Taking Care of Your Physical Wellbeing for Fertility
By Kendra Tolbert, MS, RDN, RYT
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your doctor, or a mental health professional, for the most appropriate treatment.
Most articles about adopting healthy habits while trying to conceive focus on boosting your fertility and optimizing your chances of conceiving. Both are incredibly important, but there’s another reason self-care is crucial on the fertility journey, and it’s because you matter. It’s as simple as that—your quality of life matters, and every part of you deserves to be cared for.
In this article, we’re going to focus on the ways your lifestyle habits can help you prepare and support yourself physically and mentally for the journey ahead, while also reducing your risk of experiencing infertility, increasing your chances of conceiving and having a live birth (whether your conception journey involves assistance from reproductive medicine or not), and improving pregnancy outcomes. We’ll start by looking at mind-body practices and psychosocial support. Then, we’ll dig into three fertility-supporting eating patterns that are both healthful and sound ways for humans to nourish themselves regardless of where they are in the life cycle or what their fertility goals might be.
Before we dive into a few of the things you can explore to support yourself (or a friend or family member who is trying to conceive), let’s agree to do our best not to turn these self-care tips into “shoulds” and “have-to-dos.” There’s no pressure to do them all, or do them perfectly. And remember, sometimes the thing we need to do most is not add something else to our plates. Sometimes you just need to take a break. Give yourself full permission to rest as much as possible.
Mind-Body Practices and Support for Fertility
Though we often think of them as separate, the mind and body are an integrated whole. Anything that impacts our physical health also influences our mental health and vice versa. Mind-body practices remind us of this truth, and give us the opportunity to strengthen our awareness of this unbreakable connection.
According to the National Cancer Institute, a mind-body practice is “a health practice that combines mental focus, controlled breathing, and body movements to help relax the body and mind. It may be used to help control pain, stress, anxiety, and depression, and for overall health. Examples of mind-body practices include meditation, hypnosis, guided imagery, yoga, and tai chi. A mind-body practice is a type of complementary and alternative medicine, also called mind-body modality.”
Very early on in my work as a dietitian providing nutrition counseling to people who were trying to conceive, I realized my clients would benefit from an opportunity to practice mindfulness. I was convinced that a practice that would allow them to connect with their bodies, improve their mood, and enhance their quality of life was the missing piece in their fertility self-care plan. Yoga seemed like the perfect tool to help with all three. So I became a yoga teacher, to guide people through body-affirming, nervous system soothing poses, meditations, and breathing exercises. I also decided to get additional training in yoga for female health, fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. I then began to read research on yoga for female reproductive health. I was not surprised to find that yoga had been found, in the research, to provide a number of potential benefits.
For example, in a prospective study published in 2015, researchers sought to determine if yoga could improve the mood and quality of life of people diagnosed with infertility. Forty-nine women waiting to begin in vitro fertilization (IVF) took part in the study’s six-week yoga class. After the six weeks, participants experienced improvements in fertility-related quality of life, anxiety, and depression.
Similarly, based on the research of Alice Domar, Ph.D, there’s reason to believe mind-body practices can also positively impact IVF outcomes. In one study measuring the effect of a 10-week mind-body program on the pregnancy rates of women undergoing IVF, there was a marked difference in pregnancy rates of the study participants who were part of the mind-body program versus the participants in the control group. Though pregnancy rates were 43% for both groups for their first treatment cycle, 52% of the study participants in the mind-body group conceived for cycle 2, compared to 20% of the participants in the control group.
A separate study tried to determine if mind-body and support groups could influence pregnancy rates. To investigate this, participants of the study were randomized into one of three groups: a cognitive behavioral group (also referred to as the mind-body group), a support group, and a routine care control group. Both the cognitive behavioral (mind-body) and the support groups met for two hours once a week for ten weeks.
The cognitive behavioral group (mind-body) intervention included “relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, methods for emotional expression, and nutrition and exercise information as they apply to infertility. The relaxation techniques included meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, imagery, autogenic training, and yoga.” The support group’s weekly meeting included one hour dedicated to sharing their experiences with infertility and fertility treatment and how infertility impacted their lives, relationships, and feelings. The second hour was “spent on a different topic each week, including the impact of infertility on participants’ self-esteem; their relationship with their partner, family, and friends; spirituality; and job or career.”
Participants in all three groups were followed for one year. Those who became pregnant shared how they became pregnant (with or without medical assistance) and if the pregnancy resulted in a live birth. At the end of the year, 55% of the participants in the cognitive behavioral group and 54% in the support group had live births. But only 20% of the study participants in the routine care control group had a viable pregnancy.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be in a research study to join a support group or practice mind-body techniques. There are tons of fantastic in-person, app-based, and online options available.
