Pre-conception.
Stress and:
Pre-conception
Pregnancy
After the birth
Pre-conception.Being excessively (or chronically) stressed can affect the way your body functions. High levels of unexpected stress are known to delay (or stop) the release of an egg for the woman when 'ovulating' and decrease the sperm counts of men. Not eating well, not getting enough sleep, being ill and always tired, can reduce your chances of achieving a natural conception sooner. Also, relying on habits such as caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol and recreational drugs to deal with stress, can reduce your fertility. You can read about these in
lifestyle changes.
Pregnancy.Women who experience ongoing stress during their pregnancy often find they are physically and mentally less able to deal with it. Excessive, prolonged stress may be related to financial pressures, housing issues, or relationship conflicts, having to continue work until close to the end of the pregnancy, not enjoying the pregnancy and/or not feeling happy about having a new baby. Dealing with concerns about the health of the baby and/or how the pregnancy is progressing, can also be stressful. If part of the woman's coping mechanisms is to use caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol and/or recreational drugs, then there will be added health complications for her and her baby. You can read about these in
lifestyle changes.
While stress is not generally the sole cause of any major health problems, it may contribute to (or aggravate) certain conditions experienced during pregnancy such as
headaches,
heartburn,
nausea continuing into late pregnancy ,
high blood pressure during pregnancy,
palpitations,
diabetes during pregnancy,
aches and pains and strong Braxton-hicks contractions,
threatened premature labour ,
thrush,
Gardnerella and
going overdue.
After the birth.