How Yoga Can Help in IVF Treatment?
Infertility is a very depressing situation and the infertility treatment is very demanding both in terms of financial as well as is very stressful. Patients often recount that they never dreamed of such stress as during IVF treatment. It is shown that emotional distress levels rise as the duration of infertility treatment increases.
To manage stress, you need to understand about your body’s response to stress. Cannon was the first to describe the “fight or flight” response of the body to stress. When there is stress, the body tends to react in a manner to undo the stress.
“Yoga is considered on the of the safest forms of exercise during IVF. ”
What Is Yoga for Pregnancy?
The word Yoga means the harmony between mind and body
Yoga for pregnancy is an old discipline of exercises and mental control from India. It is both spiritual and physical. Yoga for pregnancy uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation. The yogic exercises are isometric along with control of breathing (There is no change in the length of the muscles during exercise, but the contraction pressure is increased by holding the body in certain postures). The yoga for pregnancy helps to reduce stress and tension in mind and body. IVF is a stressful experience, so any procedure which helps to alleviate the stress during IVF procedure can only be good for the patient.
Chronic or persistent stress occurs when undergoing infertility treatment. As long as the stress response remains “turned on,” you will be at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, suppressed immunity, and increased risk of depression and anxiety. Chronic stress can affect every system of the body, and it can worsen existing conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and chronic pain. Chronic stress can cause suppression of the reproductive system resulting in amenorrhea and failure to ovulate in women, impotency in men, and loss of libido or both.
So how can one cope with all the stress during infertility treatment?
It is proven that the best way to manage stress is to learn a variety of stress reduction techniques. These techniques help that to bring the nervous system back into balance by essentially restoring the body and mind back to a calm, relaxed state.
Practicing relaxation methods during the IVF treatment will allow you to relief your body to the side effects of stress. Managing the stress will give you the added strength to handle the physical and emotional demands of infertility treatment.
How Yoga Can Help in IVF Treatment
There are many different stress management techniques (e.g., diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga) and you will need to do some experimentation to determine what works best for you. Diaphragmatic breathing, pranayama and meditation are quite helpful in restoring normal physiological and psychological state.
YOGA BEFORE INJECTIONS / OVARIAN STIMULATION BEGIN
Yoga for pregnancy not only reduces stress, but also increases blood circulation. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine on IVF outcome at their 2017 scientific expo looked at the effects of Yoga on IVF. One author concluded that, “Stress negatively affects reproductive outcomes in IVF cycles and this study suggests YOGA can be an adjuvant to improve the pregnancy rates in couples undergoing IVF treatment.”
YOGA AFTER A POSITIVE PREGNANCY TEST
You can continue your Yoga practice once your pregnancy test is positive. Find an experienced Yoga teacher to prepare you for prenatal exercises without resorting to prone positions, or stretching exercises which can possibly do more harm than good.
How Yoga Can Help in Infertility Treatment
