Experts are claiming that stress and tension do not hamper womens' chances of becoming pregnant through IVF.
A new study has found the emotional distress infertility treatment can cause, or the day-to-day stresses couples go through, will not cause IVF treatments to fail.
The report says many women think that stress will stop them from falling pregnant, but the research - based on a review of 14 different studies - suggests this is not the case with IVF.
Oxford University scientists said in a report last year that high levels of stress could reduce the change of falling pregnant naturally. They measured the stress hormones in mums-to-be for a study and found those women with the highest levels of alpha-amylase (an indicator of adrenalin levels) had around a 12% lower chance of conceiving compared to those with the lowest levels of the marker.
The latest research - led by Professor Jacky Boivin from the Cardiff Fertility Studies Research Group - looked at the effect of stress on women undergoing a single cycle of IVF or other assisted reproduction.
A total of 14 studies involving 3,583 infertile women were examined, and the findings showed those who were stressed or anxious had the same chance of falling pregnant as those who were calmer.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, the report's authors said the study should reassure women and doctors that emotional distress caused by fertility problems or other life events co-occurring with treatment will not compromise the chance of becoming pregnant.
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