Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 27, Issue 5 , Pages 345-356 , September 2006

Age and social position moderate the effect of stress on fertility

  • Jacky Boivin

      Affiliations

    • School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT Wales, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.
    • ,
  • Kathy Sanders

      Affiliations

    • School of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 6009, Australia
    • ,
  • Lone Schmidt

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark

Received 24 October 2005 ,Accepted 30 March 2006.

References 

  1. Abbey A, Andrews FM, Halman LJ. Gender's role in responses to infertility. Psychology of Women Quarterly. 1991;15:295–316
  2. Aiken LS, West SG. Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 1991;
  3. Anderheim L, Holter H, Bergh C, Möller A. Does psychological stress affect the outcome of in vitro fertilization?. Human Reproduction. 2005;20:2969–2975
  4. Biondi M, Picardi A. Psychological stress and neuroendocrine function in humans: The last two decades of research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 1999;68:114–150
  5. Boivin J, Andersson L, Shoog-Svanberg A, Hjelmstedt A, Collins A, Bergh T. Psychological reactions during in vitro fertilisation (IVF): Similar response pattern in husbands and wives. Human Reproduction. 1998;13:3262–3267
  6. Boivin J, Takefman JE. Stress level across stages of in vitro fertilization in subsequently pregnant and non-pregnant women. Fertility and Sterility. 1995;64:802–810
  7. Boivin J, Takefman JE. The impact of the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) process on emotional, physical and relational variables. Human Reproduction. 1996;11:903–907
  8. Cacioppo JT, Hawkley LC. Social isolation and health, with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. 2003;46(Suppl):s39–s52
  9. Cameron JL. Stress and behaviorally induced reproductive dysfunction in primates. Seminars in Reproductive Endocrinology. 1997;15:37–45
  10. Chisholm JS. Death, hope and sex. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1999;
  11. Chrousos GP, Gold PW. The concepts of stress and stress system disorders. Overview of physical and behavioural homeostasis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1992;267:1244–1252
  12. Chrousos GP, Torpy DJ, Gold PW. Interactions between the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the female reproductive system: Clinical implications. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998;129:229–240
  13. Clarke R, Klock SC, Geoghegan J, Travassos E. The relationship between psychological stress and semen quality among in vitro fertilization patients. Human Reproduction. 1999;14:753–758
  14. deCatanzaro D, MacNiven E. Psychogenic pregnancy disruptions in mammals. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 1992;16:43–53
  15. Demyttenaere K, Nijs P, Evers-Kiebooms G, Koninckx PR. Coping and the ineffectiveness of coping influence the outcome of in vitro fertilisation through stress responses. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1992;17:655–665
  16. Ellison PT. Human ovarian function and reproductive ecology: New hypotheses. American Anthropologist. 1990;92:933–952
  17. Ellison PT. Understanding natural variation in human ovarian function. In:  Dunbar R editors. Human reproductive decisions. New York: St Martin's Press; 1995;p. 22–51
  18. Facchinetti F, Matteo ML, Artini GP, Volpe A, Genazzani AR. An increased vulnerability to stress is associated with a poor outcome of in vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer treatment. Fertility and Sterility. 1997;67:309–314
  19. Ferin M. Clinical review 105: Stress and the reproductive cycle. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 1999;84:1768–17743
  20. Gallinelli A, Roncaglia R, Matteo ML, Ciaccio I, Volpe A, Facchinetti F. Immunological changes and stress are associated with different implantation rates in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. Fertility and Sterility. 2001;76:85–91
  21. Hansen EJ. Socialgrupper I Danmark (Social class in Denmark), Copenhagen: The Danish National Institute of Social Research; 1984;
  22. Hjollund NHI, Jensen TK, Bonde JPE, Henriksen TB, Andersson AM, Kolstad HA, et al. Distress and reduced fertility: A follow-up study of first-pregnancy planners. Fertility and Sterility. 1999;72:47–53
  23. Klonoff-Cohen H, Chu E, Natarajan L, Sieber W. A prospective study of stress among women undergoing in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer. Fertility and Sterility. 2001;76:675–687
  24. Kristenson M, Eriksen HR, Sluiter JK, Starke D, Ursin H. Psychobiological mechanisms of socioeconomic differences in health. Social Science and Medicine. 2004;58:1511–1522
  25. Lancastle D, Boivin J. Dispositional optimism, trait anxiety, and coping: Unique or shared effects on biological response to fertility treatment?. Health Psychology. 2005;24:171–178
  26. Lazarus RS, Folkman S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 1984;
  27. Merari D, Feldberg D, Elizur A, Goldman J, Modan B. Psychological and hormonal changes in the course of in vitro fertilization. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. 1992;9:161–169
  28. Murray L, Fiori-Cowley A, Hooper R, Cooper P. The impact of postnatal depression and associated adversity on early mother–infant interactions and later infant outcomes. Child Development. 1996;67:2512–2526
  29. Nyboe Andersen A, Gianaroli L, Felberbaum R, de Mouzon J, Nygren KG. Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2001: Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Human Reproduction. 2005;20:1158–1176
  30. Sanders KA, Bruce NW. A prospective study of psychosocial stress and fertility in women. Human Reproduction. 1997;12:2324–2329
  31. Sanders KA, Bruce NW. Psychosocial stress and treatment outcome following assisted reproductive technology. Human Reproduction. 1999;14:1656–1662
  32. Sanders KA, Bruce NW. Psychosocial stress and the menstrual cycle. Journal of Biosocial Science. 1999;31:393–402
  33. Schmidt L. Psykosociale konsekvenser af infertilitet og behandling (Psychosocial consequences of infertility and treatment), Copenhagen: FADL Book Company; 1996;
  34. Schmidt L, Holstein BE, Boivin J, Tjørnhøj-Thomsen T, Blaabjerg J, Hald F, et al. High ratings of satisfaction with fertility treatment are common: Findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme. Human Reproduction. 2003;18:2638–2646
  35. Smeenk JMJ, Verhaak CM, Eugster A, van Minnen A, Zielhuis GA, Braat DDM. The effect of anxiety and depression on the outcome of in-vitro fertilization. Human Reproduction. 2001;16:1420–1423
  36. Stearns S. The evolution of life histories. New York: Oxford University Press; 1992;
  37. Vitzthum VJ. Why not so good is still good enough. In:  Ellison PT editors. Reproductive ecology and human evolution. New York: Aldine de Gruyter; 2001;p. 179–202
  38. Vitzthum VJ, Bentley GR, Spielvogel H, Caceres E, Thornburg J, Jones L, et al. Salivary progesterone levels and rate of ovulation are significantly lower in poorer than in better-off urban-dwelling Bolivian women. Human Reproduction. 2002;17:1906–1913
  39. Wasser SK, Barash DP. Reproductive suppression among female mammals: Implications for biomedicine and sexual selection theory. Quarterly Review of Biology. 1983;58:513–538
  40. Wasser SK, Isenberg DY. Reproductive failure among women: Pathology or adaptation?. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 1986;5:153–175
  41. Wasser SK, Place NJ. Reproductive filtering and the social environment. In:  Ellison PT editors. Reproductive ecology and human evolution. New York: Aldine de Gruyter; 2001;p. 137–157

PII: S1090-5138(06)00027-4

doi: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2006.03.004

Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 27, Issue 5 , Pages 345-356 , September 2006

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution