Safe Exercise During IVF Stimulation And Its Benefits: Expert Insights.
To an ideal candidate for IVF treatment, the journey will often seem like a rollercoaster ride. IVF is a complex procedure involving different stages of treatment and it needs utmost care as well. So the person undergoing treatment may feel emotional ups and downs. It may happen because of the induced medications and hormone intake. All these are normal in the IVF journey. Any Couple will have a lot of hope during the IVF treatment period. Investing time in the right kind of care and support will help to increase the chances of IVF success. Apart from maintaining a healthy diet and positive mindset, One can do appropriate exercises to higher the chances of pregnancy during IVF stimulation.
Before delving into the exercise during IVF stimulation, learn about the IVF Stimulation process.
What Is IVF?
Infertility is not a rare problem in modern society. It is a common problem. According to the WHO report 1 in 6 experience infertility globally. IVF is widely considered the perfect solution for infertility compared to other treatments.
It is a procedure of Embryo transfer. Before reaching the Embryo transfer stage, the person undergoing treatment has to undergo weeks of many IVF treatment stages. There are 5 IVF Stages.
- Controlled Ovarian Stimulation
- Egg Removal
- Sperm Collection/Retrieval From The Partner or a Donor
- Insemination
- Embryo Transfer
These are the five stages of embryo transfer. Each of the stages requires utmost care. In order to eliminate the chances of any underlying diseases, a series of blood tests and check-ups are required before moving to the first stage.
IVF Stimulation
IVF Stimulation is controlled Ovarian Stimulation achieved by injecting specific drugs. The main objective of this stage is to harvest as many female eggs as possible. The procedure is for
- Increasing the production of mature eggs for retrieval
- To help patients with ovulation disorders
- Store as many eggs as possible for future use.
How Does Ovarian Stimulation Work?
Ovarian stimulation works by increasing the Oocytes. Naturally, female human beings produce Oocytes during the ovulatory cycle. In certain disorders like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS) releasing of eggs during the Ovulatory Period will not happen to female human beings. In such cases, increasing the production of eggs with the help of drugs is the only possible way. Given medicines will stimulate FSH(Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH(Luteinizing Hormone), this will result in the production of more eggs.
IVF stimulation may feel like a stressful process due to many things. Managing a lot of things like medication, all the tests, and traveling can give pressure. One should expect all these things along with the procedure.
Side Effects Of The Procedure
IVF stimulation can cause side effects. These side effects are perfectly normal during this stage. If any symptoms stay for a prolonged period, consult a medical professional. Certain side effects include
- Multiple births due o the increased production of eggs, the chances of multiple births are higher.
- Premature delivery
- Chances of miscarriage
- Since the treatment works by regulating hormones, this may result in mood swings and depression.
- Chances of swelling and rashes
- Breast tenderness
- In certain cases, bloating and abdominal pain may also occur.
Exercise During IVF Stimulation – Do’s and Don’ts
Exercise plays a crucial role in Fertility treatment. During the time of IVF Stimulation, exercising will help to maintain wellness and health. Doing Pre-IVF and Post IVF exercises are also beneficial.
Before starting your regimen, consulting your doctor will be helpful. Ask the advice of your doctor prior to starting your exercise. The doctor will help to get a clear picture of what to do and what not to do. A person undergoing IVF treatment will not be allowed to do all types of exercises.
During the Ovarian Stimulation stage, for the purpose of increasing the success rate of IVF and also to keep sound health and mind, exercising will help to an extent.
Types Of Helpful Exercises During IVF
While a person is trying to conceive through IVF, staying active is truly healthful. These are the types of exercises that will help to keep the zen mode.
Try to stick with low-intensity workouts during IVF Stimulation. Go for low-impact workouts like
- Walking
- Yoga and Meditation (Avoid inversion poses)
- Tai Chi
- Water aerobics
- Swimming ( Avoid flip turns)
- Low impact stretching
- Light weightlifting
Types Of Exercises To Avoid During IVF Stimulation
Stay away from certain types of exercise regimens during IVF. While undergoing treatment, one can not resort to the usual regimen. It may lead to potential risks and even IVF failure.
One should avoid exercises like
- Weight lifting/ Heavy lifting
- Sit-ups
- Push Ups
- Crunches
- Running
- Exercises involving bouncing and jumping
- All types of contact sports.
- High-intensity Cardio exercises
Other Things To Consider During IVF
At the time of IVF treatment, apart from doing needed exercise, follow these things:
- Self-care
- Stay hydrated enough
- Follow healthy diet
- Nourish the connection with the partner by properly communicating with each other.
- Take medicines and essential vitamins
- Get good sleep
- Take enough rest
- Listen to the advice of the doctor
One should avoid certain things like:
- Alcohol consumption
- Hours of strenuous activity
- Do not over-exercise. Always keep the regimen within or around 30 minutes a day.
- Avoid using Saunas and hot tubs
- Excessive sugar intake
- Do not stress over the perfect fertility diet
- Avoid eating junk foods
In rare cases, the doctor may advise you to stay away from all sorts of physical activity during IVF stimulation. Always consult the medical profession before starting any kind of exercise routine.
How Does Exercise Help During IVF Stimulation?
It is totally ok to do light exercise during IVF. In fact, staying inactive during this time will not do any good. Engaging in physical activities during treatment can give excellent results. It will be an advantage when it comes to, increasing the success of conceiving.
Regular exercise will help to balance hormones which help to get pregnant, and the blood circulation will improve. Altogether, it will contribute to the well-being of the body and mind. So being active during the procedure definitely help in the success of IVF.
Conclusion
Many factors contribute to the success of the IVF journey. Relying on to specific exercises indeed will help to stimulate the success of it. One can not deny the crucial role of a perfect exercise regimen in human IVF treatment.
However, one should take extreme precautions while planning a new exercise regimen during the IVF stimulation stage. Always listen to the advice of the doctor. Since everyone’s body type is different, only a medical professional will be able to recognize a suitable exercise routine.
There are do’s and don’ts in the exercise regime during IVF, stay away from heavy sweating exercises and arduous weightlifting workouts. Any kind of highly intensive workout routine is off-limit.
Consult with the physician when having doubts. If anything feels wrong, seek advice from your fertility clinic. Altogether doing low-intensity workouts during IVF stimulation is an advantage. Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep the stress of the treatment in check, and it also offers complete physical and mental wellness.