Exercise is a vital part of staying healthy in every stage of life, including while you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. However, when it comes to your fertility, there is more complexity when it comes to the simple advice of “eat well and exercise.” There are specific vitamins and nutrients (link to nutrition and fertility blog) to pay attention to, and for most women, there’s a level of exercise that gets the body moving without inhibiting ovulation. For some women, losing weight is crucial to conceive, but losing weight can pose a problem for fertility for other women. In this blog, we’re exploring the relationship between exercise and fertility to help you establish a fitness guide in your fertility journey.
BMI and Fertility
Calculating your body mass index (BMI) is the first step in assessing how your weight may affect your fertility, and it also serves as a good base to know how much weight you should gain during pregnancy. An ideal BMI is between 20 and 25, and there are increased risks of infertility if your BMI is under 18.5 or if your BMI is greater than 30. For those with a BMI over 30, even minimal weight loss can make a significant improvement when it comes to fertility.
The Relationship Between Exercise and Fertility
Even if you don’t want to lose weight, exercise should still be part of your daily routine. Exercising for 30 minutes per day decreases the risk of ovulatory-factor infertility, but there can also be too much of a good thing in this case. Over-exercising or more than 60 minutes of physical activity per day can actually have the opposite effect and may increase the risk of ovulatory-factor infertility. When it comes to the type of exercise, a general rule of thumb is to stick with activities and fitness routines that energize you rather than completely exhaust you.
Exercising for Health Benefits
Not only can exercise help you lose excess weight that may inhibit fertility, but regular fitness activity can also help balance hormones, improve insulin, and reduce stress, all of which can help boost fertility. Exercise is also a vital factor when it comes to those undergoing IVF. A study found that women who exercised regularly were more likely to report pregnancy after receiving IVF treatment. Beyond fertility, regular exercise benefits your overall mental, physical, and emotional health. Combined with eating well, exercise is one of the main pillars of living a healthy life, which makes it important at any stage, including while trying to conceive.
Talk to A Fertility Expert
If you have any questions or concerns about infertility, including the relationship between exercise and infertility, reach out to Carolinas Fertility Institute today. Our knowledgeable and dedicated staff can help answer any questions you may have about fertility testing. We also offer a wide variety of services, from fertility evaluations to In Vitro fertilization. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation by calling our Charlotte office at (844) 686-2233 or our office in the Triad at (336) 448-9100.