Exercise
Why?
Helps combat stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia
Releases endorphins making you feel calmer and happier
Reduces blood pressure and weight, improving health
Improves blood circulation and heart efficiency, essential for helping nutrients get to all parts of the body, especially to sperm and eggs
Helps you to sleep better
What you can do
At least 20 minutes low impact exercise, 3 times a week but don't overdo it and get too worn out or too hot
Walking, swimming, cycling, and pilates are good.
Yoga is even better. Gentle yoga can be very soothing for the body and mind after having a miscarriage. It's a fantastic gentle mind-body exercise that will not only help you get fitter but relax you at the same time. Yoga strengthens and tones all the muscles which support the reproductive organs as well as improving circulation and breathing which will also have benefits when giving birth. Studies show that Yoga can dramatically increase pregnancy rates. If you are new to yoga then Yoga For You is an excellent guide.
Keep any exercise gentle: too much for both partners can prevent conception. It is generally thought that keeping your heart rate around 140 beats per minute is a good idea and lower if you are very unfit or over 40.
Avoid high impact exercise (running, horse jumping, skydiving etc.,)
Research and Articles
- Psychological stress and semen quality - Brigman & Women's Hosp, Boston 1999
- Stress and other environmental factors affecting fertility - Nat Inst. Environmental Health Sciences 1993
- Impact of lifestyle on reproductive performance - European Soc Human Reproduction & Embryology 2007
- Exercise can increase risk of miscarriage - The Guardian Sep 2007
- Yoga when you are trying to conceive - iparenting Sep 2007
- Yoga after miscarriage - Bella online 2008
- Getting fit - The Times 2005
- Yoga for fertility, Yoga Journal Nov 2002
