Exercising helps in keeping you fit and healthy. However, too much of it can also lead to harmful effects, especially for females. A female body can take the limited strain, and exercising excessively can impact their reproductive health. According to a study, doing aerobics for more than seven hours a week can increase the risk of ovulation issues. However, exercising within limits i.e., spending more than one hour and less than five hours a week can improve fertility.
Women, who are obese and facing infertility issues due to their weight, can benefit from over exercising. However, for women whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is fine or just a point higher, strenuous exercising may result in infertility. According to a research titled, ‘Maternal physical and sedentary activities about reproductive outcomes following IVF’, over-exercising can decrease the success rate of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) success rate.
Let’s look at some of the exercises that come under the category of strenuous activities.
High Intensity Interval Training
HIIT exercises consist of numerous high-intensity exercises that can be performed 30 to 60 seconds each. It includes pedals, sprints, squat jumps and so on.
Powerlifting
Powerlifting includes pulling hard weights for strength building. However, it is often said that females should not carry heavy weights as it puts a strain on their lower abdomen causing internal injuries in the ovaries.
How does over-exercising affect fertility?
If a woman is of normal weight and does excessive exercising or carries out strenuous activities, then it can cause the problem of impaired ovulation. It can cause the luteal phase defect. Luteal phase is referred to as the time between ovulation and the menstrual cycle.
In this phase, progesterone level is at the peak which allows the ovulated egg to join the uterus lining which helps in fertilization. However, due to luteal phase defect, progesterone level can decrease and impact the egg to implant properly causing infertility.
If you love to exercise, then consult your gynaecologist and take proper suggestions on the right amount of time you need to spend on doing the physical activities. You should also take a look at the exercises that are good for your reproductive health.
