When a couple is struggling with conception issues, both partners need to do a thorough examination of their lifestyles. Things like smoking, diet and alcohol consumption can affect the fertility of both men and women and improving these issues can make a big difference when it comes to starting a family. But what if you’re already an exceptionally fit woman and are still having problems conceiving? You may want to consider the possibility that you are too healthy.
The hormone balance in a woman’s body is a delicate thing. Her ovulation and monthly cycles are sometimes so precarious that a more than usually stressful month can throw them off. When trying to conceive, it serves a woman well to try to reduce her stress level by incorporating some physical activity into her daily routine. Unfortunately, this is a situation where there most definitely can be too much of a good thing. Over exercise can affect a woman’s ovulation cycle resulting in irregular, skipped and sometimes even non existent periods. Medically known as amenorrhea, this condition makes conception extremely difficult and in the long run can even contribute to severe osteoporosis.
In essence, the more you exercise, the more your cycle is affected. When you engage in high intensity activity, your body releases opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. This ‘feel good’ chemical creates the runner’s high that so many fitness enthusiasts are addicted to. However, this same chemical also suppresses the pituitary gland and thereby alters the production of hormones necessary for ovulation. Although high intensity exercise can give you an emotional boost and help you slide into your size five jeans, having too little body fat is another of the factors in infertility. Thirty percent of a woman’s estrogen production happens in her fat cells and if there simply isn’t enough, she’s going to have a struggle to become pregnant. Her body just won’t support a baby.
If you are an avid exerciser and are noticing your periods are affected, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. He or she may recommend cutting your routine back to three or less hours a week and after calculating your body mass index, may even suggest gaining some weight.
Allow your body to rest and create the ideal environment for your growing baby. It may take some time to get your body back into a regular cycle. Try to relax. There is no reason why you can’t continue your hunt for endorphins after you have delivered a healthy baby and given yourself time to heal. Becoming a parent generally means giving up a lot of control and pregnancy is just the first step.
Light of Hope Pregnancy Center has been serving women in Sumter, South Carolina, and in Lee, Clarendon and Sumter counties for over 15 years. More than 6,000 women have trusted us with their concerns and questions about their sexual health and pregnancy.
Women’s sexual health is important to us at Light of Hope Pregnancy Center. That’s why we provide free urine-based pregnancy tests with 99% accuracy, and results that are provided to you immediately.
At Light of Hope, you won’t find people who will judge you or lecture you! We provide confidential peer counseling by women who have been where you are – worried about an unplanned pregnancy. Our counselors have only your best interests in mind and will take the time to learn about you and your fears and concerns.
Have you ever made a decision and – looking back – wished you had known then what you know now? If you have a positive pregnancy test, you can depend upon Light of Hope Pregnancy Center to provide you with accurate information about all of your options for your pregnancy: parenting, abortion, and adoption. The decision is yours – there’s no pressure. But before you decide, we can provide you with all the facts that you need to know about your pregnancy and the options you have.
If you aren’t pregnant, but have questions about sexually transmitted disease, we can help. We can provide you with medically-accurate information about sexually transmitted infections and disease, and bust the myths about how to get them and how to prevent them.
Of course, all of our services are free and confidential. We’re located at 207 N. Main Street in downtown Sumter – just down the street from the main post office. Call us at 803-773-8858 or toll-free at 800-671-0681 for an appointment. You can also walk-in on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10:00am and 2:00pm.
Many personal trainers and fitness experts recommend taking at least a full year to prepare your body for the considerable physical stresses of pregnancy and childbirth. A woman’s body goes through miraculous transformations almost daily as her baby forms and prepares to enter the world. These fitness gurus stress that a daily exercise program and sensible nutrition are essential in order to help make these transformations less traumatic. What if you haven’t had the luxury of a year’s worth of planning and training? Happily, your baby and your body will still benefit from a fitness routine whether you begin a week or a month into your pregnancy. It’s not important to be an expert, it’s just important to get started.
The first step in any, especially a prenatal beginning fitness routine is to move. It’s really that simple. Increasing your daily exercise by even ten minutes, can make a difference in the health of your baby and can reduce uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms. Walk to the store, forgo the elevator, take your partner on an after dinner stroll…you don’t have to train for a marathon, you just have to raise your heart rate. Once you have started the movement habit, you might consider other forms of exercise such as swimming, cycling or low-impact aerobics. Many community centers or gyms offer special prenatal programs that are tailored to your body’s needs. These classes have the added benefit of meeting other women and couples who are expecting and so can help to widen your social circle while reducing pregnancy discomforts. Whatever you choose, be sure your doctor knows you are beginning an exercise routine and has given you clearance to do so.
Stretching is incredibly important for pregnant women. During pregnancy, your body produces powerful hormones that loosen tendons and joints in preparation for labor. Stretching can help ease your body into and out of these considerable physical alterations. Prenatal yoga is helpful in this regard. It enables you to take the time to experience your body through all the stages of your pregnancy and to become more aware of the subtle signals your body sends. This combined with the breathing techniques essential to yoga practice will help you through your labor and in the tumultuous days to follow. There are copious amounts of yoga tapes and classes available to women. A quick internet search will show you what resources are available in your community – take advantage of them.
Many people feel that fitness is eighty percent diet and ten percent exercise. Whether this is true or not, the relationship between the two is certainly important. It’s not enough to exercise daily if you are still drowning your pregnancy anxieties in cheeseburgers and great tubs of ice cream. For your baby’s sake and your own health, you need to clean up your diet. The first thing to do is to stop eating processed foods. Commercially prepared junk foods are designed to taste good and thereby create addictions. When you have a craving for a sauce laden fast food burger, ask yourself if you would feed this to your newborn. Your baby deserves better and so do you. Instead of giving in to these urges, exercise will power and choose instead to nourish your amazing body with healthy food. Talk to your doctor about prenatal nutrition or consult a dietician for more information.
If you haven’t had the desire to pursue fitness before, you may find your pregnancy gives you the impetus you’ve been lacking. It’s never to late to start making healthy choices and starting a fitness program now will ensure you have the energy you need to help you as you and your baby grow together.