It’s important to know your body mass index (BMI) as being underweight can affect your chances to conceive too, as being underweight can affect your hormones. A healthy BMI to conceive is between index 20-25. So if you need to lose a few pounds, or gain a few, it’s important to review your lifestyle, diet and exercise levels to get healthy to boost your fertility.

Your weight and body mass index
To calculate your body mass index (BMI) your height to weight ratio, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters. A BMI score between 18.5 – 24.9 indicates a healthy weight, a score below 18.5 means that you’re more than likely to be underweight, a score of 25 to below 30 is overweight and any score above a BMI of 30 is classed as being obese. Obese women are less likely to become pregnant through IVF and assisted reproduction.
Carrying excess weight can affect the function of your ovaries, due to changes in hormones and metabolism rate. Obese women have less success with assisted fertility treatment by poor response to fertility drugs to stimulate ovulation.
Women with PCOS often find it difficult to manage their weight, so if you suffer with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), moderate exercise will help with weight reduction, reduce cholesterol levels, and improve insulin sensitivity, as exercise helps by regulating blood sugar levels and insulin. Exercise lowers the level of testosterone in the blood and may help improve ovulation through menstrual regularity. With practising just 10 minutes of fertility yoga each day you could start to see a real difference and it will help you on your weight loss journey.

Lifestyle, diet and stress affects your fertility
Lifestyle affects your levels of stress on the mind and body, the pressures of work, relationships and finances can cause stress and affect your quality of sleep. Mental and emotional stress can affect your fertility, so unwind from the day and recharge. Switch off and relax by trying yoga, meditation, or listening to relaxing music. With the long summer evenings take the opportunity to go for a walk. Being outside and absorbed with nature can relax you and reduce your stress levels.
To manage stress diet is an important factor; eat meals to include protein, fat and carbohydrates to balance blood sugars. Avoid putting the body under stress, and to keep energy levels constant, eat little an often.

I hope this article has helped you better understand how your BMI and stress levels can be linked to your fertility. If you would like to start practicing fertility yoga, you can find out all about it here.

Studies based on 11 years of data on more than 5,000 men being treated for fertility problems found that men are more fertile in the middle months of the year, sperm is twice as active in July and August compared to January.

Researcher’s at the Centre for Reproductive Incapacity of the University Hospital of Parma, in northern Italy analysed data collected from 5,188 men, looking for possible seasonal pattern in sperm quality.

Results showed that motility of sperm peaked in the summer, and was at its lowest in the winter. They also showed that the number of men with a sperm motility or movement greater than 40 per cent averaged 65.3 percent in summer, and only 50 percent in winter. “We have shown the existence of a seasonal variation in some functional aspects of human semen,” confirmed Dr Alfredo De Giorgi, who led the study.

In the evolution of nature and for most animals, light plays an important part in the regulation of reproduction; this ensures that the birth of their offspring occurs at the most favourable time of the year, and when food is in abundance and the days are long and warm. For humans, there can be seasonal variations in our cycle of sleeping patterns, which can affect the stress hormone cortisol.

Keeping cool in the summer heat!

Men need to remember to stay cool in the summer to avoid overheating their testicular area. This can temporarily cause low sperm count, for as long as the testes are overheated. Testicles secrete male hormones and also help in sperm production. Testes function properly only when they are cooler than the rest of the body. That’s why they are anatomically structured to hang outside the body. If the testes are exposed to high temperatures, then the increased heat could kill the sperm and cause a low count.
There are further factors which can increase the temperature of testicles, aside from the weather which include:

1. Wearing tight underpants
2. Wearing trousers too tight around the crotch area
3. Taking hot baths or saunas
4. Sitting for a long time
5. Keeping a lap top on the lap for long periods

Although it is proven that men are statistically more fertile during Summer, it is important to keep cool to avoid lower sperm count.

I hope you’ve found this latest post helpful. If you’re currently trying to conceive, why not read about my story here to find out how fertility yoga can help you.

