Stress has an enormous impact on the ovulation and menstrual cycles. The stress may be physical or emotional. It may be acute or chronic.

Examples of physical stress include such things as sickness, strenuous activity and travel.

Examples of emotional stress could be change of job, bereavement, major decisions holidays, relatives visiting, weddings and exams.

Many other stressors can occur in an individuals's life. Those types of stress that are rapid in their onset and fairly short-lived would be termed acute stressors. those stressful events that are slow in onset and prolonged could be defined as chronic stressors.

Most of the above examples are acute stressors. However, a change in job that puts one into a stressful situation can become a chronic stressor. Most chronic stressors are related to stressful relationships in the work-place, in a pre-marriage or marriage environment, with relatives or friends, and so forth.

In younger women stress can cause a variety of aberrations such as a "double" peak. This is a situation in which stress delays ovulation and the "second" peak generally occurs after the stress is relieved. Ovulation occurs with the "second" peak.