Factors Affecting Fecundability Lifestyle Factors : Stress

1. Factors  Affecting Fecundability Lifestyle Factors:Stress Many observational  studies indicate that stress is associated  withinfertility; and in turn, the treatment  ofinfertility can cause stress In one study 151 women were given a standardized test to evaluate their moods optimism Sense of social support networks self-perceived stress and methods of coping prior to undergoing IVF. Elevated levels of baseline stress were associated with under ivf treatment. Klonoff-Cohen  H, et al. Fertil Steril 2001; 76:675.

2. , one small trial reported that treatment of infertile women with a support group or a structured relaxation program was associated with better pregnancy rates withinfertilitytreatment than those observed in a control group that did not receive the active interventions . Domar AD, et  al. FertilSteril 2000; 73:805

3. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine variations in women’s coping during a given IVF cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women about to undergo an IVF cycle were recruited through online support groups

4. TEST Participants completed : The Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire Short Form(MASQ) the brief COPE questionnaire and a measure of Perceived Control Over Infertility (PCOI) at all times. Personality was measured with the Intoleranc of Uncertainty Scale(IUS).

5. Fifty women completed online surveys at three points of treatment before the IVF cycle began (T1 – Baseline), (one week into the cycle ((T2 – Stimulation/Follicular) and one week after embryo transfer (T3 – Anticipation/ Luteal).

6. RESULTS :The results demonstrated that perceived controll ability varied throughout the cycle, they had less control over the outcome of the cycle during T3 (P<.05) (in the T3 cycle the patients were more anxious (r ¼

7. RESULTS coping strategy was established problem-focused coping during T2, and less problem-focused coping during T3 (P<.05). participants were significantly more depressed during T3 (P<.05)

8. Participants with low tolerance for uncertainty (r ¼ .33, P<.01)

9. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that coping with IVF is an active process that requires adjusting efforts as the cycle progress

10. Stress effects your entire state of being • http://www.signs-of-stress.com/symptoms-of-stress.html

11. Self Talk What we say to ourselves Negative Forms of Self Talk Worrier “What if…” Critic “That was stupid” Victim “I can’t” or “I’ll never be able to…” Perfectionist “I should…” “I have to…” “I must…” http://www.bestlookmeup.com/life.jpg

12. مثبت اندیشی امیدواری یک رویا نیست . بلکه روشی است که رویاها را به واقعیت تبدیل می کند

13. The Power of Positive Thoughts

14. Conquering Negative Thoughts • Activity 27: Challenging Self-Defeating Attitudes

15. Positive thinking: Reduce stress by eliminating negative self-talk Positive thinking: Reduce stress by eliminating negative self-talk Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative self-talk with examples provided

16. Indeed, some studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management.And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills. Here’s how. • Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even affect your health.

17. Indeed, some studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health andwell-being. The positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management.And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits.If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills. Here’s how.

18. Understanding positive thinking and self-talk Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations.

19. Positive thinking just means that you approach the unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

20. Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day.These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative.Some of your self-talk comes from logicand reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

21. The health benefits of positive thinking Increased life span Lower rates of depression Lower levels of distress Greater resistance to the common cold Better psychological and physical well-being Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

22. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body, It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

23. Positive thinking: Reduce stress by eliminating negative self-talkIdentifying negative thinking Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. For example, say you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. But you forgot one minor step. That evening, you focus only on your oversight and forget about the compliments you received.

24. Personalizing:. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.

25. Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. The drive-through coffee shop gets your order wrong and you automatically think that the rest of your day will be a disaster.

26. Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad, black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you're a total failure.

27. Focusing on positive thinking You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice — you're creating a new habit, after all. Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

28. Identify areas to change: If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you typically think negatively about, whether it's work, your daily commute or a relationship, for example. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way.

29. Check yoursel.: Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.

30. Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.

31. Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise at least three times a week to positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. And learn to manage stress.

32. Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.

33. Practice positive self-talk: Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you

34. Negative self-talk • Negative self-talk I've never done it before. It's an opportunity to learn something new. It's too complicated. I'll tackle it from a different angle. I don't have the resources. Necessity is the mother of invention. I'm too lazy to get this done. I wasn't able to fit it into my schedule but can re-examine some priorities. There's no way it will work. I can try to make it work. It's too radical a change. Let's take a chance. No one bothers to communicate with me. I'll see if I can open the channels of communication. I'm not going to get any better at this. I'll give it another try. Practicing positive thinking every day

35. Positive thinkin g It's an opportunity to learn something new. I'll tackle it from a different angle. Necessity is the mother of invention. I wasn't able to fit it into my schedule but can re-examine some priorities. I can try to make it work. Let's take a chance. I'll see if I can open the channels of communication. I'll give it another try.

36. If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight.But with practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance.You may also become less critical of the world around you. Plus, when you share your positive mood and positive experience, both you and those around you enjoy an emotional boost.

37. Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook.When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you're able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.

39. Conquering Negative Thoughts • Activity 27: Challenging Self-Defeating Attitudes