Summertime is an ideal opportunity to break old habits and start to improve your health and wellbeing – which will boost your fertility. With the longer warmer days and holiday season, summertime can make you feel more energetic –and hopefully more sexually energetic! Summertime is a good time to increase your sexual activity when trying to conceive.

Summertime can improve the chances of successful fertility treatment

For those needing assisted fertility treatment and IVF to conceive, then summer time is the perfect time to have your treatment. Studies found ‘that women undergoing fertility treatments who, had been exposed to more sunlight, higher temperatures and less rain in the month before their IVF, had over a third higher successful pregnancy rates!’

A team of researchers lead by Dr Simon Wood, at the Countess of Chester Hospital, found that those having had IVF cycles during the summer months with the longer days, needed lower doses of drugs to stimulate ovulation. Dr Wood analysed the outcomes of fertility treatment, carried out on 266 women who had two cycles, one during April to September and the other performed between October and March. The pregnancy rate during the summer was 15.7 percent compared to 7.5 percent in the winter. The study concluded that the extended daylight hours benefited the outcomes of IVF cycles. However if age is a deciding factor for you, then it is better to get fertility treatment sooner, rather than wait for the longer daylight hours.

Is the key vitamin D – during summertime?

Dr. Frank Vandekerckhove, a reproductive medicine specialist, carried out research with more than 11,000 patients, over a six-year study at the University of Ghent in Belgium, to determine if there were any patterns as to when the most successes in conception occurred. Although the weather conditions in the month that the actual IVF cycle took place didn’t matter—it was surprisingly the month preceding IVF that scientists saw a pattern emerge and that more sunshine increased pregnancy. He stated that “it probably had a positive effect on the quality of the oocytes [immature eggs] that were recruited in the weeks before ovarian stimulation started”.
The increase in sunlight boosts vitamin D, which is a factor in a successful pregnancy, as vitamin D improves egg quality, regulation of sex hormones, and implantation rates, by boosting the levels of progesterone and oestrogen – so good to know if you are having IVF this summer!
For men, vitamin D helps with the development of the nucleus of the sperm cells, which in turn leads to better sperm count and quality. So as summer arrives, check with your vitamin D levels with your and head outside in the sunshine!

If you are currently trying to conceive and are looking for ways to relax or promote fertility, why not order a copy of my Fertility Yoga DVD.

Lifestyle and nutritional factors affect both male and female fertility; medical history, age, stress levels, alcohol and diet are all recognised factors. Exercise plays a very important role in fertility and according to research by Rich-Edwards “it helps to balance blood sugar levels and regulate hormones and thus ovulation”.

A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility reported the benefits of reducing stress through gentle exercise such as hatha yoga, helps to improve the chances to conceive, as well as preparing the body for pregnancy. Fertility Yoga is a programme designed to reduce stress and focuses on therapeutic yoga postures to benefit reproductive health.
 
Five benefits of Fertility Yoga
1. Reduces stress, calms the mind of negative thinking
2. Balances hormones
3. Increases blood flow and energy to the pelvic area
4. Stimulates the reproductive system
5. Encourages connection of mind and body awareness
Trying to conceive naturally, or through assisted reproductive treatment (ART) or IVF is stressful and a roller-coaster of a journey both physically and mentally. One of the best ways to de-stress whilst trying to conceive is with a Fertility Yoga program. Fertility Yoga focuses on specific yoga postures that encourage blood flow and energy to the reproductive area. The relaxation techniques are designed to de-stress the mind and body. Fertility Yoga gives the inner strength and confidence needed to continue on your challenging journey to becoming a parent.

Studies have suggested that the amount of sleep a woman has may affect fertility, (Morris 2008) and have shown that improving your sleep helps to promote regulation of appetite, weight, ovulation and male sperm count too. In a study of IVF patients led by DR D Park in Korea, it was found that aiming for between seven to eight hours of regular sleep can increase the chance of pregnancy by 56%. Breathing and relaxations techniques practiced in Hatha yoga therapy can help promote sleep, especially the practice of yoga nidra (yoga sleep) which involves deep relaxation techniques.
 
