Best workouts for an IVF cycle
Looking to adapt your exercise routine to fit your body’s needs for fertility?
When I am working with someone as they try to conceive, we first have to consider their activity level prior and their overall health status. I recommend that, before starting the egg retrieval and IVF process, people do what they can to optimize their, and their partner or donor’s health status.
Regular exercise is wonderful for fertility as it not only helps with hormone balance and blood sugar regulation, but is a wonderful form of stress relief for many people. Once pregnant, regular exercise is incredible for the health of the pregnant person and their growing baby, so having an established routine prior to conception is ideal. Having the physical strength and stability throughout your body to be physically comfortable during pregnancy, to labor and give birth, and to (of course!) care for yourself and baby postpartum are all important considerations.
Exercising Prior to Egg Retrieval
During the week leading up to egg retrieval, many physicians advise very light activity at most. Think: a leisurely 20 minute stroll on a relatively easy, flat surface. This is because your ovaries are enlarged with all of the follicle growth that has been stimulated. While incredibly rare, this does increase the chance of ovarian torsion which is not only excruciatingly painful but could result in the loss of the ovary. So during this time, take a break from running, high intensity interval training, and heavy weight lifting. I will encourage my clients to foam roll, stretch their glutes and inner thighs gently, and focus on diaphragmatic breathing and meditation. Yoga, sans the inversions, is great as well.
The day of the retrieval should be a day of rest. Your retrieval is a medical procedure and your body needs time to rest and recover from the anesthesia and surgery. Give yourself those 24 hours to rest and recover.
Exercising Between Egg Retrieval and Embryo Transfer
Lighter forms of exercise are also the most beneficial in the time between your retrieval and frozen embryo transfer, as well as the window following the embryo transfer leading up to your blood test. Some physical activity like walking, leisurely bike rides, an unheated, slow flow, or yin yoga class are lovely. Gentle movement increases blood flow and helps manage cortisol levels.
Exercising After Embryo Transfer
After this time period, assuming no other significant health risks, moderate intensity activity can be resumed. Moderate intensity varies significantly based on your prior fitness level and exercise experience, and many women and pregnant people opt to continue with light activity until the are 12-14 weeks pregnant and the risk of spontaneous miscarriage is significantly less. These are all important factors to consider when implementing an exercise routine.
At this stage, resuming you should aim for approximately 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity activity. For someone with little exercise experience, moderate intensity activity may be a brisk walk or walking in a pool. For others this is swimming laps, getting on a bike with resistance, or getting back into weight lifting. During pregnancy heart rate is not the most reliable indicator of exertion due to the increased blood volume. While exercising, ask yourself, could I have a conversation while doing this activity? If you could carry on a conversation with a little bit of effort, this is likely an appropriate amount of exertion! If you are very short of breath, or couldn't talk, it is likely too much.
Throughout pregnancy activities that are likely to result in a fall or impact to the abdomen are discouraged. Save your skiis and boxing gloves for after the baby is born!
Do What You Love!
I encourage all of my clients to focus on the activities that they enjoy doing throughout their journey, scaling the intensity as described above. There is so much pressure and stress involved in egg retrieval and IVF. Having a way to feel good in your body and remember that your body has not failed you, but instead may just benefit from a little extra assistance is incredibly important. Your body is strong and capable, take the time to honor and connect with it.
Interested in working with us throughout your fertility journey? Set up your first Mercier Therapy appointment today!
Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician