Cortisol can inhibit your sex hormones, suppress your ovulation and seriously affect sexual activity. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77 percent of people experience chronic stress. Even though you may handle stress a little better than a friend or family member, it doesn't mean that it's not affecting you.Stress does have harmful effects on your overall health. In fact, stress can be the number-one contributor to additional health problems if left unreleased, like the inability to conceive.Research has shown that when you're chronically stressed, the hormone cortisol can inhibit your sex hormones, suppress your ovulation and seriously affect sexual activity.How else does stress affect your fertility, and what can you do about it?Jamie Grifo, MD, PhD, shares how your stress could be affecting your fertility, as well as how you can reduce your stress for a better chance of conceiving.