Male reproductive health and yoga
A regular yoga practice for men is also important because of the positive effects on stress reduction and well-being. Regular yoga practice can improve the quality of sperm if you have an issue with sperm count or motility (Sengupta,P et al.. 2013). For men practicing yoga asana they can activate the second chakra in the pelvic area, which can help release energy blockages relating to sensual or sexual issues. Perhaps the strongest evidence is that reducing stress through yoga can boost fertility, as although the links between infertility and stress are complex and not fully understood, cortisol (the so called stress hormone) can interfere with normal reproductive functions (Sengupta).
Fertility Yoga with Lisa Attfield

The DVD “Fertility Yoga with Lisa Attfield” was researched and developed whilst I was training to be a hatha yoga teacher with the British Wheel of Yoga, the governing body for yoga training in the UK. I was also on my own fertility journey. Both my husband and I had been advised by the NHS to change our lifestyles to improve our fertility chances. After six years of not conceiving naturally, fertility investigations revealed that both my husband and I had fertility issues, and our only option was IVF with ISCI to conceive. I was 34 at the time I started IVF, and after three cycles we had a daughter when I was 36 years old. After two further cycles of IVF and ISCI we had twins, when I was 39 years old.
During our ten-year fertility journey, I developed and researched my Fertility Yoga programme, and in 2013 I released “Fertility Yoga with Lisa Attfield”. Over the years Fertility Yoga has helped others to learn to relax and de-stress, and to gain the inner strength and confidence to trust their bodies on their own journey to becoming a parent.
If you are currently trying to conceive naturally or are going through IVF, why not give the DVD a try? Follow this link to see a taster and purchase
 
http://www.fertilityyoga.co.uk/product/fertility-yoga-dvd/

What does yoga mean?

The meaning of yoga is to join, derived from the Sanskrit verb: yug ~ to join. Practicing yoga helps make connections between the mind, body and soul, to improve the wellbeing of the yogi by bringing the yoga practitioner into perfect harmony and balance. Yoga can be both a physical and spiritual practice; there are many types of yoga but the most popular style practiced is Hatha Yoga, which consists of elements of yoga postures (asana), breath awareness (pranayama), relaxation and meditation.

Where did it begin?

Yoga is one of the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. It was systematised by Patanjali in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras, written in Sanskrit dating from 200 BC. The science of yoga is not only just for health and fitness but for the awakening the vital energies: pranas, chakras and kundalini shatki. A yogic practice gives direct and tangible benefits regardless of any spiritual aims. Physical and mental therapy are the most important achievements of yoga, as it works on the holistic principles of harmony and unification.

Yoga postures

Asana are yoga postures that when practiced regularly, bring a state of being in which one can remain mentally and physically calm, quiet, steady and comfortable. As the mind and body are not separate entities, the practice of asanas integrates and harmonises the connection of the body and mind.

Both the mind and the body can harbour tensions and knots. The aim of yoga asana is to release mental tension by processing them on a physical level. On a somatopsychic level, through the body to the mind, tension and muscular knots can occur anywhere in the body. Regularly practicing yoga asana, combined with other yoga practices such as pranayama and meditation, it’s believed the tightness and tension can be effectively eliminated by tackling them both on a physical and mental level.

Prana – the vital energy

Prana as the vital energy, corresponds to chi in Chinese medicine, and travels through the whole body following a network of energy called nadis. The nadis are responsible of maintaining all individual cellular activity. If the prana is blocked then toxins can accumulate in the body, but as the prana begins to flow, the toxins are removed from the system ensuring health and wellbeing of the whole mind and body.
Chakra’s and Kundalini Shakti

The chakras are connected to the network of nadis. There are seven major chakras located along the pathway of the sushumna, originating in the perineum and flowing through the spinal cord to the crown of the head.

In yogic terms the chakra are vortices or wheels of pranic energy, located at specific areas of the body, which control the circulation of prana and are associated with the major endocrine glands and nerve plexuses in the body. Specific yoga postures have a particularly beneficial effect on one or more of these glands or plexuses, and promote the general health of specific areas of the body. Each one of the seven chakra vibrates energy at a different rate. The second chakra, Svadhisthana, is located in the area of the sacrum and relates to female and male reproductive hormones and organs. This chakra is depicted as a symbol of fertility.

