The psychology of fertility

There’s much more to your hormones than you’re often led to believe. These chemical messengers in the body are given credit for controlling most bodily functions, including emotions and moods.

What often isn’t talked about is the fact that this is a two-way street: your emotions also dictate your hormones, and this is particularly evident when we look at fertility health. Fertility is about more than having babies: the term refers to a wide range of health considerations in your reproductive system, including hormone balance and your body being in optimal health.

Fertility issues are rife in Australia: infertility affects one in six couples, 10 per cent of women experience endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 21 per cent of women of childbearing age.

Fertility is generally considered to be purely physical; however, there’s certainly a mind-body connection that comes into play. Your psychological state can affect your fertility and hormones. “We’ve separated the mind and the body and tend to think they don’t work together, and up until recent times the emotional aspects of our health haven’t been measured (in relation to physical health) in our Western culture,”