Fertility + Yoga: Is This For Me?

Is it safe to do yoga while trying to conceive? Can yoga improve fertility for men and women? YES! According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “yoga for fertility improves both female and male infertility by minimizing stress, which consecutively balances the hormones of the body with improvement in mental health; thereby increasing a couple's ability to conceive”. They go on to say that “Yoga therapies have been found to improve reproductive functions both in men and women by improving the overall integration of physiological systems.” In other words, yoga can help regulate our hormones, improve brain function, decrease cortisol levels, and thereby improve fertility.

Here’s the thing though, Yoga is a broad term that can encompass vastly different practices on the mat—from restorative poses, to breath exercises, to rigorous shapes that quite quickly get your heart pumping. There are certainly “fertility yoga poses” or fertility yoga classes online, but the primary way yoga will improve fertility is by making you less stressed, by making you feel good. 

So, right now, what do you need? Maybe that is vigor, and yoga is your outlet for letting go of built up energy in a positive and healthy way. Do try to skip poses that create a large abdominal contraction (like planks), and maybe focus on your breathing as you sweat. Or maybe you have a bit too much of that type of stimulation already, and what you need is some stillness, softness, and quiet time. Then again, maybe you’re just trying to stretch and do what your doctor said would help.

Funnily enough, what you want might be at odds with what you need. It’s really hard to see the value of laying in a restorative pose for 30 minutes, and it’s even harder to get to a place where you enjoy it.  Type A people don’t want to slow down: “Make time to lay on pillows and breathe? Yeah, right. That definitely doesn’t fit into my schedule.” Similarly, when we are in a bit of a lethargic rut, we’re not eager to dive into physical exertion. As you take stock of where you are in life, use that to inform how yoga is going to fit into your fertility journey so that you get both what you want and what you need.

Then come the more practical questions: how many times a week am I practicing? Am I going to a studio or does virtual, or private, or some other option work better for me and my goals and resources? Are you looking for something free like Yoga with Adrienne. Maybe a meditation app is the best thing for you right now. You can also check out my offerings (On Demand or Live Interactive) that range from meditation, to specific prenatal and fertility classes to restorative and much more.  Then you can explore combinations of all kinds: styles of yoga, types of class, venue, teacher, and so on.

Is there a fertility yoga app? Not that I know of. Is there special Ivf yoga for fertility? Not really, the same principles apply. Are there particular poses that are good for fertility? Actually, there is, and I wrote about them here (Robyn also published it, and they’re also a great resource if you’re looking for additional parental wellness resources).

In short, yoga for fertility boils down to this: practice yoga in a way that feels good, that quiets your mind and actually enhances your wellbeing (rather than insisting on it being an intense workout (which it can be sometimes, but really check in to see if that’s what’s going to serve you best, and please start ease off the intense abdominal poses like I mentioned above). Simple things like: don’t rush to class, don’t rush after class, don’t rush through class, don’t make your workout a punishment for your body. Breathe! Simple, simple things go a very long way.

See if you can find a teacher you like, and a teacher you trust. Either at your local studio or online, but see if you can actually build rapport with them. Let them help you talk through different ways of practicing, or different tools available to you that perhaps you didn’t think you’d be interested in trying or didn’t even know existed. Like, say, Yoga Nidra or a simple 5 pose practice before sleep (thanks, Harvard). Remember there is no catch-all answer. Let yoga be your tool. Listen to yourself and be intentional about how yoga moves you forward. Ultimately, the path of yoga is about connecting with yourself.

Please feel free to reach out with any and all questions you might have. I’m happy to point you towards more specific resources if you give me a better sense of your circumstances and goals.