With more couples delaying pregnancy, it is all too often the stress of getting pregnant that can impact fertility. The good news is that you can supplement medical treatments with alternative therapies to help you through the physical and emotional journey.
Although many couples have successful pregnancies with assisted reproductive technology (ART), at times it may be unsuccessful, leading to emotional stress for both men and women. Unsuccessful pregnancies can affect your social or psychological wellbeing, as well as your physical state.
What are the Benefits of Yoga Exercises?
Fertility Yoga has proven to offer great benefit in both childbirth and motherhood, so it is a natural fit for women in the preconception planning stage. By practicing yoga, you will learn better ways to reduce stress and tension while strengthening your mental coping mechanisms.
New evidence indicates Fertility Yoga is a promising therapeutic intervention to improve couples’ chances of pregnancy while undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART).
This study found yoga resulted in the following benefits on fertility:
- Reduced pain
- Decreased depression
- Lowered anxiety
- Minimized stress
What is Fertility Yoga?
Relaxing and toning your pelvic floor, uterus and other tissues is a goal of Fertility Yoga. It also serves to increase blood flow while reducing and eliminating stress that can manifest itself throughout our bodies. By practicing fertility yoga, you are creating a healthy environment for your preconception body.
Fertility yoga classes emphasize slow movements that are restorative to your body and used to increase your flow of energy while reducing stress. Performing your yoga postures and positions provides a sensation of deep relaxation.
You will need to make certain your yoga class is designed for fertility and preconception. These are not hot, power flow classes with the goal of building heat and sweating but rather ones designed for relaxation, toning and mindfulness. You should always stay well hydrated in any yoga class.
Can Yoga Help Me Get Pregnant?
While going through fertility treatments, using yoga as a form of relaxation has proven to decrease anxiety that often builds in both partners. By lowering your stress levels, you can actually increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
There is even more evidence indicating that yoga compares favorably, if not being superior, to regular forms of exercise for both physical and mental health. Some studies have shown that it improves your regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) that can positively impact your hormones and chances for fertility.
Is Yoga Safe While Trying to Conceive?
Yoga is a great mind-body technique shown to reduce stress and keep blood flowing to your body. However, if you are thinking about becoming pregnant, there are certain types and situations of Yoga you should avoid:
- Do not work out in hot rooms
- Avoid Bikram Yoga
Any form of Yoga where your body temperature exceeds the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended limit of 102.2 for the first trimester of pregnancy should be avoided. While they encourage exercise, they state that prolonged periods of exercise should be done in an air-conditioned environment with periods of water breaks to ensure hydration. These standards also apply to those who are trying to get pregnant and participating in pre-conception yoga classes.
Lower your stress and increase your chances for pregnancy.
Give us a call to learn more about Inovi’s Fertility Yoga Options at 713-401-9000.
How Does Yoga Reduce Stress and Prepare My Body for Pregnancy?
Yoga reduces stress through controlled and deep breathing movements called pranayama. Breathing is a natural component of our central nervous system and correlates to our breath rate. When we are anxious, we breathe faster while our amount of breath becomes shallower. Yoga helps train you to alter this pattern by taking slower, deeper ones that promote relaxation.
By practicing stretches to open the pelvis, lower back, hips and groin, chest and shoulders, you experience a whole body connection that is called “mindbody”. This is especially important for women undergoing IVF or other mentally stressful fertility treatments where you and your body may feel disconnected.
Fertility yoga causes you to concentrate, meditate and help you move toward a deeper mindfulness and self-awareness. As a result, you and your partner learn coping skills that assist you as you travel the journey toward being a parent.
It is beneficial for learning good emotional and cognitive skills to help manage stress while undergoing fertility treatments. It encourages self-reflection of who you are instead of allowing infertility to overwhelm you.
Taking part in pre-conception and fertility yoga classes creates a sense of belonging. Don’t go through this alone. It is known that if you can reduce stress, your cortisol levels will decrease, resulting in better pregnancy outcomes.
