#144 | 5 Sneaky Signs Stress Is Wrecking Your Fertility (And How to Reverse It To Get Pregnant)

Could hidden stress be the real reason you’re not getting pregnant?

Stress doesn’t just make you “feel” tense—it changes your hormones, disrupts ovulation, affects implantation, and tells your body it’s not a safe time to conceive. In this episode, Dr. Katie reveals the five sneaky ways stress sabotages fertility and how to break the cycle so your body feels ready for pregnancy.

In this episode, you'll...

– Recognize the subtle physical and emotional signs of chronic stress blocking conception

– Understand how stress impacts your hormones, egg quality, and implantation on a cellular level

– Get practical tools to regulate your nervous system and create a safe, fertile environment

Listen now to uncover if stress is quietly wrecking your fertility and learn simple, science-backed strategies to fix it starting today.

👉🏽Take the Ultimate Fertility Blueprint Quiz HERE⚡

🌟Follow and connect with me on Instagram @the_wellness_pharmacist to fast-track your fertility so you can finally get and stay pregnant naturally!⁠

Finally Get Pregnant Naturally is your go-to TTC podcast for holistic fertility support to help you get pregnant naturally by addressing the root cause of unexplained infertility, secondary infertility, and recurrent miscarriage. Hosted by Dr. Katie Wood, a pharmacist and holistic fertility practitioner, this show offers natural fertility solutions for those on a fertility journey struggling to conceive, navigating miscarriage, or dealing with endometriosis, PCOS, low sperm count, or failed IUI or failed IVF. Whether you're trying to conceive, increase egg quality, optimizing sperm health, or healing after a miscarriage, each episode delivers practical guidance to support your fertility journey. Learn how to improve fertility, balance hormones, regulate your fertile window, and conceive naturally through root cause healing, emotional wellness, and mind-body tools—because true fertility starts from within.

DISCLAIMER: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use it as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. This podcast offers information to help the listener cooperate with physicians, mental health professionals or other healthcare providers in a mutual quest for optimal well-being. We advise listeners to carefully review and understand the ideas presented, and to consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. Under no circumstances shall Pharm to Wellness LLC, any guests or contributors to the Finally Get Pregnant Naturally podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Pharm to Wellness LLC be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Episode Transcript

Katie (00:00):
In this episode, we're diving into the top five signs that
stress is actually wrecking yourfertility journey and how to fix it.
Welcome to the finally GetPregnant Naturally Podcast.
The podcast helping women identifythe real reasons you haven't
conceived or stayed pregnant, soyou and your partner can finally

(00:20):
grow the family of your dreams.
I'm your host, Dr.
Katie Wood.
Let's dive in, shall we?
In this episode, you are going to learn the five sneaky signs that
stress might be sabotaging your fertilitywithout you realizing it, how chronic
stress impacts your hormones, ovulationand implantation on a cellular level,

(00:42):
and simple, yet effective strategiesto calm your nervous system and create
a body that feels safe to conceive.
So today we're diving into a topicthat is often oversimplified or
completely ignored when it comesto fertility, and that is stress.

(01:03):
And more specifically how stressmight be quietly sabotaging
your chances of conceiving.
And I think what can often happen is.
In our modern day society, we perceivestress as normal just because we
are all so busy and that it's justa, a typical, normal part of your

(01:26):
life and or we are so used to livingout in a very like fight or flight.
Frequency and energy that we don't evenrealize that we are under so much stress.
So we're going to really cover thesefive sneaky signs that stress could
be impacting your fertility, but thenmost importantly, how you can shift

(01:50):
out of that stress response in a waythat's going to support your fertility.
Why does stress matter forfertility in our ability to either
get pregnant or stay pregnant?
Now, I know some of you or allof us have probably heard at
some point to quote unquote, justrelax and you'll get pregnant.

