Exercise for Fertility

  Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert.

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When you think about natural ways to improve your fertility, your mind probably jumps automatically to factors such as your sex life, quitting your vices such as drinking and smoking, and even adjusting your diet.

It might not occur to you that exercise could also boost your chances of conceiving and that there are activities that you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally.

Exercising regularly and living an active lifestyle can be beneficial when you’re trying to conceive a baby for both men and women.

Additionally, living an active lifestyle can also help women while they are pregnant and generally improve your health and wellbeing.

As such, if you’re looking to improve your chances of having a baby, then exercise could be a crucial part of your wellness regime.

The benefits of exercise for general health are widely known, but the importance of living an active lifestyle isn’t often thought of by those who are looking to get pregnant. 

In this article, we explore the ways in which exercises and activities can boost your chances of conceiving a child naturally and quickly. Some of the topics we’re going to cover include: 

• How Does Exercise Benefit Female Fertility?
• How Does Exercise Improve Male Fertility?
• How Can You Ease Yourself Into Exercising And An Active Lifestyle?
• What Exercises Are Best When Trying To Conceive?
• What Else Can You Do To Improve Your Fertility Naturally?
• Conclusion

After reading this article, you should understand how exercise can improve your fertility and the activities that you and your partner can do to boost your chances of getting pregnant.

How Does Exercise Benefit Female Fertility?

Women’s bodies have to go through a lot of changes during the process of conceiving and then carrying a baby.

That’s why you need to ensure that your body is in peak condition before you even start trying to have a child.

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is exercise. It’s just one of the areas that you need to consider when trying to improve your health.

As well as boosting your general health and wellbeing, exercise and regular activity can also improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a successful pregnancy.

For women, being active can both help you to conceive a child quickly and to improve the health of your baby once you get pregnant.

Studies show that exercise during pregnancy can have lasting benefits for your child, so it’s a good idea to start when you’re trying to conceive. [1]

Even before pregnancy, moderate exercise can improve a woman’s chances of conceiving, and it can also help you to reduce your weight and improve your overall health naturally. [2]

However, ensure it is moderate and not excessive, if you carry on running marathons and other endurance feats, it can have a negative effect. [3]

So, exercising needs to be a regular part of the life of any woman who’s trying to get pregnant.

Even when you get pregnant, you still need to be active if you want to stay fit and give your baby the best possible start in life.

Exercise is still possible and encouraged during your pregnancy, but you need to make sure that you do things right to keep yourself and your baby safe.

If done regularly and correctly, exercise can be a great way to naturally improve a woman’s chances of having a healthy, happy baby as outlined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. [4]

How Does Exercise Improve Male Fertility?

Women might have to carry the child, but men still play a major role in conceiving a child.

After all, without the sperm, the ovum will never be fertilized, and you won’t be able to create a new life.

So, men need to consider their own health as well as that of their partners when they’re trying to have a baby.

It would help if you thought about your wellbeing and how you can improve it, as well as the ways you can improve your body’s production of testosterone.

Exercise is one vital part of living a healthy lifestyle, so you should be doing it anyway.

However, as a man trying to get his partner pregnant, it’s more vital than before that you lead an active lifestyle.

That’s because, for men, leading an active lifestyle can help to improve sperm quality. [5]

It can also benefit your general health and give you more energy, both of which factor into your natural ability to conceive a child.

As such, being active can help men to improve their fertility naturally.

Additionally, as your partner should be active, too, it’s the perfect way to connect with her and to spend some quality time together before you have a new baby taking all of your energy and effort.

How Can You Ease Yourself Into Exercising And An Active Lifestyle?

If you’ve led a completely sedentary lifestyle up until now and have only just started considering exercise, you need to make sure that you ease yourself into it.

That means taking your time and listening to your body.

If you jump straight in and start training like an Olympian or lifting the heaviest weights you can find, then you could injure yourself, which won’t benefit your fertility or your general wellbeing.

