How Much Exercise Is Too Much With IVF?

Experts recommend that the average adult achieve roughly 150 minutes of activity per week or 30 minutes of exercise for 5 days per week. Along with a balanced diet and moderate alcohol consumption, the above guidelines are a smart way to stay healthy. However, some restrictions apply to people trying to conceive. Beyond avoiding tobacco and alcohol, some people may be surprised to find that exercise restrictions also exist, especially for women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Is exercise safe during IVF?

Many IVF participants are curious if exercise is safe or allowed while participating in an IVF cycle. Simply put, women who are already physically active should continue to do so. However, limitations do apply. One of the main reasons people embrace physical activity during IVF is because the specific fertility treatment can encourage weight gain during the hormone stimulation stage. More importantly, research points to a correlation between a woman's weight and IVF success. To be clear, weight is not the only determining factor for IVF success, but women in overweight and obese categories according to body mass index (BMI) were less successful, according to studies, at pregnancy, implantation, and live birth rates.

Why adjustments are necessary

Experts encourage exercising before and even during an IVF cycle. Before undergoing fertility treatment, both high and low-intensity activities are fine as a method of stress reduction and for overall good health. Yet, after starting a cycle, women should avoid high-intensity workouts like running or intense cardio because the activities can cause complications. Medications prescribed to support ovarian stimulation may create side effects when a person exercises aggressively. As a result, problems can arise, which leads to an unsuccessful IVF cycle. For this reason, experts usually recommend skipping exercise completely immediately before egg retrieval and while undergoing embryo transfer.

What exercises are safe?

Keep in mind that exercise is not completely restricted throughout the entire IVF cycle. Just the hormone stimulation and embryo transfer stages are the riskiest. Experts recommend prioritizing low-impact exercises to maintain a healthy lifestyle without risking IVF cycle viability. Gentle exercises like walking or swimming are ideal because these options place the least amount of stress on the body. As a general rule, though, women should always speak with a fertility specialist to ensure that any intended exercise is safe and won't create complications.

Picking the best workout routine

While high-intensity workouts are generally not recommended during key points in an IVF cycle, every woman is different. Experts usually agree that a person who was previously very physically active before IVF may be able to continue doing so, just not during key moments in the cycle. Individuals wanting to stay active during IVF should talk with a fertility specialist to understand limitations and any associated risks.