A study from NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) suggested that the combination of strenuous workouts and achieving pregnancy may be too much for the body to handle. Therefore, female athletes or heavy exercisers may want to ease up a little if they want to become pregnant.
It is well known that women who are involved in elite sports struggle with fertility more than others. Now it appears that women who participate in other types of extreme exercise may encounter more fertility problems as well. In a study that included 3,000 women, researchers at NTNU discovered that frequent and strenuous exercise may reduce fertility – but only temporarily, or while the hard training lasts.
None of the women in the study had experienced a history of problems with fertility, and all of them were of childbearing age and in good health. Two groups of women showed a higher risk of fertility problems: those who trained nearly every day, and the ones who exercised until they were completely exhausted. The ones who fell into both groups experienced the most fertility problems.
In addition, the effects of strenuous exercise on fertility appear to be transient, ending when the hard training slowed down.
The theory is that extremely demanding physical activity requires so much energy that the body can actually experience periods of a deficiency of energy, in which the amount of energy needed to maintain the mechanisms, hormonal and otherwise, to enable fertilization just isn’t there.
It is important to note that women who engaged in low to moderate activity had no fertility impairments, so there is no reason for women to stop exercising altogether while trying to conceive. In fact, exercise can reduce stress, which is good for fertility. Moderate exercise has been previously shown to improve insulin function and promote better fertility as compared to complete inactivity.
It appears that the worst choices for women trying to conceive fall at both ends of the spectrum: extreme physical activity and extreme sedentariness. Pinpointing what constitutes the perfect level of activity, however, can be tricky, because it can be unique to individual women. If your menstrual cycle is particularly long or nonexistent, this could be a sign that you are exercising enough to negatively affect your fertility.
A woman is considered to be infertile after a year of unprotected intercourse without a pregnancy occurring. In women older than 35, it makes sense to see a doctor sooner; perhaps after four to six months of trying unsuccessfully to conceive. There are many factors that can affect fertility in women, including problems with the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, or the uterus, problems with ovulation, and hormonal issues. Sometimes the reason for infertility cannot be pinpointed, and sometimes it may the male partner who has the fertility problem and not the woman. A doctor’s evaluation is the only way to find out for sure.
– Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D., M. P. H.