So, when you start exercising to improve your fertility, you need to do it right.

Start slowly and set achievable goals: for example, you could set yourself an aim to do 30 minutes of low-impact cardio exercise per day such as brisk walking or hiking. [6]

As your fitness improves and your body adjusts to working out, you can slowly increase your goals so that they’re not too easy.

➡️READ: Natural treatments for male infertility

While your body might feel tired and sore after a workout, you shouldn’t feel any pain. If you notice pain after exercising, then you should try to ascertain the cause.

Mainly, pain after exercise occurs when individuals do too much, too quickly. So, try scaling back and reducing your exercising goals.

Should the pain persist, you’ll need to visit a medical professional.

They will be able to find out what is wrong with your body and give you ideas on how you can adapt your exercise regime around your injury.

If you’re unsure about where to begin with exercising to improve fertility, then we’ve got some great ideas in the next section.

For anyone who’s concerned about how exercising will affect their health, visit your doctor or talk to a professional personal trainer.

They can provide you with expert advice on how to become more active and improve your health, as well as your fertility.

What Exercises Are Best When Trying To Conceive?

There are many different types of exercise, and it’s important that you try the right ones when you’re trying to conceive so that you don’t do more harm to your body than good.

The best types of exercise for couples looking to have a baby are low-impact, low-stress exercises.

If you already have a workout regime, then you should talk to your doctor or personal trainer about how you can optimize it to ensure that you don’t overwork your body.

That’s because while exercise is good for your fertility, too much could be detrimental to it.

Studies have shown that intense physical activity can cause a reduced or impaired sperm count for men. [7]

For women, too much exercise doesn’t appear to have an effect on estrogen production, but it can lead to weight fluctuations.

Weight is a critical factor for women who are trying to get pregnant. Being overweight can affect your chances of conceiving and put unnecessary pressure on your body during this already difficult time. [8]

Additionally, being underweight can also have a negative effect as it can cause an imbalance of female hormones. [9]

So, you need to make sure that you get the right balance and create a workout routine and active lifestyle that gives you the perfect chance of getting pregnant naturally.

Some ideal exercises and activities to start if you want to improve your fertility include: 

