The Fertility-Boosting Benefits of Yoga

Whether you are actively trying to get pregnant or you and your partner have decided to stop birth control and let nature take its course, you may be wondering what measures you can take to boost your fertility. If your doctor has assured you that your hormone levels are good and you’re able to get pregnant or if you’ve committed to fertility treatments, keeping your stress level down and your activity level up are both essential for success.

Yoga is an excellent option for those hoping to conceive, as it is known to be a stress buster and a great low-impact form of exercise. In addition, yoga tones the reproductive organs by systematically squeezing and releasing them, which encourages optimal functionality. If you’re hoping to conceive and are wondering if yoga is right for you, here are some points to consider.

Yoga Dovetails with Modern Medicine

If you don’t want to stop seeing your doctor for Western medicine but still want to do as much as you can to increase your odds, practicing yoga will not interfere with any drug or hormone therapies you choose to do. Most fertility specialists encourage their patients to get plenty of low-impact exercise while trying to conceive, and yoga fits the bill nicely.

In addition to other treatment options, the gentle action of yoga provides beneficial stretches and massages to internal tissues and organs, promoting not only healthy blood flow but also promoting health movement of lymph.

Yoga Lowers Stress Levels

It doesn’t matter if you are doing treatments or going all-natural, in your early 20s or mid-40s, stress is never good for your fertility. Yoga has long been proven to help people of all gender identities and ages relax, unwind and focus inward. By releasing stress and tension not only does yoga relax your muscles and improve blood flow, it allows your body to regulate hormones and stimulate the body’s relaxation response. In times of stress, your body puts out hormones that make conceiving difficult. This is, in part, the truth behind the old wives’ tale that those who stop worrying about getting pregnant often do. Adding yoga to your routine will allow you to nip stress in the bud, which will help you feel better overall and increase the likelihood of conception.

Click here for A Couple’s Yoga Guide to Conceiving — 10 Yoga Poses for Men and Women to Increase Fertility

When to Temporarily Discontinue Yoga

If your ovaries have increased in size due to stimulating therapies, you may find poses such as the downward facing dog uncomfortable, so don’t be afraid to adapt your routine. Never force yourself into a pose or holding a pose if it is painful. If you’ve received an intra-uterine injection (IUI) or are trying in-vitro fertilization (IVF), ask your doctor when it’s safe to resume yoga.

If you do become pregnant and have a history of miscarriage, ask your doctor if you should stop exercising all together for awhile to ensure you do nothing to endanger the pregnancy. Yoga does not have the power to correct scar tissue in your Fallopian tubes or cure symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis. What it can do is work with your existing plan to help you conceive by keeping you active, increasing blood flow through your pelvis and, most of all, decreasing your stress level. If you want to try out a yoga class specifically tailored for those trying to conceive, speak to you fertility specialist or OB/GYN for assistance.