A great place to start your search is your fertility specialist’s office. Healthcare providers specializing in fertility care often have a list of support groups and other resources (like acupuncturists and massage therapists) they can refer you to. They might even have an in-house support group, therapist, or mind-body program.
Resolve has an easy-to-use directory you can use to find the right support group for you. If you’re looking for one-on-one support, Fertility Outreach allows aspiring parents to connect directly with a fertility coach over text message. Robyn also has a directory of wellness specialists, from dietitians to mental health professionals. Plus, there are a growing number of fertility yoga classes online and in person. A quick search for “fertility yoga near me” on your favorite search engine or “fertility yoga” on YouTube will lead you to some wonderful resources.
For people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) specifically, yoga has tons of benefits to offer. It has been found to improve feelings of anxiety and depression, androgen levels, insulin sensitivity, lipids, Hirsutism, and menstrual regularity. Yoga is not the only movement-based practice people with or without PCOS can do to support their overall well-being and reproductive health. Any physical activity or moderate exercise that boosts your endorphins and helps you tune into your body is a great option. That might include walking, roller skating, gardening, swimming, or anything else you enjoy.
Balanced Nutrition for Fertility
When working with clients who are trying to conceive, I consistently turn to three eating patterns: the Mediterranean Diet, the Pro-Fertility Diet, and the Fertility Diet. Always talk to your fertility specialist about starting any specific diet to determine what might be best for you and your nutritional needs.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched eating patterns. It is associated with a reduced risk of a number of medical conditions, including depression and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
When it comes to fertility and pregnancy health, the Mediterranean Diet is also linked to improved sperm quality, a lower risk of difficulty conceiving and a reduced risk of developing gestational diabetes. The name often leads people to assume that adopting a Mediterranean diet means eating recipes or foods that originate from the cultures around the Mediterranean Sea. But the truth is, you can consume foods from any world cuisine and still eat a “Mediterranean Diet” as defined by researchers. All it takes is eating ample amounts of vegetables, fruit, grains, olive oil, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, and seafood.
The “Pro-fertility” Diet
Associated with improved IVF outcomes, this diet has been linked to a higher chance of implantation, pregnancy, and live birth for those undergoing IVF. For reference, the “Pro-fertility diet” includes:
- Supplementing with higher doses folic acid, vitamin D, and B12
- Opting for low pesticide residue produce (but really the most important thing is to eat more produce)
- Eating whole grains, dairy, and soy
- Regularly enjoying low-mercury seafood
You might notice that some of these recommendations are contrary to so much of the dietary information on fertility you’ll find online. While it’s common to find warnings against grains, dairy, and soy parrotted on social media and message boards, the research suggests these foods are actually quite beneficial for those undergoing IVF (unless, of course, you have a diagnosed allergy or known sensitivity).
The Fertility Diet
The final diet we’ll take a look at is “The Fertility Diet,” an eating pattern identified by researchers associated with a lower risk for women of infertility caused by issues with ovulation. The Fertility Diet emphasizes eating:
- Slow carbs (carb-rich foods that are also high in fiber and resistant starches)
- Unsaturated fatty acids (and lower amounts of trans fats)
- Plant-based proteins
- Full-fat dairy (rather than non-fat or reduced-fat dairy)
- Micronutrients taken in through a variety of foods and multivitamin supplements
Although each of these eating patterns is unique, they share many common principles. They reinforce the importance of a solid nutrition foundation that includes a diverse and balanced diet.
There can be so much pressure to overhaul and micromanage your diet while trying to get pregnant. Doing so often results in an overly restrictive and hard-to-follow diet. The journey to pregnancy can cause stress levels to run high enough even without the added weight of trying to stick to unsustainable diets. So do yourself a favor and keep it simple.
For a quick summary of supporting your physical wellbeing along your fertility journey, try to incorporate the 3 key points below:
- Mind-Body Practice: Yoga, mindfulness, meditation and other mind-body techniques can help relax you. Find the practice that feels and works best for you.
- Balanced Diet: Eat a diet rich in whole foods, including nuts, beans, peas, lentils, low-mercury seafood, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and dairy.
- Get Support: Join an in-person or online support group. Consider working with a fertility coach or therapist one-on-one.
The TTC journey is anything but predictable. For some, the road is short. For others, it’s longer than expected. For some, it’s relatively straightforward. And for others, it’s filled with twists and turns. But no matter which road you find yourself on, one thing is true for any and everyone on the path to parenthood: it takes a lot of emotional and physical energy. Take the time to refill your tank by showing yourself some much-deserved love and care.