• Walking: If you’re completely new to exercising and want to ease yourself into it, then walking could be the perfect option. Try to complete a brisk walk every day to get yourself active and enjoy the fresh air. If you want to track your progress, then you could try investing in a smartwatch to monitor your steps and heart rate. These devices often have fertility monitors on them as well, so they could be a great choice for couples seeking to conceive soon. A study published by the Human Reproduction Journal established the benefits of walking and improved pregnancy rates. [10]
• Jogging: Jogging is a great choice for anyone who wants to lose weight and get their heart rate up. Jogging is faster than walking, so it burns slightly more calories and can get your heart pumping faster. When you start jogging, you need to make sure that you go slowly and increase your pace gradually. If you don’t, then you might find that you cause damage to your joints and muscles, so be careful when adding jogging to your fitness plan.
• Dancing: Dancing is fun and low-impact, making it a great activity for anyone who wants to ease themselves into exercising. It’s also easy to do as a couple, so dancing could bring you together and allow you to have fun and improve your fertility before you have your baby as outlined by this study. [11]
• Zumba: A brand of dance workout classes designed to improve your body coordination and raise your heart rate, Zumba is a great choice for anyone who’s completely new to exercising. The classes encourage freestyling and customization, so you can adjust the workout to suit your body’s needs and fitness aims. So, this is a fun and fast-paced way to get yourself started on your fitness journey.
• Yoga: Yoga is a great way to burn calories and improve your core strength and flexibility. As such, it’s perfect for women who want to get pregnant, as it can help to tone your body before birth. For men, yoga is a low-impact, fun workout that’s easy to do at home or in a fitness class, so you’ve got plenty of options. Yoga helps reduce feeling of anxiety and stress which can balance your hormones. As such a study from 2013 saw a positive link between yoga and improved male reproductive health. [12]
• Cycling: Well, riding a bicycle (in an upright position) rather than racing or trying emulate the Tour de France is another low-impact exercise that can be fun and a great way to get around. [13] When you’re cycling, make sure you’re safe and wear a helmet so that you don’t injure yourself. Any health problems, such as broken bones or other illnesses, could affect your chances of conceiving a child, as your body will be more focused on healing your injuries than it will on producing higher levels of vital sex hormones.
• Swimming: Swimming is great cardio and is one of the lowest impact sports out there. It’s also very safe and easy to do if you have access to a pool. Swimming for just a few hours a week can burn a significant number of calories and drastically improve your muscle tone, so it’s worth trying if you’re looking to improve your fertility and general bodily health. It’s also easy to lose track of time when you’re swimming, so exercising won’t feel like a chore! Research published in 2008 found that water aerobics is an ideal low impact exercise for pregnant women to improve their fitness. [14]
• Pilates: Like yoga, Pilates can be great for improving your muscle tone and flexibility. The practice is easy to start, and there are many home videos to show you how to stretch into the right shapes and improve your fitness. Pilates is low-impact, but it’s also slow and doesn’t involve much cardio, so you might want to do it in conjunction with other workout exercises. A study involving 34 women found that pilates inmproved their sexual function after just 3 months. [15]
• Beginner’s Cardio Workouts: If you want to take things one step further and really burn calories, then a beginner’s cardio workout could be great for you. Cardio exercises raise your heart rate and burn a lot of calories, so these workouts are ideal for overweight individuals who want to lose weight and get healthier before they start trying to have a child. There are many beginner’s cardio workout videos online so that you can start this activity from the comfort of your own home. You can even get some great benefit from just a 10 minute session of exercise, particularly if you are new to fitness. [16] Alternatively, you could check out classes at your local gym to meet new friends and get professional advice from the course leader

This list should give you the inspiration you need to start being active before you try to have a baby.

If you’re unsure about how to start exercising or how to adapt your existing exercise regime, then consult your doctor. They will be able to give you practical advice. 

What Else Can You Do To Improve Your Fertility Naturally?

As well as starting a regular exercise regime and incorporating the activities listed above, there are many other ways you can improve your fertility naturally.

These include reducing your alcohol intake, cutting down on smoking, improving your diet and avoiding the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

It’s also vital that you give your body all of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs to optimize your testosterone production and improve your energy. [17]

While improving your diet can help with this, you might also want to consider taking a natural supplement, such as Fertiligy.

Our unique formula combines a selection of natural products to give you everything your body needs to produce more testosterone and naturally improve your chances of conceiving. 

These natural ingredients could help you to improve your chances of conceiving and reduce your need to visit a doctor for medical advice.

As many medical checks for infertility can be invasive and distressing, it’s important that you do everything in your power to aid your fertility before you have to seek medical assistance to conceive.

Find out more about how our supplement works and the science behind our innovative product to see if Fertiligy could be the right addition to your wellness regime as you try to start a family or have more children.

Conclusion

Ultimately, exercise is a vital part of anyone’s lifestyle, whether you’re trying to conceive a child or not. [18] However, for those who want to have a baby soon, it’s more important than ever before.

The exercises and activities listed in this article could help you to boost your fertility and vitality, meaning that you’ll conceive quicker and be able to hold your child in your arms sooner. 

There are many other ways to improve your fertility, including using our innovative natural supplement, Fertiligy, which contains a variety of natural ingredients to naturally improve any man’s production of testosterone and boost his energy.

With Fertiligy, you can ensure that your body has everything it needs to give you the best possible shot at getting your partner pregnant quickly.

For more tips on how to improve your fertility naturally and optimize your health to improve your chances of conceiving, check out our blog.

We regularly share articles that offer insight into the latest research on male and female fertility and how you can improve your chances of having a child using natural methods.

If you’re still having problems conceiving a child naturally, then you and your partner should visit your doctor to find out what’s going on and how you can deal with the issue.