The purpose of yoga is to awaken the Kundalini Shakti. By practicing asana the chakras are stimulated, generating Kundalini energy which travels through the central pathway in the spine, awakening the sushumna nadi. The kundalini shatki rises to the highest chakra, sahasara, which is the centre of bliss and enlightenment of human consciousness.

Hopefully this has given you a good insight in to where yoga started, what it involves and how it can benefit your mind and body. If you would like to learn more about what exercises can help you to become fertility fit, then read this blog post. Please do not hesitate to get in touch to find out more about my classes and DVD.

Studies have shown that “stress and anxiety levels remain elevated across first and repeated cycles of fertility treatment. Women with lower stress and anxiety levels on the day prior to oocyte retrieval had a higher pregnancy rate.” (Turner et al..2013)

Stress during fertility treatment is thought to be multidimensional; in addition to any psychological stress related to the diagnosis of infertility, there are potential stresses related to the medical procedures, the awaiting of a positive outcome, and the physiological effects of gonadotropin stimulation. (Turner et al..2013)

Breathing techniques play an important part in relaxation on the autonomic nervous system and the management of stress. They are also some of the core principals practiced in Fertility Yoga.

Yoga Therapy and Stress

Scientists have studied the positive impact yoga therapy has on various health conditions. “Practicing yoga can improve better cardiovascular health, strengthen the nervous and immune system and has a positive effect on the reproductive system” (Trimarch).

Whilst yoga cannot treat medical infertility problems such as blocked tubes, it can help with infertility issues caused by stress and the associated stress with conditions such as cysts and endometriosis. Chronic psychological stress can alter the body’s ability to regulate hormones, this in turn may cause problems with the reproductive system for sperm quality, ovulation, egg fertilisation and possible other complications that may affect the reproductive system.

A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility stated that “women with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol and alpha-amylase (which circulates an enzyme around a body under stress) in their saliva had more difficulty conceiving than those women of lower levels of stress in the study.

The results of the study stated their fertility rates were up to 12 per cent lower each cycle (source Louis). In fact, levels of the stress hormone epinephrine (known as adrenaline) have been found to be higher in women experiencing unexplained infertility, and those with elevated levels of epinephrine may constrict blood flow to the uterus” (Trimarch)

A study found “fertility patients who practice yoga specifically tailored to reduce stress may increase their fertility by as much as 35 per cent” (CBS news).”

According to Trimach’s research in 2000, 55% of participants of a yoga-oriented, mind-body-based fertility program conceived during the first year in the program!

If you’re currently going through IVF or suffering from infertility have a taster of my Fertility Yoga DVD which helped me reduce stress during my own fertility journey here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfY0NSmts1w&feature=youtu.be

Obese women are less likely to become pregnant through IVF and assisted reproduction as carrying excess weight can affect the function of the ovaries, due to changes in hormones and metabolism rate. They also have less success with assisted fertility treatment because of the poor response to fertility drugs that stimulate ovulation. The same can be said for being underweight, as this can also affect your hormone levels and therefore impact on your fertility.

Maintaining an optimum weight is good for both partners experiencing infertility, and this has been the current focus within NHS proposals. In the South West of England, they propose to refuse NHS funded IVF treatment if the male partner has a BMI of 30 plus, as this is classed as medically obese and could affect fertility chances.
The proposal by the clinical commissioning group is to change NHS funded fertility treatment policy to ensure men get to a healthy weight, before the NHS fund investigations and fertility treatments with their partners.

BMI and Body Fat Percentage

Whilst your BMI is important, your body fat percentage is the vital element when it comes to your reproductive function. The BMI measurement is based on height and weight, but it doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle meaning that if you are an athletic male you can carry a lot of lean mass, giving you a disproportionately high BMI compared to your actual health and levels of body fat.

