Allostatic Load May Affect Woman's Ability to Conceive

Higher allostatic load score, indicating greater levels of chronic psychosocial stress, linked to lower fecundability

MONDAY, Sept. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Women with a higher allostatic load score may have lower fecundability, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.

Xiang Hong, Dr.P.H., from Southeast University in Nanjing, China, and colleagues examined the association between female prepregnancy allostatic load, measured by nine indicators with a load score of 0 to 6, and time to pregnancy among 444 women. The nine indicators were: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, plasma cortisol, noradrenaline, interleukin-6, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body mass index.

The researchers found that the cumulative pregnancy rate over 12 months was 55.4 percent for an allostatic load score of 0, 44.5 percent for an allostatic load of 1 to 2, 50.9 percent for an allostatic load of 3 to 4, and 26.9 percent for an allostatic load of 5 to 6. When adjusting for potential confounding factors, an allostatic load of 5 to 6 was associated with a 59 percent reduction in fecundability versus an allostatic load of 0 (fecundability ratio, 0.41).

“Women with a higher allostatic load score may have lower fecundability,” the authors write. “Our findings suggest that the assessment of allostatic load during preconception consultation would be highly prudent.”