How to Exercise to Increase Your Fertility

When you’re trying to conceive, there are so many details that affect your body, and therefore your fertility. How much you exercise can be one of those things. Regular, light exercise can help to keep your body healthy and support reproductive functions. Too much intense exercise, on the other hand, can actually decrease fertility and may increase the risk of ovulation disorders. The key is to find balance; moderate exercise to maintain a healthy weight and keep your body baby-ready.

Finding the Right Weight

Being either overweight or underweight can negatively affect your fertility. Ideally, you want to be between a BMI of 18.5 and 24.9, or a body fat percentage between 12% and 30%. Being either under or above a healthy weight can disrupt your body’s hormone production and ovulation, making it harder to conceive. If you are unsure whether you are in a healthy range, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. Then you can adjust your diet and exercise to reach a healthy weight that will be good for both conceiving and supporting a baby.

Exercising to Make a Healthy Body

Moderate exercise can improve your fertility in a handful of ways. It improves your blood flow, which is essential for reproduction, and improves your muscle mass, which in turn helps to support your reproductive organs. Exercise also improves your strength and stamina, which will help you through a healthy and comfortable pregnancy. In addition, exercise is a great way to reduce stress, which is good not only for your general health, but to keep your hormones stable for conception. If you don’t typically exercise much, now is a good time to get started. Begin with light, simple exercise such as walking and stretching so that you can build up gradually. Ideally, you’ll want to work up to about 150 minutes of exercise a week, which you can break down into 5 30-minute exercise. Every person’s body is different, however, so you may want to consult with a doctor or personal trainer for some individualized recommendations.

Setting Limits

If you’re an athlete, it’s possible you’ll need to tone down your exercise in order to boost your fertility. Intensive exercise can slow hormone production and produce extra ammonia, both of which can interfere with conception. If you’re committed to your spin class or regularly competing in road races, you may need to scale back. As a general rule, you should keep workout sessions to under one hour and include some rest days in your schedule. It might be hard to adjust if you’re used to intense exercise, but keep in mind that you can return to your athletic regimen after having a baby.

Fertility-Friendly Exercises

Many kinds of exercise can be beneficial to fertility. Moderate cardio such as walking, jogging, swimming, and aerobics classes are great for getting your blood pumping without extreme impact. Yoga and pilates are perfect for reducing stress and building core strength. Strength training, such as lifting weights, a couple of times a week is also a good way to build strength and stamina. Look for kinds of exercise that will make you feel a little out of breath, but not over-exerted.

Pregnancy tips to help you conceive

The time to start working toward a healthy pregnancy is before you conceive. If you are trying to get pregnant quick, our pregnancy tips are good start to get your body ready for conception process.

Information about Conceive Plus

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much exercise should I do when trying to conceive?

The NHS recommends around 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week when you're TTC, which works out to about 30 minutes five times a week. This level of activity helps maintain a healthy weight and supports your reproductive system without putting too much stress on your body. Activities like brisk walking, swimming, and gentle cycling are ideal choices.

Can too much exercise affect my fertility?

Yes, excessive high-intensity exercise can actually reduce your chances of conceiving by disrupting hormone levels and potentially causing ovulation disorders. Research shows that very strenuous workouts may affect your menstrual cycle and make it harder to fall pregnant. If you're a regular gym-goer or athlete, consider scaling back to moderate activity whilst TTC.

What BMI do I need to get fertility treatment on the NHS?

Most Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) require a BMI between 19 and 30 to qualify for NHS-funded fertility treatment, though this can vary by area. NICE guidelines recommend that women with a BMI outsid

e the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9 should be offered support to reach a healthier weight before starting treatment. Moderate exercise combined with a balanced diet can help you achieve the required BMI for NHS referral.

Does being overweight affect fertility in the UK?

Being overweight can significantly impact your fertility by disrupting hormone production and ovulation. According to NHS guidance, maintaining a healthy weight improves your chances of conceiving naturally and increases the success rate of fertility treatments. With 1 in 7 UK couples experiencing fertility issues, achieving a healthy BMI through diet and exercise is one of the positive steps you can take.

What are the best exercises for boosting fertility?

Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, yoga, and Pilates are excellent choices when you're trying for a baby. These exercises improve blood flow to reproductive organs, reduce stress levels, and help maintain a healthy weight without overtaxing your body. The key is consistency and moderation rather than intensity.

Can exercise help with stress when struggling to conceive?

Absolutely—regular moderate exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage the emotional stress that often comes with trying to conceive. Physical activity releases endorphins and helps regulate the stress hormones that can interfere with ovulation and conception. Many fertility clinics and NHS services recommend gentle exercise alongside other stress-reduction techniques during your TTC journey.

Should I speak to my GP before starting exercise when TTC?

It's always a good idea to have a chat with your GP before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns about your fertility. Your doctor can offer personalised advice based on your current weight, health status, and how long you've been trying to conceive. If you've been TTC for over a year (or six months if you're over 36), your GP can also discuss NHS fertility referral options.