(02:13):
Now, as frustrating and non-helpfulthat this advice is, and it can
feel dismissive for sure because.
Stress isn't just about how you feel,it's about how your body is responding
on a cellular and hormonal level.
So if you don't realize that you'restressed or what it is that's stressing

(02:35):
you out, then it's gonna be impossibleor really hard to relax your body.
So when your body is stuck in achronic fight or flight mode, this
is activating the sympathetic nervoussystem and it is going to basically

(02:56):
put on the back burner things likedigestion, cellular repair, and even.
Reproduction, ovulation.
Chronic stress will disrupt yourovulation, progesterone production, egg
quality, sperm, quality implantation
so stress just isn't a mindset issue.

(03:18):
It affects you down to a cellular.
Level.
If our bodies don't feel safe, thenour bodies are going to say it is
not the right time to be having ababy and the types of stress that
would make our bodies feel unsafe.
Like our body can't tell the differencebetween fighting for our life, if we're

(03:41):
in a, a battle or running away from abear or a tiger, versus literally being
stuck in traffic and just being sostressed about that situation or being in
a work environment that is stressing youout from the time that you get to work.
From the time that you leave and maybeyou even take that stress home with you.
So stress is a huge, huge issue.

(04:03):
So let's dive into the five signsthat stress could be a hidden block.
Your fertility journey.
So number one, are you experiencingirregular or anovulatory cycles?
So what that means isyou are not ovulating.
We know that stress can impactthe hypothalmic pituitary ovarian
axis, which is going to be incontrol of your menstrual cycle.

(04:28):
And if you're experiencingirregular cycles.
Missed periods or signs of not ovulating,like you're not seeing a basal body
temperature shift, you're not having an LHsurge, then stress could be an underlying.
Factor.
Now, stress might not be the onlyfactor, but it could very well be one

(04:48):
of the things that is affecting that.
Number two is low libido anddisconnection from intimacy.
So chronic stress.
Is going to lead to low sex.
Drive your body intuitively downregulateslibido when it perceives that you are in
survival mode and beyond biology, stresscan make intimacy feel like another.

(05:15):
Task, another chore, something elseto check off on your to-do list rather
than connecting with your partner,creating a space for love and intimacy.
And this can unfortunately create tensionand even resentment in the relationship
and conception process, and I knowthat that is not the environment that

(05:39):
you want to conceive your baby in.
Number three is poor sleep and fatigue.
And yes, even if you are in bed for sevento eight or nine hours, if you're wired
at night but exhausted during the day,your nervous system is automatically
dysregulated because cortisol imbalancesare going to disrupt melatonin production.

(06:05):
It can lead to restless sleep patterns.
And then.
Poor sleep is going to impact yourhormone production, blood sugar
regulation, and your body's abilityto restore and repair your cells.
It's a vicious, vicious cycle.
Number four is digestive issues.
Are you experiencingbloating, constipation?

(06:28):
Do you have food sensitivitiesbecause when your body is stressed.
Digestion is going to slow down.
And you may noticesymptoms like bloating gas.
Diarrhea, constipation, or maybeyou can't tolerate certain foods
that you used to be able to eat.
And when you have digestion issues,this can affect nutrient absorption.

(06:53):
So it's not you are whatyou eat, you are what you.
Absorb.
So without these key fertilitynutrients, like B vitamins, magnesium
amino acids, your reproductive systemis going to lack what it needs to
thrive in fertility Number five,feeling emotionally reactive or numb.

(07:17):
And for any of you who've been on yourjourney for a really, really long time,
I know that this is a common feeling.
So you either feel like everylittle thing sets you off.
Maybe it puts you into maybe you feelsome rage, frustration, tears, or you
just feel emotionally like flat and, andnothing affects you emotionally, right?

(07:41):
You just, you don'tfeel any highs or lows.
You're just there.
Both are signs that yournervous system is dysregulated.
So chronic sympathetic activation orthe fight or flight can keep your body
in a hyper alert state, and then it cancrash into a burnout and freeze response.
So let's talk about if anyof these resonated with

(08:05):
you, or maybe more than one.
Let's talk about how you can regulateyour stress response and bring your body
back into a state of fertile safety.
Now, I wanna say, some of these thingscan certainly be like a one and done
depending on the scenario, but youare going to get the most benefit.

