Should i stop exercising when trying to get pregnant

Sure, "trying" is fun -- but you want to get pregnant now! Well, guess what? Maintaining a healthy weight is one important way to help your conception chances. Watch the video to find out four more Woman doing crunches. Credit: Dorit Thies.

Woman running. Credit: Denise Crew. Working out. Credit: iStockphoto. Credit: istock. Replay gallery. Pinterest Facebook. Up Next Cancel. Share the Gallery Pinterest Facebook. Skip slide summaries Everything in This Slideshow. All rights reserved. Rohini 27 years , a professional athlete and Anish 31 years , a software professional were married for 4 years were having difficulty conceiving.

To identify the cause of irregular menstrual cycle, a detailed history of the patient was taken. During the consultation, it was revealed that found that Rohini was exercising for a minimum for 2 hours each day, her BMI was Based upon these findings, it was established that she had exercise induced suppression of ovulation.

This in turn, was causing the menstrual irregularities. Once her body fat measures improved, ovulation also became regular. Subsequently, the couple conceived naturally and are now happy parents to a healthy child. It has been long known that physical activity is beneficial for overall health and well-being. Exercise helps in maintaining healthy weight and improves cardiovascular health.

However, in the realm of female fertility, vigorous exercise can have a profound effect, more so, when there is an energy deficit.

The reproductive system is highly sensitive to energy deficit. Body weight and body fat composition have a bearing on female fertility. Research shows that a BMI of 20 — If the levels fall below this, ovulatory disturbances and menstrual irregularities set in and can cause difficulty in conception.

It has also been established that it is not the stress of exercise that causes reproductive dysfunction. But, in an attempt to conserve energy, metabolic adaptations, triggered by an energy deficiency, alter the normal production and pulsatility of reproductive hormones, at all levels, of the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis HPO.

As such, estrogen and progesterone concentrations decline, resulting in a spectrum of exercise associated menstrual disturbances EAMD. The spectrum of EAMD includes the severe menstrual disturbances, amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea, which are easily detected by the absence of menses for at least 3 months or longer and an inconsistent cycle of 36—90 days.

Less severe EAMD include luteal phase defects and anovulation which typically occur within regular intermenstrual intervals, thereby causing these disturbances to often remain undetected. Suppressed follicular growth and oocyte maturation, poor endometrial quality, spontaneous abortion, and infertility are all clinical reproductive consequences of EAMD. Physical activity and semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic. Fert Stert ; Maleki B, et al.

The effects of three different exercise modalities on markers of male reproduction in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Reproduction and Fertility ; Oron G et al. Always evidence-based. Always actionable. Welcome to the tribe! If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. Thanks for sharing what's on your mind!

Check the thread for more insight and support. Imperfections are NOT inadequacies; they are reminders that we're all in this together. Get more out of your efforts to conceive with evidence-based updates sent to your inbox on the regular.

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Why Exercise To Begin With? Does Exercise Matter for Male Fertility? The Best Exercises for Fertility. You know exercise is good for you… But do you know just how good it can be?

Help your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels. Reduce your risk of heart disease. Improve your mental health and mood. Reduce your risk of some cancers. Improve your sleep. Improve your sexual health. Increase your chances of living longer. All good stuff, right? Exercise can improve lipid profiles and inflammation 3. Pretty exciting, right? Can I exercise during the two-week wait?

How much exercise is too much? Swimming Swimming is a low-impact exercise that builds muscle tone and offers fantastic cardiovascular benefits. Indoor Cycling Spinning is another great low-impact exercise to incorporate into your fertility journey.

Ashley Eskew and Dr. Will Haas. If you enjoyed this post, get more like it Always evidence-based. Spread the knowledge. Spread the love. Featured Content. Leave a comment If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. Cancel Reply.