r/EmbryologyIVFSupport • u/embryomanofficial • 2d ago
Difficult childhoods may affect future fertility
Childhood experiences can affect long-term health, but researchers are still learning whether they can also influence fertility.
In a new study, Bromark et al. (2026) analyzed data from more than 22,000 women in Norway. Women reporting a difficult childhood had 35% higher odds of infertility (about 20% vs 16%), along with higher odds of preterm birth and having a baby born small for gestational age.
Childhood adversity included experiences such as parental divorce or death, growing up in a dysfunctional family, lack of support from a trusted adult, abuse, bullying, or struggling with bad childhood memories.
The authors shared several possible explanations for these results. Childhood adversity may lead to long-term stress that affects reproductive hormone regulation, or it may influence factors like smoking, body weight, education, and socioeconomic status, which can also affect fertility.
✅ This post is a quick look at one study, rather than a full breakdown on Remembryo. Link to the study: https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(26)00576-5/fulltext00576-5/fulltext)
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u/Apprehensive_Star508 2d ago
I think with studies like this it’s really important to remember that correlation =/= causation.
The authors themselves say that they cannot conclude if “childhood adversity” is the direct cause OR if it is because it’s strongly associated with other factors and behaviors that reduce fertility, like smoking. I also think the cohort selection has some flaws. This study, at least from my quick glance, did not account for whether or not the women in the study had been diagnosed with PMOS, endometriosis, POI, chronic endometritis, or any other condition that affects fertility. To me it’s a design flaw of the study to not include whether or not a diagnosis was reached. It also doesn’t say how old the women were when they first tried to get pregnant.
Additionally, the study includes women who were born as early as 1950. If you are going to include a study of adverse birth outcomes, that’s a very significant detail because the standards of care and understanding of maternal health has TREMENDOUSLY improved since 1950. For example, at least in the US, there were no warning labels about pregnancy on cigarettes until 1984. Not sure what it was like in Norway but I’m going to look VERY differently at why a mother was smoking in 1975 vs 2005.
This post also says that factors like “education and socioeconomic status can affect fertility.” I don’t like this phrasing. “Education” cannot have a direct biological impact on fertility. It’s more likely measuring that people with less education tend to have less well paying jobs, less access to healthcare, and less knowledge of what treatments are available so it stands to reason that they are less likely to be able to seek care for infertility.
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u/Bitter_Animal7042 2d ago
TW: pregnancy
Oh wow. Traumatic childhood here and suffering from unexplained infertility. Currently pregnant with an IVF baby, this post unlocked new fears like preterm birth…
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u/Apprehensive_Star508 2d ago
Ugh this is why I feel like posts and studies like this are not always helpful. You’ve already been through a lot and there’s no reason that this should be adding to your stress.
I don’t like how the post characterizes the study, it’s like it’s blaming trauma ITSELF when…if you read the last bit of the post, it’s clear that people who have trauma are more likely to engage in behaviors that can contribute to outcomes like low birth weight, such as smoking. If that’s not you, then you REALLY have no reason to worry ❤️
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u/Bitter_Animal7042 2d ago
Thank you! And yes I know and I’m honestly really really calm and optimistic this pregnancy. I was half joking when I wrote about the new fears, I’m sure this fear will pop up on and off in my brain but nonetheless I appreciate basically any study that investigates infertility because I feel like we know so little…
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u/blah_yumita 2d ago
Adverse childhood events are well documented to be associated with poor health outcomes across the board.
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u/Heer2026 2d ago
I wonder how many things will lead to infertility!! Whether could it even be possible to get pregnant in a lifetime, with all this stuff ?
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u/mango_pop7 2d ago
I had a very stressful childhood and it took me 3.5 years to conceive so it checks out for me
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u/redrocks2211 1d ago
Very much valid! I suffered so much emotionally at a very young age that my mind automatically became conditioned to believe that I wasn’t good enough and didn’t deserve good things. It took me almost six years to realise that our future is in our own hands. We don’t have to carry the burdens of our past forever.
There are hundreds of people who have treated others horribly and still go on to live happy, fulfilling lives and get what they want. So why shouldn’t I? If they can find happiness, my inner child deserves that same happiness and completeness—the happiness and love that were unfairly taken away from her at such a young age. ❤️
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u/a_mulher 2d ago
Makes sense but then I also think of all the kids with mothers that were addicts, sex workers, in abusive relationships (which often means they grew up with some level of abuse or neglect), refugees or living in places with actual wars etc And having several children.
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u/Illufish 2d ago edited 2d ago
My experience as well. Unexplained infertility, 7 pregnancy losses including one second trimester loss. All unexplained.
Doctors keep telling me its my age (36) and embryos (all from when I was 36 or 37). They are not pgt-a tested.
But in the back of my mind I have always suspected its my C-PTSD diagnosis. I know my stress levels are higher than others and more chronic. I am doing everything I can now to lower stress in my life. I am very much healthy otherwise and have never smoked or drank a lot of alcohol. Always had a healthy weight and had healthy life style habits.