While ovulatory disturbances are seen in hard drug users, they are difficult to define due to erratic use, life style, and diets. Any systemic illness which interferes with ovulation, i.e., hypo- or hyperthyroidism, will be reflected in the mucus and thermal patterns. The Role of Stress in Female Reproductive Dysfunction. Hypothalamic Amenorrhea in Runners of Normal Body Composition . The usual effect of stress is either to completely inhibit ovulation or, more commonly, delay it.
Some women are very sensitive to stress.
Sometimes the mucus symptom is just beginning, or may be even quite well devoloped, when the stressful situation intervenes. The effect may be to interrupt the symptom fairly abruptly, imitating a Peak Symptom, but resulting in an anovular cycle. More commonly the interruption is followed by a return of the symptom when the stress subsides, leading to a proper Peak. The first apparent, but false, Peak in such a cycle is typified by a gradual fading of the symptom unlike the precipitous decline when the true Peak is defined. Women are of course aware of the stressful situation, and are on their guard under these conditions.