8 papers reviewed
Mind-Body Interventions, Breathwork & Vagal Tone for Fertility
2011 · randomized controlled trial · 1 of 8
Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients
Domar AD, Rooney KL, Wiegand B, et al. · Fertility and Sterility
A ten-session mind/body program (CBT, relaxation, social support) before IVF yielded 52% pregnancy rates in cycle 2 vs 20% in controls. The most dramatic result in the mind-body fertility literature.
Read the paper ↗2023 · systematic review and meta-analysis · 2 of 8
Efficacy of psychological interventions for mental health and pregnancy rates among individuals with infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Dube L, Bright K, Hayden KA, Gordon JL · Human Reproduction Update
Psychological interventions showed 25% increase in pregnancy rates (RR=1.25) across 58 RCTs. CBT showed the strongest effects. Interventions produced small reductions in distress alongside modest conception improvements.
Read the paper ↗2023 · meta-analysis · 3 of 8
Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials
Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K · Scientific Reports
Breathwork associated with lower stress (effect size g=-0.35) across 12 RCTs (785 participants). Secondary analyzes showed comparable benefits for anxiety and depressive symptoms. Stress reduction supports reproductive hormone signaling.
Read the paper ↗2017 · randomized controlled trial · 4 of 8
The role of deep breathing on stress
Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, et al. · Neurological Sciences
Ten weekly 90-minute deep breathing sessions reduced salivary cortisol and heart rate vs controls. Chronic cortisol elevation suppresses GnRH pulsatility, LH, and FSH — breathwork addresses this pathway.
Read the paper ↗2011 · meta-analysis · 5 of 8
Stress, distress and outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART): a meta-analysis
Matthiesen SMS, Frederiksen Y, Ingerslev HJ, Zachariae R · Human Reproduction
Small but significant negative associations between stress, trait anxiety, state anxiety, and clinical pregnancy rates across 31 prospective ART studies. Elevated sympathetic activation (low vagal tone) associated with poorer outcomes.
Read the paper ↗2018 · narrative review · 6 of 8
The relationship between stress and infertility
Rooney KL, Domar AD · Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
Stress may impair fertility through HPA axis activation, which suppresses GnRH pulsatility and disrupts ovulation. Bidirectional relationship: infertility causes stress, and stress impairs fertility.
Read the paper ↗2020 · within-person studies · 7 of 8
Menstrual cycle changes in vagally-mediated heart rate variability are associated with progesterone
Ramkiran S, et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine
Cardiac vagal activity (HRV) decreases significantly from follicular to luteal phase. Higher progesterone predicts lower HRV. HRV is highest in the follicular phase (estrogen-dominant) and lowest in mid-luteal phase.
Read the paper ↗2015 · prospective study · 8 of 8
A prospective study using Hatha Yoga for stress reduction among women waiting for IVF treatment
Oron G, Allnutt E, Lackman T, et al. · Reproductive Biomedicine Online
A 6-week Hatha Yoga program produced measurable improvements in anxiety, depression, and fertility-specific quality of life among women undergoing IVF.
Read the paper ↗A paper's presence documents the evidence reviewed; it does not mean Filia endorses every intervention or conclusion.