Mental stress can lead to an increased endogenous level of epinephrine. Excessive epinephrine level may interfere with the decidual differentiation of human endometrial stromal cells and thus affect embryo implantation.
Screen for underlying health conditions – Sometimes underlying health conditions can prevent an embryo from implanting. These can include uterine problems, hormonal issues, thyroid problems, diabetes, and many others. Even a prior infection can cause implantation troubles.
Stress can interfere with conception. In fact, if you're having a hard time getting pregnant, people may have already said to you, "Just relax and it will happen." Although this can feel insulting, there's a kernel of truth to it.
"Women can also experience changes in blood flow to the uterus in response to stress," adds Keye. "This affects implantation because the uterus doesn't become very receptive to eggs.
Looking at physiological and psychological stress during IVF, it found that stress doesn't negatively affect IVF outcomes.
In general, the lining of the uterus must be receptive to the embryo for successful implantation. But research has found that stress or maternal anxiety can reduce this receptivity of the uterine wall, thus affecting implantation.
Stress exposure during the preimplantation period affects blastocyst lineages and offspring development.
Precisely how stress might reduce fertility is still unknown. Some experts have hypothesized that stress may reduce libido, leading to less frequent sex. Others have suggested that stress may dampen the immune system in a way that is bad for implantation.
There's no evidence to show that any sleeping position is better than any other for embryo implantation. The embryo is transferred when your womb is ready, when the lining is soft and thick and ideal for an embryo to implant. You can lie however you like – just get comfy.
PRL pulses caused a progressive inhibition of spontaneous HCG pulsatility. In conclusion, stress-related hormones affect placental HCG secretion in vitro. The involvement of these factors in impairing early pregnancy development is suggested.
The Science Behind Stress and Fertility
Several recent studies have found links between the women's levels of day-to-day stress and lowered chances of pregnancy. For example, women whose saliva had high levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that marks stress, took 29% longer to get pregnant compared to those who had less.
The increased level of stress hormone such as cortisol reduces estradiol production possibly by affecting the granulosa cell functions within the follicle, which results deterioration in oocyte quality.
When an embryo fails to implant, there can only be two logical reasons: the embryo is not good enough (genetically abnormal), or the endometrium is not “receptive” (doesn't allow the embryo to implant) enough.
Implantation failure is related to either maternal factors or embryonic causes. Maternal factors include uterine anatomic abnormalities, thrombophilia, non-receptive endometrium and immunological factors.
In addition to the embryo potential, an adequate and receptive uterus is of utmost importance for implantation to occur properly. Some of the uterine anomalies that can negatively affect implantation are: Mullerian malformations such as septate or T-shaped uterus.
Chronic stress could also cause problems for your baby. These can include effects on your unborn baby's growth and the length of your pregnancy (gestation). They can also increase the risk of problems in your baby's future physical and mental development, as well as behavioural issues in childhood.
While excessive stress isn't good for your overall health, there's no evidence that stress results in miscarriage. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur before the pregnancy is recognized.
Successful implantation is a result of complex autocrine, paracrine, and/or juxtacrine interactions of factors and their receptors at the site of implantation. Collectively, present literature suggests the role of a variety of molecules as potential mediators of embryo–uterine interactions during implantation (Fig.
The early embryo enters the uterine cavity as a morula and becomes a 32 to 256-cell blastocyst before implantation. Implantation begins with the loss of the zona pellucida known as hatching about 1-3 days after the morula enters the uterine cavity in preparation for attachment.
Progesterone is what stabilizes the uterine lining and makes it “sticky” enough for an embryo to attach. Without enough progesterone, it can be more difficult for an embryo to successfully implant. Progesterone stabilizes the uterine lining and makes it “sticky” enough for an embryo to attach.
Excess physical or emotional stress can affect the pituitary gland and disrupt the production of these hormones, so the egg doesn't get released. And, it's not only excess mental stress that does this, but physical stress to the body, like too much exercise, can also stop ovulation.
The good news is that research has found that feeling stressed about treatment doesn't affect your chances for treatment success.
Failed Implantation Symptoms
Generally, when implantation occurs, you may experience sensitive breasts and mild abdominal cramping. If you haven't experienced these in the weeks after your embryo transfer, it may be indicative that the implantation has failed. Additionally, you may experience vaginal bleeding.