading to a delayed period. This is quite perverse: the more stressed you are about missing your period, the more likely it is to be delayed!

Irregular menstrual cycle

Recurring stress can disrupt the hormonal balance necessary for a regular menstrual cycle. Irregular menstrual cycles may include variations in cycle length or the length of the follicular and luteal phases.

Amenorrhea / Absence of periods

High levels of stress, especially when combined with significant weight loss, can lead to missed periods, known as amenorrhea.

Intensified premenstrual syndrome

Some women may experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms more intensely during times of stress, which can include mood swings, headaches, breast tenderness, and other symptoms.

Can stress affect my fertility?

Yes. Stress, whether occasional or chronic, can affect fertility , potentially by making cycles irregular or stopping periods altogether.

Irregular cycles

Chronic stress, by disrupting the regularity of menstrual cycles, can impact fertility. Menstruation always occurs 14 days after ovulation; therefore, when a menstrual cycle is irregular, it means that ovulation does not occur at the same time.

However, when planning a baby, knowing your ovulation date and being able to predict it is particularly useful for increasing your chances of fertility. Having irregular ovulation makes the process more complicated and therefore affects fertility.

🌈What if, instead of predicting, you measured your ovulation? In addition to learning to recognize your ovulation symptoms , you can measure your basal body temperature (BBT) . This changes as ovulation approaches or occurs. To measure it, you can use a connected basal thermometer to track your temperature daily.

Amenorrhea

Following significant stress or in a chronic stressful situation, the body sometimes goes into a state of pause. Ovulation and periods stop: this is amenorrhea. It's fairly easy to understand how amenorrhea can impact fertility.

How do I know if my late period is due to stress?

Beyond chronic stress, occasional stress can also affect your menstrual cycle and period. The more you stress about missing your period, the more likely it is that you'll be late!

Late period

If your period is generally regular, a missed period is considered to begin as soon as you are one day late compared to your expected period. Note: even if your menstrual cycle is perfectly regular, it is possible for it to change over a cycle for physiological, psychological, or pathological reasons.

If your period is generally irregular, a delay of up to nine days is considered normal: try not to worry outside of this timeframe.

What can cause a late period?

Are you stressed because your period is late? Here are some reasons why it might be late if you're usually regular.

• Physiological: it can happen that periods are late without any real reason;
• One-off stress: as has been said, an acute stress situation can lead to a delay in periods during one or more menstrual cycles;
• Travel: travel, due to the stress and change in eating habits and schedules that it causes, can cause a temporary shift in the menstrual cycle;
• Pregnancy: Pregnancy is necessarily the first reason that comes to mind when we consider a late period.

⚡A one-off missed period is rarely due to a pathological reason: generally, diseases such as PCOS or endometriosis disrupt the menstrual cycle for a long time. If your periods suddenly change from a regular rhythm to a completely irregular one and this irregularity persists over time, it is worth consulting a doctor.

How do I know if my late period is due to stress?

Are you experiencing a late period and don't know why? If you're feeling particularly stressed, it may be stress-related, but as we've just seen, there are other possible reasons.

The only thing you need to check, as you probably guessed, is that you're not pregnant. If you're more than a week late on your expected period (i.e., 3 weeks after ovulation), it's a good idea to take a pregnancy test. This can tell you if you're pregnant.

What can I do to relieve my anxiety?

You feel very anxious and you fear that this could affect your fertility and your desire to have children.

Doctor / Psychologist

The first response to anxiety, if it's preventing you from living, is to talk to your doctor. They are trained in mental health and will be able to support you. They can either offer treatment, if they think it's necessary, or recommend that you see a psychologist. Consulting a mental health specialist can really help you find relief.

🌈We're currently developing a directory of healthcare professionals deemed caring and attentive by our community. Feel free to consult it to find professionals in your area.

Food supplements

Stress can be caused by many factors, such as fatigue or deficiencies. This is why it can be beneficial to support your body, particularly through diet and, why not, dietary supplements.

CBD

Among the solutions that can address your anxiety disorders, CBD is an interesting one. Authorized in France since 2020, the molecule Cannabidiol (abbreviated as CBD), found in hemp flowers, is particularly interesting. It is known to have anti-anxiety properties.

🌈In the shop, we particularly like the sublingual CBD oils from the Équilibre CBD brand: the 1000mL sublingual oil is a good place to start! Exceptionally high quality, made in France, they allow you to know exactly how much cannabidiol you are taking and how much you need to feel more relaxed.

I want it >

Adaptogenic plants

Adaptogenic plants are plants used to regulate emotions and stress in traditional Indian medicine. They support the body and help it overcome the problems it encounters. Less well-known than CBD at the moment, they are an interesting response to stress.

When should I see a doctor?

It's a good idea to seek help if stress is affecting your daily functioning. You can consult your doctor, gynecologist, or even a psychologist to discuss your concerns and questions.

If you consult these professionals because you are unable to conceive and think it may be due to stress, they will first examine the various causes that could be at the origin of your infertility. They will then carry out the necessary medical examinations to check that everything is going well for you and your partner. If everything is going well on a physiological and endocrine level in the context of a conception project, they will be interested in the potential impact of stress.

FAQ

Can stress make my period more painful or heavy?

Yes. By affecting hormones, stress can increase the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It's therefore possible that it could increase your abdominal cramps or heavy periods.

⚡Stress cannot be held responsible for all your symptoms: if you notice a change in your symptoms over several consecutive cycles (including more painful or heavier periods), this may be due to a pathological reason such as PCOS or endometriosis, for example. We advise you to consult a doctor when significant changes occur over more than three consecutive cycles.

Can premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms be confused with those of stress?

Stress can cause symptoms similar to PMS, including migraines and abdominal cramps. Furthermore, stress can increase PMS symptoms.

Do emotional stress and physical stress have the same impact on the menstrual cycle?

Stress, whether emotional, physical, chronic, or acute, generates hormones that can, in turn, impact the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. Each menstruating person will be more or less sensitive to these changes and upheavals.

In case of prolonged stress, how long does it take for the menstrual cycle to normalize?

There is no general rule that can be applied to all menstruating people. For some people, their cycles will remain undisturbed, whether or not they are stressed. For others, the slightest bit of stress will throw everything out of whack. For others still, even without any stress, their periods will be irregular. That's why we advise you to think about yourself first and foremost. Think about yourself and your mental health before thinking about your menstrual cycle. The more pressure you put on yourself to be less stressed in order to have a more stable menstrual cycle, the more guilty you will feel. So think about yourself and consult a healthcare professional for support if you feel the need.

Sources:

• “Association between psychological stress and menstrual cycle characteristics in perimenopausal women” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15589774/
• “Stress of COVID-19 pandemic caused irregular menstrual cycles, study found” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210929155707.htm
• “The Impact of the Menstrual Cycle and Underlying Hormones in Anxiety and PTSD: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go From Here?” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33404887/