Your health plays an important role when trying for a baby. Weight has a great impact on the success of your efforts. A study carried out by the National Institute of Health links high BMI (greater than 25) with lower birth rate in women undergoing fertility treatments.
While exercising is important for a healthy body and improving your chances of success, too much exercise can be counterproductive.
Not so hard
Those who like to go all out in the gym or when hitting the track would be well advised to ease up on exercising while trying for a baby. Vigorous exercise can actually decrease the rate of conception and therefore hinder your chances of success with fertility treatments.
If you have a regular workout regime that is designed for advanced or intermediate athletes, it may be time to tone it down a notch. Talk to your doctor about reducing your activity to improve your chances of success.
Workout less hours
If you spend more than four hours a week on vigorous exercise, then it’s time to take it easy. A study in 2006 showed that women who exercised for more than 4 hours a week reduced their chances of giving birth by 40%. These women were more likely to experience cycle cancellation and implantation failure. The study also showed increased chances of pregnancy loss in these women.
This is good reason to reduce your exercising hours in the week to less than 4 hours. Opt for three thirty minute sessions of low intensity exercise per week.
Opt for low impact exercises
High-impact activities can be beneficial for fat burning but can result in injuries that would hinder your efforts to have a baby. Any injuries or impact to the abdominal wall during this period should be avoided especially when a baby has been freshly implanted. Avoid high impact activities to improve your chances of pregnancy.
Take a break from exercise
During the week that you undergo egg retrieval, it’s important to take a break from exercise completely. That means even low impact activities. While this may seem impossible to the gym junkie, you probably won’t feel like exercising anyway. The medications given for fertility treatments have various side effects that will make you feel like taking a good long rest. These side effects include fatigue, bloating and mild discomfort.
It’s ok to take a break during this week. You should listen to the signals your body gives you to respond to them. Don’t push yourself, as this is a delicate time and you shouldn’t do anything to compromise the process.
Find an alternative form of stress relief
If exercising is your form of stress relief, then you may need to find another activity to take your mind off your troubles. Take up a new hobby or learn a new craft. Take time to foster relationships with your loved ones and enjoying your time with them. Read a book or take a walk.
Taking it easy during this critical journey will greatly improve your chances of success.