Exercise is a vital part of your overall health. Exercising regularly increases blood flow, reduces stress, and can help you maintain a healthy weight, all of which are important to enhancing your fertility and increasing your chance of becoming pregnant. However, too much exercise can be harmful. Once you know the link between exercise and fertility, you can make better decisions about your activities.
Exercise and Fertility
Moderate exercise is an important part of your fertility. Going for a walk, taking an aerobics class and going for a swim are great choices. Generally speaking, exercising a few times a week is not a problem and does not interfere with fertility treatments. In fact, people who are overweight may see their fertility improve as they lose weight through exercise. Therefore, regular, moderate exercise is often suggested for both men and women who are trying to conceive.
Extreme Exercise
As far as your fertility is concerned, it is possible to exercise too much. Extreme athletes may find that they are unable to conceive on their own. This is particularly true for women in sports such as ballet and gymnastics as they tend to have extremely low percentages of body fat. While their level of fitness is critical to their sport, it can hinder their ability to conceive. It can also be an issue for those who are in training for an event. One key way for women to tell if their fertility may be affected by their exercise regimen is to monitor their cycle. If your cycle disappears or is irregular, try reducing your exercise to see if it returns. If so, then your exercise is impacting your fertility. In order to increase your chance of becoming pregnant, you may want to take a break from training or wait until after your event to begin the process.
For an individualized look at how exercise and fertility are affecting your ability to conceive, speak with a fertility expert today. We are here to help you start a family.