Does Being Depressed Hinder Fertility?

Is it possible that being depressed can hinder fertility?

The complex nature of depression means that it is sometimes difficult to figure out whether another disorder has caused it, or whether it has caused that disorder, or whether the two are interconnected symptoms of another disorder, or if they are completely unrelated.

It seems obvious though, that infertility can lead to depression in some women. Trying, and failing, to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term can be a long, frustrating, stressful process, and for some it is never successful. In that way the connection between depression and infertility seems incontrovertible.¹ But can it work the other way? Can a depressed state actually "depress" the reproductive system as well?

It is difficult to find more than a mention of that possibility, but they do exist. Alice Domar, PhD. does believe that depression can trigger infertility.² She believes that depression can upset the delicate hormonal process needed to concieve and carry a healthy pregnancy. With the knowledge we have now about the enormous complexity of human fertility, this is a definite possibility. For a healthy 20-25 year old woman, the statistical chances per cycle of getting pregnant are only about 25%.³ To consider whether hormonal disruptions related to depression may interfere with a woman's fertility is not such a great leap. There is even the prevalent "old-wives tale" that women are often insensitively subjected to when struggling with infertility: "Just relax. The more you stress about it, the less likely it is to happen", and the countless anecdotal tales of couples giving up trying after years of seeking to achieve pregnancy, and suddenly find themselves expecting. Many people already believe, if not scientifically, that stress or depression or obsessing over fertility can hinder one's ability to concieve.

When you look at what causes depression, this seems to make sense. Several types of depression are related to hormonal issues, and can interfere with normal hormonal functions as well. The connection between depression and hormones seems particularly strong when it comes to women and the reproductive hormones we deal with throughout life. With such a close connection, the possibility that the depression/hormonal relationship may work both ways...being either a cause or a result of infertility.

Because depression is often concurrent with other illnesses that cause infertility, such as PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)⁴, it may be that the connection is less direct and more complicated.

Direct or not, there is clear evidence that depression and infertility are linked. Whether depression can actually cause infertility remains to be seen. Whatever the case, it is a matter worth investigating for women who are suffering with both depression and infertility. More importantly, seeking treatment for depression has it's own merits, even if that treatment doesn't directly impact fertility.

¹Depression in women: Understanding the Gender Gap, Mayo Clinic Staff, mayoclinic.com
²Emotions and Infertility, Alice Lesch Kelley, findarticles.com
³Pregnancy Rates for Average Couples, Rebecca Smith Waddell, statson.org
⁴PCOS, Marcel Pick/Marcy Holmes, womentowomen.com