In everyone’s life, there are ups and downs, and certain factors that can cause stress. However, being able to cope with these negative situations not only helps overcome the problem itself but also minimises its adverse effects on our health. This is because the inability to manage stress can eventually lead a person into depression. Depression is a condition that affects not only psychological but also physical aspects of life.
Have you ever considered the possible effects of stress on getting pregnant? Let’s learn together about the effects of depression on women’s health and whether depression prevents pregnancy.
The Influence of Depression on Women’s Reproductive Health
The most important factor in women’s reproductive systems is hormones. Menstrual cycles occur with fluctuations in certain hormones at specific times. Changes in these hormone levels also affect women’s psychology. Conversely, a woman’s psychological state also affects hormones.
Some women experience certain symptoms starting one or two weeks before their menstrual period. Bloating, headaches, irritability, and pessimism are some of these effects.
In individuals with depression, these symptoms can be much more severe. Research shows that many women who experience severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), also known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), often have psychological problems such as depression.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is essentially a more severe version of PMS, where feelings of irritability and depression experienced before each menstrual cycle are at higher levels. Additionally, this condition, which can lead to symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, is more common in women with depression due to differences in reproductive hormone levels.
Research has shown that women with depression are more likely to experience irregular menstrual cycles. This not only affects women psychologically but also physically, making it more difficult for them to conceive.
Does Focusing Excessively on Pregnancy Make Conception Harder?
Many women who decide to conceive after stopping contraception immediately think they can become pregnant. They track ovulation days, have intercourse at the necessary frequency, and do everything they think is necessary. However, when their period approaches and each test they take shows a negative result, they feel disappointed and question what went wrong.
In reality, there is nothing wrong. It’s just that the expectant mother overlooks the fact that a healthy woman can take up to a year to conceive through unprotected and regular intercourse. Women planning to conceive spend much of their time thinking about it. They count the days to have intercourse and often engage in intercourse solely for the purpose of having a child. Then, they reach the same conclusion: disappointment over a negative pregnancy test result.
In this situation, individuals start to consider something normal as “Is there a problem with us?” This naturally leads to stress, bringing along many more problems.
Constantly thinking about having a baby can lead to stress in women, disrupting hormone levels and preventing healthy ovulation. This is because stress is managed in the same centre as hormones responsible for ovulation, called the hypothalamus.
Focusing solely on ovulation day can lead to missing the actual days. This is because women’s ovulation days vary. Therefore, it is best to go with the flow and not miss the other days.
Sharing that you are planning a pregnancy with everyone can lead to encountering some questions from your surroundings. People may inadvertently create pressure on you, leading to an increase in your stress levels. Therefore, many couples only share that they have stopped contraception with their closest relatives.
Engaging in sexual intercourse is an action taken for pleasure. However, when the goal is to become pregnant, this enjoyable act can turn into a duty. This can lead to couples being unwilling, often not wanting to have intercourse, and causing stress, affecting a person’s psychology and thus their hormones negatively. Therefore, doctors often warn couples about this. Concerns about having a child can reduce sexual desire. It can lead to poor nutrition and weaken the immune system, making it easier to get sick.
Reducing Stress and Making Pregnancy Easier
Being able to manage stress, one of the main causes of many illnesses, is important for improving quality of life. If you find yourself turning pregnancy into a stressful situation or struggling with a problem like depression, there are a few tips you can try to get rid of it:
- Exercising not only helps maintain physical health but also benefits your mental health. Therefore, if you have a stressful disposition and want a baby, it’s time to add some activity to your life! Exercising three times a week and making it a habit can make you a happier person by clearing your mind of negative thoughts.
- The effects of yoga and meditation on human psychology are undeniable. By practising yoga and meditation, you can free yourself from negative thoughts and get rid of the negative effects of things not going well in your life to some extent.
- Balanced and healthy eating is important for both physical and mental health. Research has shown that people with low levels of omega-3 are more likely to experience depression. In addition, it has been found that depression is much more likely in individuals with deficiencies in vitamins B12, B6, cholesterol, selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, or vitamin D. Therefore, a varied and healthy diet is a highly effective method for preventing or resolving depression.
If you are struggling with depression alone, be sure to seek help from a specialist. Otherwise, the situation can be exacerbated and cause you even more harm. If you are undergoing medication and planning to become pregnant during this process, be sure to share this with your doctor. Your doctor will adjust the dosage or medication according to your condition.
In light of this information, we can say that stress and depression directly affect women’s reproductive health. Therefore, it is essential to reduce sources of stress, avoid obsessing over pregnancy, and seek help from a specialist if you have any psychological disorders. When you feel good about yourself, becoming pregnant will be much easier.