The process of improving your fertility might sound like a lot of work and effort, but it’ll be worth it in the end when you can hold your baby and watch them grow into an amazing person.

References:

[1] UVA Health Newsroom. (2021). Exercise During Pregnancy May Save Kids From Health Problems as Adults. [online] Available at: https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2021/03/11/exercise-during-pregnancy-may-save-kids-from-health-problems-as-adults/.

‌[2] www2.hse.ie. (n.d.). How to improve your chances of getting pregnant. [online] Available at: https://www2.hse.ie/wellbeing/pregnancy-and-birth/trying-for-a-baby/improve-your-chances/

‌[3] Taylor, A. (2003). Extent of the problem. BMJ : British Medical Journal, [online] 327(7412), pp.434–436. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC188498/.

‌[4] www.acog.org. (n.d.). Exercise During Pregnancy. [online] Available at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy.

‌[5] Hajizadeh Maleki, B., Tartibian, B. and Chehrazi, M. (2017). The effects of three different exercise modalities on markers of male reproduction in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Reproduction, 153(2), pp.157–174. Available at: https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/153/2/157.xml

[6] NHS Choices (2019). Exercise. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/#guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64.‌

[7] Jóźków, P. and Rossato, M. (2016). The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality. American Journal of Men’s Health, 11(3), pp.654–662. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5675222/

[8] Ozcan Dag, Z. and Dilbaz, B. (2015). Impact of obesity on infertility in women. Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association, [online] 16(2), pp.111–117. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456969/.‌

[9] Vic.gov.au. (2012). Weight, fertility and pregnancy health. [online] Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/weight-fertility-and-pregnancy-health

‌[10] Russo, L.M., Whitcomb, B.W., Mumford, S.L., Hawkins, M., Radin, R.G., Schliep, K.C., Silver, R.M., Perkins, N.J., Kim, K., Omosigho, U.R., Kuhr, D.L., Holland, T.L., Sjaarda, L.A. and Schisterman, E.F. (2018). A prospective study of physical activity and fecundability in women with a history of pregnancy loss. Human Reproduction, [online] 33(7), pp.1291–1298. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/33/7/1291/4965834?searchresult=1.

‌[11] Ogawa, S. (2015). Dance/Movement Therapy and the Journey of Infertility: A Phenomenological Study. [online] . 

‌[12] Sengupta, P., Chaudhuri, P. and Bhattacharya, K. (2013). Male reproductive health and yoga. International Journal of Yoga, 6(2), p.87. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3734644/

[13] Women’s Health Research Institute. (2012). Bicycling and Women’s Sexual Health. [online] Available at: https://womenshealth.obgyn.msu.edu/blog/bicycling-and-womens-sexual-health.

[14] Baciuk, E.P., Pereira, R.I., Cecatti, J.G., Braga, A.F. and Cavalcante, S.R. (2008). Water aerobics in pregnancy: cardiovascular response, labor and neonatal outcomes. Reproductive Health, [online] 5(1). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613131/.

‌[15] Halis, F., Yildirim, P., Kocaaslan, R., Cecen, K. and Gokce, A. (2015). Pilates for Better Sex: Changes in Sexual Functioning in Healthy Turkish Women After Pilates Exercise. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 42(4), pp.302–308.Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0092623X.2015.1033576

[16] nhs.uk. (2018). 10-minute home cardio workout. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/10-minute-home-cardio-workout/.‌

[17] www.mdpi.com. (n.d.). Nutrients. [online] Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3375

‌[18] Fletcher, G.F., Balady, G., Blair, S.N., Blumenthal, J., Caspersen, C., Chaitman, B., Epstein, S., Froelicher, E.S.S., Froelicher, V.F., Pina, I.L. and Pollock, M.L. (1996). Statement on Exercise: Benefits and Recommendations for Physical Activity Programs for All Americans. Circulation, 94(4), pp.857–862. Available at: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.CIR.94.4.857