Safe Exercise During Fertility Treatments
We know that women who’ve had trouble conceiving, including repeat miscarriages, can feel like ensconcing themselves in a protective bubble for the months leading up to a successful fertility treatment and a full-term pregnancy – and this can include a desire to abstain from exercise.
Even something as simple as a routine daily jog can seem fraught with risks once you’re pursuing fertility treatments. However, exercise is essential to your health, especially once you’re pregnant.
So, unless your physician or fertility specialist has sanctioned otherwise, we always encourage patients to get plenty of moderate exercise to support a healthy body and pregnancy.
Which Exercises Are Safest When Pursuing IVF or Other Fertility Treatments?
As you begin selecting the proper fertility treatment for your diagnosis and medical history, your fertility specialist should make personalized recommendations about the types of exercise that will be best for the duration.
Exercise has proven to benefit women on just about every level, including weight management, reducing inflammation that contributes to infertility issues, managing stress and reducing cortisone levels, boosting endorphins, and minimizing morning sickness and other pregnancy discomforts.
And, perhaps more important to us as fertility specialists, a recent fertility study review published in 2023 found that…“overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) should be encouraged to engage in vigorous aerobic exercise or resistance training to optimize their chances of conceiving.”
Here are examples of what we consider when working with patients to create a fertility-friendly exercise plan based on their current exercise habits.
Do you already have a daily routine in place?
In most cases, we like to go over your daily exercise routine and then give it the green light.
This means most women participating in moderate exercise can continue doing what they’re doing—as long as it feels good. So, unless we think there’s an increased risk, you can still participate in moderate exercise forms.
These include things like:
- Daily walks.
- Swimming or water exercise classes.
- Jogging (separate from marathon/triathlon training).
- Mild to moderate exercise classes.
- Riding a bike (although the risk increases during pregnancy, so you might want to swap the outdoor bike for a stationary one just to be on the safe side).
- Strength training (this will evolve through pregnancy).
Are you an extreme athlete, or do you participate in impact sports?
If you’re an extreme athlete, we may revise your exercise plan for now. Being underweight or in a cycle of constant physical endurance (how the fertile body perceives extreme athletic activities) can negatively impact fertility.
Firstly, many extreme athletes are underweight in terms of BMI. The 2023 study mentioned above also cites that “The potential for regular vigorous exercise to negatively impact fertility should be considered. The presence of anovulation and/or a luteal phase defect caused by vigorous exercise should be evaluated.”
If you’ve had a hard time conceiving at home and are pursuing fertility treatment, your fertility specialist will probably recommend a less extreme workout schedule until further notice to support healthy (18.5 hormone production and BMI (18.5 to 24.9). Also, it’s best to avoid impact sports during fertility treatments to minimize any direct threat to your pelvic regions.
You don’t currently exercise all that much
If “getting to the gym” is not on your list of things to do, we can discuss an ease-in approach to exercise so your body can make a smooth and stress-free transition.
First, we’ll start with your BMI. If weight management is a consideration, we’ll talk about a healthy diet for pregnancy along with customized exercise programs that support a sustained but safe approach to weight loss and the management of any current medical conditions.
If your BMI is within the healthy fertility window, we can help you find a reasonable exercise plan based on your interests and current activity level. The goal is to help your body adjust to a new level of physical activity without taxing it while also creating a plan you can commit to and enjoy.
GIVF Supports Healthy Exercise & Lifestyle Choices During Fertility Treatments
If you’re looking for fertility treatment support, make sure you choose a fertility specialist who prioritizes healthy lifestyle choices as the foundation of your fertility planning. The team at GIVF Fertility knows that patients who integrate safe exercises during fertility treatments better weather the infertility journey and have higher rates of fertility treatment success. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
