Review, 2006
Does stress affect your menstrual cycle?
Yes. Stress impairs ovarian function through hormonal pathways. Effects are mediated by metabolic changes and can continue beyond the month in which stress occurs.
What they did
Reviewed recent research on how psychological stress affects women's menstrual cycles and ovarian function. Examined the biological mechanisms linking stress to cycle changes.
What they found
Stress activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, which impairs ovarian cycle function. This effect is mediated by metabolic factors. Stress-related impairment of ovarian function may not always show up as irregular periods. Effects of stress can persist beyond the cycle when stress occurred. How much someone's cycle is affected by stress depends more on the individual's neurological characteristics than on the type of stress.
What it means for you
Stress can disrupt your cycle through multiple hormone and metabolic pathways. Not all women respond the same way. Some are more sensitive to stress based on their neurobiology. Managing stress should be part of treatment for menstrual irregularities. The main limitation is this reviewed research from one three-year period, so results reflect what was known at that time.
About the study
- Original title
- Mind over matter: psychological factors and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Edozien LC
- Journal
- Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- None. This reviews research on stress effects, not testing a new treatment.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/01.gco.0000233942.67049.ad