There’s an old wive’s tale that women who exercise hurt their chances of getting pregnant. This sexist notion is usually directed at women who enjoy participating in traditionally male sports as a way to exclude them. Even though this idea is completely ridiculous, exercise does play a role in fertility. If you are trying to conceive, too much or too little exercise can be one of the factors that impact getting pregnant. Here we will look at how exercise does affect fertility and how you can find the perfect level of activity that will optimize your chances of conceiving.
How Exercise Improves Fertility
Unfortunately, obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Over 30 percent of the adult population is overweight. By incorporating a moderate level of activity into your life, you can greatly improve fertility outcomes. Regular exercise not only reduces the risk of ovulation problems, but it can also decrease your risk of miscarriage.
Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with irregular or no periods can increase the frequency of ovulation when they incorporate exercise into their routine — and it’s not just women’s fertility that’s improved. Obesity reduces sperm quality and fertility, so it’s important that men also increase their activity level when attempting to conceive.
Moderate exercise is all that’s necessary for both men and women. This could include walking, cycling, swimming or other low-intensity, exercise routines for 30 minutes a day. High-intensity workouts, however, may actually have a detrimental effect on your ability to get pregnant.
How Exercise Can Hurt Fertility
Exercise is good. Staying active and healthy is an important aspect of our lives that should not be ignored. Unfortunately, many women exercise more than they need to. This leads to something called an energy deficit, or burning more calories than you consume. The reproductive system is highly sensitive to this energy deficit, and will “shut down” if you are not taking in enough calories.
Anyone can experience an energy deficit no matter their size. You don’t have to have a low body fat percentage or be underweight. In fact, even those who are overweight but not receiving enough calories can experience an energy deficit. If you’re not sure if this is you, ask yourself the following questions:
- Have you ever tried to lose weight?
- Have you ever cut out certain food groups?
- Have you ignored hunger signals?
- Have you increased exercise without increasing your caloric intake?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then chances are you’ve experienced an energy deficit. When doctors seek to determine the cause of infertility, it’s often difficult to distinguish whether it’s caused by PCOS or an energy deficit. So, if you are attempting to become pregnant, be sure you are getting enough calories for your body to function as it should.
Exercise does not seem to cause permanent damage, but it may take some time to restore your body’s energy. Even if you have to gain some weight, it’s a small price to pay when working toward the ultimate goal of becoming a parent. Five to ten pounds could put you at your optimal weight to increase your chances to conceive.
Turn to the Experts at Western Fertility Institute for More Information
No matter what is impacting your ability to conceive, the experts at Western Fertility Institute are here for you. We work with intended parents who may have fertility issues and walk with you every step of the way on your journey to have a child of your own. Contact us today to learn more about what could be impacting your ability to conceive.