Medically reviewed on August 17, 2022 by Jillian Foglesong Stabile, MD, FAAFP. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.
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Sometimes you feel ready to take on the world. On these high-energy days, you feel invincible, and stress is nothing but a distant memory. But other days, stress can come to stay—and it’s not unusual to wonder what effects stress can have on your body.
If you’re familiar with stress, you might already know its connection to certain health concerns and symptoms, including poor sleep, weight gain, and mental health. But one problem stress doesn’t cause is an ovarian cyst. [1]
To understand ovarian cysts, and what impacts stress could have on women’s reproductive health, it helps to learn a little more about how stress and your body interact.
Ovarian cysts are small sacs filled with fluid that can develop on an ovary for several reasons. [1] Ovarian cysts are quite common among women, and some are simply the byproduct of your natural menstrual cycle.
If you fail to ovulate, the unreleased egg may continue to grow and develop into a cyst on your ovaries. In other cases, you ovulate, but the remaining follicle material where the egg developed doesn’t dissolve. Instead, it fills with fluid and becomes a follicular cyst.
Some of the other causes of functional ovarian cysts or ovarian cyst pain include: [1]
The answer is no. There isn’t any evidence that links the formation of functional ovarian cysts to elevated levels of stress. [1]
Stress can influence and stem from many other health problems, though. In addition, some of the problems caused by excessive stress may impact your ability to get pregnant.
While stress doesn’t cause ovarian cysts, it may tangentially impact your reproductive health in other ways. One such effect is that stress may make it more difficult to conceive. [2] This is because stress can:
Avoiding stress could help you work toward better health in many ways. But stress is just one factor that could affect your ability to become pregnant. Some other common reasons for fertility troubles include: [3]
It’s never a bad idea to reduce the stress in your life, especially if you’re having trouble conceiving. But if you’re concerned about your fertility as a whole, you may benefit from gaining a clear picture of your health and hormones. You can do this by working with a healthcare professional or by taking an at-home health test.
Stress causes many health problems—but ovarian cysts aren’t one of them. [1] Ovarian cysts are a common occurrence often caused by the natural process of your menstrual cycle. While stress doesn’t lead to ovarian cysts, it may impact your ability to conceive in other ways.
If you’re wondering about your fertility and reproductive health, access to the right tools can help you know where you stand. The Everlywell Fertility Test can provide you with some insight into your ovarian reserve and ability to conceive.
For clarity on your health from the comfort of your home, choose Everlywell.
What is a follicle on the ovary?
Can ovarian cysts cause infertility?
What ovarian reserve testing can tell you about fertility
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