The best way to measure body fat percentage is with a skin-fold calliper, with measurements usually taken at your waist, hip and neck, as well as other areas of your body. Once you determine your body fat index, you can then track your weight-loss progress if needed as unlike using standardised scales, it tells you how much of your weight is fat and how much is muscle.

Founder of Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine in Denver Dr W Schoolcraft, often sends some of his patients to an exercise physiologist to measure their body fat percentage. According to Dr Schoolcraft ovulation is impaired if body fat is less than 12 percent or more than 30 to 35 percent. He states “Women take getting their periods as a sign they are at a healthy BMI and have normal fertility,” “However, you can have regular or somewhat regular periods and not ovulate, though it’s unusual.”
So be sure to measure your basal body temperature and track it on a basal body temperature chart to see if you’re ovulating.

Calories count

If you are underweight aim for between 2,400 to 3,500 calories a day to gain the weight you need for a normal BMI range. If you’re exercising five or more days a week, consider cutting back to three. Dr Alice Domar, of Centre for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF, states that hatha yoga, such as Fertility Yoga appeals to many women in this category as “It keeps them fit and toned without the potential adverse impact of vigorous exercise.”

If you’re overweight reduce calories gradually in order to reduce your BMI and get fertility fit. A combination of cardio and strength exercises, that builds up tolerance slowly and not too vigorously to the point of exhaustion should form the core of your exercise.

For men don’t over heat the testicular area, as this can temporarily cause low sperm count. The testicles secrete male hormones and also help in sperm production, and for the testes to function properly they need to be cooler than rest of the body. That’s why the testes are anatomically structured to hang outside the body. The ideal temperature for sperm production is around 34.5C, which is slightly below body temperature (around 37C). If the testes are exposed to high temperatures, then the increased heat could kill the sperms and cause low sperm count.

For better sperm production avoid:

• Wearing tight underwear
• Tight trousers around the groin area
• Sitting for long periods of time
• Having laptops or tablets resting on your lap
• Taking hot baths and saunas

Whilst exercise makes you feel good it can affect your fertility, so you need to find a balance between under or over exercising in order to optimise your own body’s functions. So, if you need to lose a few pounds, or gain a few, it’s important to review your lifestyle, diet and exercise levels in order to get healthy and boost your fertility.

If you would like to know more about what types of exercises you can practice in order to get fertility fit, you can read this blog post which will provide you with helpful tips.

Good exercises for fertility

Regular, moderate exercise is essential for preparing the body for a healthy conception and pregnancy outcome. Choosing exercises that help to regulate hormones and detoxify the body will also:

• Strengthen muscles
• Increase flexibility
• Improve stamina
• Increase circulation
• Reduce stress
• Calm the mind

It’s recommended that women who are trying to conceive should take up moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day for three times a week, with two of these sessions based around strengthening your muscles (either through yoga or another low intensity activity such as Tai Chi). My own fertility Yoga sessions are used to enhance your fertility chances and designed to improve reproductive heath and breathing in order to reduce your stress levels.

Moderate exercises to get fertility fit:

• Brisk walking
• Light jogging
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Tai chi
• Yoga
• Dancing
• Aerobics, low impact

What about exercising during IUI or IVF fertility treatment?

If you’re currently having fertility treatment then exercise can be particularly effective in managing and reducing your stress levels at what can be a very anxious time. However, you do need to be careful and it’s always best to consult your fertility doctor for advice on which exercises you should be doing, if any at all. This will depend on the stage of the fertility treatment you’re currently at, but if you feel the need to de-stress then try gentle yoga or go for a walk to enhance your body and mind’s wellbeing.

Exercises to avoid while trying to conceive:

• Running long distances
• Strenuous regular training sports such as gymnastics
• Extreme ‘boot-camp’ training
• Bikram or power yoga (as this raises body temperature)
• Exercise for over an hour’s session, 7 days a week

Don’t despair if you currently have a strenuous exercise regime or have so in the past as the good news is that a study carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, led by Dr Gudmundsdottir and his team, found during their recent study that many women who trained the hardest at some point in time, still went on to have children by lowering their physical activity to a moderate level.

