Exercise and fertility
While exercise may not directly affect fertility, the positive effects of exercise promote health and prepare your body for pregnancy. Overweight women are also more likely to encounter fertility issues - and exercise can help!
How can exercise promote fertility?
While the jury is still out on whether or not exercise actually directly promotes fertility, we know for certain that women who are overweight are more likely to encounter issues of infertility, like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Doctors recommend that every woman get at least 30 minutes of solid exercise a day in order to best manage their weight, and avoid the conception issues that are linked to being too heavy.
Is there a such thing as too much exercise?
Although maintaining a regular exercise routine is definitely a smart choice for women who are trying to conceive, it is important not to go overboard. Hormones like progesterone, LH, and estradiol regulate the menstrual cycle and ovulation, so disrupting the normal hormone levels can result in absent or abnormal periods, and either a missing or diminished fertile window. Over-exercise is one of the more common ways to disrupt natural hormone function, so when trying to conceive, you should avoid adopting a strenuous workout regimen unless you speak with your doctor first.
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Sources
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