title: Sleep, sleep disturbance, and fertility in women.
abstract: Sleep and sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized as determinants of women's health and well-being, particularly in the context of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. At present, however, little is known about whether fertility is affected by sleep quantity and quality. That is, to what degree, and by what mechanisms, do sleep and/or its disturbances affect fertility? The purpose of this review is to synthesize what is known about sleep disturbances in relation to reproductive capacity. A model is provided, whereby stress, sleep dysregulation, and circadian misalignment are delineated for their potential relevance to infertility. Ultimately, if it is the case that sleep disturbance is associated with infertility, new avenues for clinical intervention may be possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, USA. Electronic address: jdk29@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Jacqueline D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kloss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Perlis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zamzow
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Culnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Clarisa R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gracia
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Circadian; Infertility; Insomnia; Reproductive health; Reproductive hormones; Sleep; Sleep disturbance; Women's health