Try These Yoga Poses to Increase Your Fertility

“Take it easy, and it will happen.” This is the worst piece of advice that people with problems hear over and over again. Oh, if only it were that simple, right?

Finally, yoga is a good way to relax. Researchers have also found that yoga can help with infertility and can help partners relax and feel better physically and mentally.

Here are some ways that doing yoga regularly can help you while you are trying to get pregnant (TTC).

Benefits of yoga for fertility

One in eight couples in the United States have trouble getting pregnant. About one-third of cases are caused by problems with a woman’s fertility, another one-third are caused by problems with a man’s fertility, and the rest are a mix of the two or happen for no known reason.

Yoga seems like it could be a good way to change your life and help both men and women have healthy babies.

Also read: “Key Female Hormones in Menstruation & Pregnancy

Strengthens the body

Having extra weight can make it hard for both men and women to get pregnant. A good diet and exercise are both important parts of any plan to lose weight.

If you’re new to working out, yoga is a gentle way to get your body used to moving around more often. Even though the poses might not put a lot of stress on the joints, they will definitely make your muscles burn and make you more flexible.

Eases stress, depression, and anxiety

Studies show that up to 40% of women who are getting treatment for infertility deal with anxiety, sadness, or both. (Another study from 2016 says that number is even higher, for both men and women.) Telling someone to “relax” can make them feel worse and cause them to blame themselves more.

Adding yoga and mindfulness techniques (like deep breathing) to your daily routine may help lower the stress markers in your blood, which will then help your immune system work better.

In a small study done in 2015, 55 people who were trying to get pregnant did yoga and met with a conversation group once a week for 6 weeks. The amount of worry they said they had went down by 20%.

Balances hormones

A 2012 Article published looks into the idea that hormone levels go down when stress levels go down. It’s all linked: the body and mind, the breath and balance. Hormones may be better balanced generally if you do yoga regularly because it may help the brain and hormones work together better (neuroendocrine axes).

This is true for both men and women again. And having better hormone balance often means having more sexual drive and being able to reproduce.

Supports sperm production

Men all over the world are having more and more problems with low sperm numbers. Often, the low counts are caused by things in the person’s lifestyle or surroundings, like being overweight, smoking, or being exposed to chemicals. A study from 2013 showed that doing yoga every day may help reduce worry and anxiety, keep the body working properly, and help make sperm.

The researchers came to the conclusion that yoga can improve men’s reproductive health and may help prevent infertility. However, more study needs to be done in this area.

Increases ART success rates

It’s possible that yoga will help you get pregnant if you’re currently going through IVF or another form of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Another study from 2018 says that yoga is good for both men and women’s mental and physical health.

Researchers looked at 87 past studies that looked at couples who practiced yoga and art together. They found that the breathing, meditation, and poses (asanas) might help with stress, depression, and worry, as well as pain. These are all things that seem to make getting pregnant more likely.

Safety of fertility yoga

Even if you’ve never done yoga before, it can be safe to use for pregnancy. It’s important to start slowly and not go too far into poses. Instead, pay attention to your breathe and what makes you feel good. You could hurt yourself if you go too far into a pose without being properly aligned.

After that, you might want to check with your doctor to see if there are any other reasons you shouldn’t do yoga. For instance, if you’re going to do ovary stimulation as part of IVF, ask your doctor what rules you should follow. You may be more likely to have a medical problem called ovarian torsion if you work out hard.

You can go at your own pace and do many yoga poses that are easy on the body, but your doctor can tell you what to do and what not to do.

Also, you might want to wait to do hot yoga until after you give birth. Even though there aren’t many studies on TTC, one does show that doing yoga in places that are heated intentionally may be harmful to pregnant women.

Best types of yoga for fertility

The word “yoga” can be used to refer to a lot of different types. There are different kinds of yoga, and each has its own set of poses, setting, or purpose. There are different types that are better for people who are trying to get pregnant or who are just starting out.

These types of yoga are more likely to be easy on the body:

In Hatha Iyengar restoration
The following types of yoga are more likely to be hard:

Some types of hot yoga are Bikram, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa.
As you try to get pregnant, you might want to start with more gentle types. If you have been doing a more intense form of yoga for a long time, talk to your teacher and your doctor about how to keep practicing.

Poses to try

As a yoga teacher in Boston named Kristen Feig says, the moves below are safe and appropriate for couples who are trying to get pregnant.

Reclining Bound Angle

This pose is also known as Supta Baddha Konasana. According to Feig, it assists women in releasing tension and stress in their hips and groin, which are common places for them to store trauma and stress.

