Survey study, 2015
Does childhood stress cause menstrual cycle problems and lower fertility?
Women who experienced more childhood adversity had increased risk of fertility problems and missing periods. For each additional adverse experience, fertility risk rose 9% and missing periods 7%.
What they did
A survey of 742 women aged 18-45 in Louisiana from April 2012 to February 2014. They reported on their childhood adversity experiences and reproductive history, including difficulty getting pregnant and menstrual cycle patterns.
What they found
For each additional adverse childhood experience: infertility risk increased (RR=1.09), amenorrhea increased (RR=1.07), and fecundability decreased (FR=0.97). Women with high adversity had 2.75 times more infertility and 2.54 times more amenorrhea than women with none.
What it means for you
Childhood stress may affect the body's stress system in ways that disrupt periods and fertility. However, this is self-reported data from a single region, so we cannot be certain stress causes these problems.
742
Women studied
1.09
Risk increase per adverse childhood experience
2.75
Infertility risk in high adversity group
About the study
- Original title
- Adverse childhood event experiences, fertility difficulties and menstrual cycle characteristics
- Authors
- Jacobs MB, Boynton-Jarrett RD, Harville EW
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2015
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/0167482x.2015.1026892
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2005
How does trauma history affect PMDD symptoms and pregnancy?
Review, 2023
What treatments help mental and physical health problems linked to the menstrual cycle?
Cohort study, 2023
Does COVID-19 vaccination change the menstrual cycle?
Systematic review, 2026
Does childhood trauma increase the risk for PMS, PMDD, and related mood disorders?
Survey study, 2026
Do difficult childhood experiences lead to worse PMS symptoms as an adult?
Survey study, 2025
Do PMS and menopausal symptoms make loneliness worse when women experience COVID-related stress?