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Stress can interfere with many bodily processes. One area that can be heavily affected by extreme stress is the reproductive system. The reproductive system relies greatly on regular hormone production and environment. This means it is vulnerable to disruptions from both inside and outside stimulants. Unit nine has an objective that can be explored through this topic: “Describe how ovulation, menses, pregnancy, and spermatogenesis are hormonally regulated.”
Stress is the physical and mental response to certain situations. It is typically thought of and discussed focusing more on the mental aspect of the response, “which is said to occur when threats to the organism are perceived as uncontrollable and/or unpredictable.” (Giudice et al. 2018) There are many kinds of stressors. In the past, stress was used in “fight or flight” situations, now it also applies to daily activities. Mentally these stressors can consist of being overworked at school or at a job, major loss, etc. Physical stressors consist of anything that puts lots of work on the body. This could include sickness, major injuries, pollutants, and more. Long time over-production of stress hormones such as cortisol can interrupt the production of regular hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen.
The dysregulation of sex hormones can cause problems for the female reproductive system. This includes uterus, vagina, ovaries, cervix, fallopian tubes, and oocytes. Fertility cycles, which consist of the ovulation/menstrual cycles, are typically affected by extreme stress. For example, the dysregulation of the hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle can cause irregular periods. This means an increase in PMS and PCOS symptoms, inconsistent dates, and wavering between heavy and light bleeding. Ovulation occurs for about five days a week after the period. This means it relies on the regularity of a period cycle. The disruption of ovulation can cause low fertility and oocyte damage, eventually leading to possible infertility problems. Stress during pregnancy can also have adverse effects on the baby, “Mounting evidence has shown that prenatal stress can have a profound effect on pregnancy and infants’ outcomes.” (Coussons-Read pg. 1) These can consist of improper placental function, long-term developmental problems, or inability to regulate emotions well.
Male reproductive systems can also be impacted by extreme, prolonged stress. This system consists of testis, penis, urinary bladder, ductus deferens, prostate gland, bulbourethral gland, seminal vesicles, and urethra. The effects of stress and hormone imbalance did not have as much available research, but the interruption of testosterone and other sex hormones do have major impacts. Reduced fertility, as a repercussion of reduced sperm production and quality, is a considerable problem. DNA damage and low motility can also be seen in the sperm produced by someone who is consistently stressed. Oftentimes the man’s role in infertility problems can go overlooked. Disparities in research demonstrate this. There was a disproportionate amount of research that focused on erectile dysfunction and low libido, as well as the inability to orgasm, that can be side effects.
These symptoms can send those that are experiencing them further spiraling. This is because they each create unique situations, which can add to the previous struggles/stressors. Pregnancy and fertility problems can often prove to be the most challenging for couples. They can cause misplaced anger and depression. That is why this topic is one that should continue to be researched. People should take personal cautions against stress as well, and avoid placing themselves under extreme, prolonged stress if at all possible.
Works Cited
Betts, J. G., Desaix, P., Johnson, E., Johnson, J. E., Korol, O., Kruse, D., Poe, B., Wise, J., Womble, M. D., & Young, K. A. (2022). Anatomy and physiology. OpenStax , Rice University.
Coussons-Read, Mary E. “The Psychoneuroimmunology of Stress in Pregnancy.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 21, no. 5, 2012, pp. 323–328, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44318603.
Kaiser, Sylvia, and Norbert Sachser. “Effects of Prenatal Social Stress on Offspring Development: Pathology or Adaptation?” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 18, no. 2, 2009, pp. 118–121, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20696009.
Marco Del Giudice, C Loren Buck, Lauren E Chaby, Brenna M Gormally, Conor C Taff, Christopher J Thawley, Maren N Vitousek, Haruka Wada, What Is Stress? A Systems Perspective, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Volume 58, Issue 6, December 2018, Pages 1019–1032, https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icy114
Reid, Keshia M., and Miles G. Taylor. “Stress and Maternal Postpartum Depression: The Importance of Stress Type and Timing.” Population Research and Policy Review, vol. 34, no. 6, 2015, pp. 851–875, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43672128.