(08:27):
Consistency because withconsistency in these practices
you are going to rewire your brain, thepathways in your brain, which is going
to shift the way that you respond tosituations versus react to situations.
So number one is breath workand nervous system regulation.

(08:51):
So honestly.
Simple, intentional breath worklike box breathing or extended
exhale, breathing can shift you outof fight or flight within minutes.
So I recommend making this adaily practice before you get
out of bed, not just a when.
I remember, if I remember to do it.

(09:13):
Of course, when things are comingup for you and are very activated,
I would definitely recommendcoming back into your breath.
Number two, prioritizingrestorative sleep.
I know that this sounds way toosimple, but creating a nighttime
routine that supports yourmelatonin and cortisol balance.

(09:34):
So this could look as easy and simplelike no screens one hour before bed.
If that is an absolute non-negotiable,then please buy a quality pair
of blue light blocking glasses.
You can.
Talk to your provider about usingmagnesium glycinate, or you could

(09:55):
take an Epsom salt bath, you coulddo some gentle stretching or some
gentle yoga journaling, reading.
Any of those things is goingto help get your body and set
your body up for a restful.
Sleep
Number three is blood sugar balance.

(10:15):
So your blood sugar has so much to dowith your fertility and when you are
stressed, that increases your blood sugar.
Blood sugar does notincrease just from food.
Or sugary foods or high carb foods.

(10:36):
Stress can increase your blood sugar, andso you really wanna focus on mitigating
and decreasing and learning how torespond to stressors when they do come
up, because they're going to come up.
And then you can also focus on.
Quality protein, healthy fats andfiber at every meal to keep your blood

(11:00):
sugar stable and reduce the internalstress on your body, and also getting
quality sleep is going to help withyour blood sugar regulation as well.
It's all connected.
Number four is reconnect to joy and play.
When is the last time that you didsomething just for fun or maybe just

(11:23):
for you what are some hobbies that youused to really enjoy that maybe has
gotten pushed aside because life has justgotten so busy or for whatever reason?
This is really, really wonderful toconnect to your creativity, which is
stored in your sacral chakra, whichis where the reproductive organs live.

(11:47):
So when you can be creative inthe creative outlet that brings
you joy in happiness, that isgoing to help your fertility.
And then of course, energy healingand emotional processing, your
body stores emotional stress.
In the womb, in yourorgans, in your tissues.

(12:08):
So exploring energy healing, womb workand emotional release techniques are
going to help clear these stored emotions.
Okay?
And this could be keeping yourbody in a more constricted and
protected state, and not in anopen state to be able to conceive.

(12:32):
So let's recap the five stress signalsthat could be sabotaging your fertility.
Number one, irregularcycles or an ovulation.
Number two, low libido and just feelingoverall disconnected from intimacy.
Number three, poor sleepand chronic fatigue.
Number four, digestive strugglesand food sensitivities.

(12:56):
Number five, feeling emotionally reactive.
Or just flat and no emotionswhatsoever are coming up for you.
But the good news is your body is so wiseand very responsive when given the right
tools to regulate your nervous system.

(13:16):
If you're waiting until you're ata time in your life where you will
just magically feel less stressed,you're going to be waiting forever.
Right now is the time that you can takethese tools and begin to lower your
stress levels and regulate your nervoussystem to actively create a fertile, calm

(13:39):
internal environment starting today.
Your nervous system is the gatewayto your fertility, so let's help
it feel safe enough to conceive.
Thank you so much for listening.
I hope you have a wonderful calmday, and stay tuned for Thursday's

(14:00):
episode for instant Stress Reliefhacks to support your fertility.
Are you ready to finally discover why youhaven't been able to get or stay pregnant?
The Ultimate Fertility Blueprint is aquick, insightful quiz designed to reveal
your overall capacity to conceive and helpyou discover potential root causes and

(14:22):
areas to address to improve your fertilityso you can finally get and stay pregnant.
You will find the link in theshow notes as a quick reminder and
disclaimer, this podcast is foreducational purposes only and is
not a substitute for medical advice.
Always consult your doctor orhealthcare provider before starting

(14:43):
any new supplement or protocol,especially if you're actively trying
to conceive or undergoing treatment.