There has been much controversy regarding whether or not a woman who is brutally raped is less likely to conceive. The idea has been scoffed at by the media and firmly rejected by many.
However, scientific research has spoken on this theory. Even though no study specifically relates to rape and fertility, the link between stress and infertility exists according to the following studies:
- Old Maxim of Fertility and Stress is Reversed (New York Times)
- Stress reduces conception probabilities across the fertile window: evidence in support of relaxation (US National Library of Health)
- Lowering Stress Improves Fertility Treatment (New York Times)
- Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients (Fertility & Sterility)
- Mind/body program increases pregnancy rates in IVF treatment, study finds (Science Daily)
- The diagnosis and treatment of stress-induced anovulation (Europe PubMed Central)
- Stress and Reproductive Failure (Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology)
- Anovulation (Health Central Health Encyclopedia)
- Stress and Infertility (WebMD)
- Stress-Induced Anovulation (Emory University School of Medicine)
- Behaviorally induced reproductive compromise in women and men (US National Library of Health)
- Stressful life events are associated with a poor in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome: a prospective study (US National Library of Health)
- Should fertilization treatment start with reducing stress? (Human Reproduction)
- High levels of long-term stress linked to two-fold increased risk of infertility (Fox News)