Instructions for:

1. With your arms by your sides, palms up, and your legs out in front of you, begin this pose on your back.
2. Bring the soles of your feet together and bend both knees outward.
3. As you ease into the pose, think about using blocks or rolled towels or blankets to support your outer thighs if you are unable to bring your knees to the floor.
4. If this is your first time, hold this pose for one minute, remembering to breathe. Try to unwind in this manner for five to ten minutes.

Shoulderstand

According to Feig, the Shoulderstand inversion pose “increases blood flow to the hips and heart.” Additionally, it “reduces stress and anxiety and helps regulate the thyroid.” Try this pose with your legs up a wall instead of doing it unsupported.

Instructions for:

1. Start by placing your mat’s short side against the wall. With your feet pointing upward, place your buttocks against the wall. The mat should provide firm support for your upper body. (To relieve pressure on your neck, you can choose to place a folded blanket beneath your shoulders.)
2. Bring your forearms to your sides and bend your knees until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
3. As you use your upper body to raise your core and eventually find a shoulder stand position with your arms supporting your middle back, walk your feet up the wall.
4. You can eventually let your legs hang loosely above your body, or you can keep them bent or spread them out.
5. Start with one minute and work your way up to five to twenty minutes in this pose.

Warrior II

According to Feig, this strong position “builds strength in the hips/thighs/abdominals.” It also aids in “releasing negative energy through the hips,” which is more significant.

Instructions for:

1. Place your arms out to either side, palms down, parallel to the floor, and stand with your feet three to four feet apart.
2. Keeping your heels in line, turn your right foot slightly inward and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees.
3. Maintain a neutral torso with strong arms and bend your left knee until your shin is perpendicular to the ground (do not let it go past your ankle).
4. For 30 seconds to a full minute, hold this position. Next, repeat on the opposite side.

Goddess Pose

Feig explains that “similar to Warrior II, this position releases tension in the hips and opens the heart center.”

1. Place your feet about the same distance apart as in Warrior II. In the direction you are facing, turn both feet slightly.
2. With your knees at a 90-degree angle, bend them into a squat position.
3. Bend your elbows, which should also be at a 90-degree angle, so that your hands are pointing up at the sky after raising your arms to either side of your body parallel to the floor. As an alternative, you can lightly place your hands on the back of your neck.
4. For 30 seconds to a full minute, hold this position.

Puppy Pose

According to Feig, “most people carry tension in their shoulders.” Child’s Pose and Downward Facing Dog are combined to create Puppy Pose. That position helps “open the shoulders and releases stress. It also relaxes hips and gets the hips over the heart for increased blood flow throughout the body.”

1. For optimal alignment, start on all fours with your shoulders straight above your wrists and your hips straight above your knees.
2. Bring your hands a few inches in front of you and curl your toes under.
3. Next, move your buttocks a little closer to your ankles while pressing your hands into the ground.
4. For comfort, place your forehead on the floor or a blanket or towel.
5. Take a few minutes to a minute to remain in this position.

Bridge Pose

According to Feig, bridge pose “opens heart and hips,” even though it might initially feel funny. Additionally, it “strengthens glutes to support hip health and releases tension in the lower abdomen.” Not able to complete a bridge? Consider using a supported bridge.

1. With your arms by your sides and your legs spread wide, lie on your back.
2. Next, bring your heels close to your buttocks by bending your knees upward.
3. Press into your arms and feet as you lift your hips to the sky. Your feet and thighs should line up, and your thighs should line up with the floor.
4. Put a block, rolled blanket or towel, or tiny bolster pillow beneath your sacrum if you want support.
5. Raise your sternum toward your chin to gently bring your shoulder blades closer together.
6. Hold this posture for 30 seconds to a minute or longer.

Savasana

Additionally, do not neglect your practice’s last meditation. Savasana “helps reduce anxiety and control stress,” according to Feig. Beyond that, it “improves overall mental health and calms the body and mind.”

1. With your arms by your sides, palms up, and your legs spread wide, lie flat on your back. For support beneath your knees or anywhere else that feels comfortable, you can add rolled blankets.
2. As you settle into this position, pay attention to your breathing. Make every effort to keep your thoughts from straying to obligations or concerns. Additionally, if you find that you are tense in any one area, try to relax.
3. Hold this posture for five minutes. With time, work for up to 30 minutes.
4. As an alternative, you could conclude your practice with a seated meditation.

The takeaway

Find a local instructor, look for beginner yoga videos on YouTube, or enroll in an online class if you are new to yoga or would like advice on particular poses.

Whatever you decide, do not forget to breathe. The lessons you learn from yoga can promote wellness in many aspects of your life, even though “just relaxing” might not result in a baby.