Infertility due to high intensity exercise may be reversed by a reduction in physical activity and increasing body fat to rebalance hormones disrupted by extreme exercises.

If you would like to keep active but are looking for less strenuous forms of activity, come along to one of my fertility yoga classes. You can find out more here.

A cohort study was carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, led by Dr Gudmundsdottir and his team. This investigated the association between the levels of physical activity and the group’s fertility rates against the number of children they had in a group.

Over 24,000 healthy women participated (those with poor health or previous fertility problems were excluded from the research as this was looking at a sample of currently healthy women) with their levels of exercise assessed and categorised as:
• Never
• Less than once a week
• 2-3 times a week
• Almost every day

Along with the frequency of exercise, the intensity was categorised as:
• Taking it easy
• Loss of breath
• To exhaustion

The group’s fertility was assessed at the follow-up assessments, where the women reported on:
• Their age they had children
• The number of children they had
• Whether they had difficultly conceiving within one year of trying for conception.

Other factors that affect fertility where considered in the study to include:
• Age
• Marital status
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption

The fertility status of the group was compared and the results showed that:
• “Increased frequency and intensity of physical activity was associated with increased infertility”
• “Women who were active on most days of the week were 3.2 times more likely to be infertile than inactive women”
• “Women who exercised ‘to exhaustion’ were 2.3 times more likely to be infertile than women who said they ‘take it easy’”

The researchers concluded that “fertility is negatively affected by physical activity of an extreme intensity and frequency”

Studies show that high-intensity, prolongs strenuous workouts can:
• Increase cortisol levels
• Lower thyroid hormones
• Affect metabolism
• Disturb ovulation
• Menstrual cycle

Both low thyroid hormones and high cortisol levels have been linked to poor adrenal health, which can directly impact thyroid function and affects how the body handles stress long-term, all of which can negatively impact overall hormonal balance and fertility, so by reducing stress and reviewing your exercise regime, you can rebalance your hormones.

By practising fertility yoga you can indeed reduce stress, and still be active but in a positive way which won’t hinder your chances of conceiving – it can actually help!

To find out more about available classes you can visit this page http://www.fertilityyoga.co.uk/yoga-classes/

Exercising too strenuously can be as damaging to fertility as doing too little exercise; it can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which can interfere with reproductive functions. Gentle exercise, on the other hand, has been found to improve your chances of conceiving. Try low impact activities like walking, yoga, tai chi and pilates, and aim for little and often.
 

Breathe

Abdominal breathing is a great way to de-stress and build the inner strength so often needed when trying for a baby. Either sit or lie in a comfortable position and place your hands lightly on your abdomen. Close your eyes and focus on the natural rhythm of your breath, feeling the abdomen expand and release. Relax your shoulders and facial muscles and, as you begin to breathe more deeply, feel the expansion in your rib cage and chest. Focus on clearing your mind of negative thoughts with each exhalation.
 

Rest in a fertility-boosting position

Moon Pose (Shashankasana) gently massages the abdomen area and has been found to alleviate disorders of both male and female reproductive organs. Sitting on your heels raise your arms above your head, shoulder-width apart. Exhale and bend your trunk forward from the hips, keeping your arms and head in line with your trunk. Place the hands and forehead on the floor (or a cushion), bending your arms slightly to relax them and rest the elbows on the floor.
 

Exercise your pelvis

Cat Pose (Marjariasana) not only reduces tension and improves your spine’s flexibility, but also brings blood flow and energy to the pelvic area and gently tones it. Come onto all fours, with your hips over your knees and your hands under your shoulders, arms straight. Inhale, tilting the tailbone up, arching your back and looking up – this is upward cat. Exhale, bringing your head through your arms, chin to chest, and rounding the spine as you tuck the tailbone under – this is downward cat.  Repeat upward then downward cat 10 times if you can.
 

Get outside

Research shows that being out and about in nature lowers stress levels and boosts well-being, which will impact on your fertility. Try to spend some time outside each day, even if it is just ten minutes on your lunch break sitting in a nearby park.