One of the biggest complaints we hear from our patients going through egg retrievals, aside from bloating, is the frustration of not being able to exercise for that month. While the IVF process is extremely helpful for people struggling to conceive and for preserving fertility through egg or embryo freezing, it can be an intense experience both mentally and physically. During the month of the retrieval cycle, the ovaries are stimulated via daily injections to grow as many follicles as possible instead of just one follicle, which would grow during a natural cycle (each follicle contains an egg). This stimulation happens over the course of 10-14 days and then the eggs are extracted, at which point the ovaries are a lot larger than normal. Even though the eggs are taken out, the ovaries remain swollen for another 10-14 days until the menses. Patients are typically warned not to exercise during this entire process as the increase in the size of the ovary creates risk of it twisting on its support structures and cutting off blood flow, a condition called ovarian torsion.
For those patients who rely on exercise as a way to manage stress, stay healthy and feel powerful, removing their workout routine during a retrieval cycle can make this intense experience even harder to navigate. Many patients stop exercising all together while pursuing ivf if planning for multiple retrievals, even during months they are not retrieving, which can lead to fatigue, low mood, and weight gain. While a little weight gain is not usually a problem for fertility or IVF (and can be a good thing if BMI is too low to begin with), there are many benefits to keeping some form of movement in our daily routines during a retrieval cycle. Not only can it lower cortisol (the stress hormone), it also helps with circulation, elevates mood, improves sleep quality, and helps maintain a healthy BMI, which can improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
Ever since Lily + Horn founder Mary Sabo, L.Ac DACM did her first egg retrieval in 2017 to freeze her eggs, she’s dreamed of being able to recommend a workout that is IVF doctor-approved, challenging, and accessible to patients undergoing IVF and egg freezing cycles. A former dancer and lover of spinning, Mary teamed up with Reproductive Endocrinologist (and marathon runner) Sheeva Talebian, MD, of CCRM NY and Pregnancy/Postpartum personal trainer Julia Neto, founder of Her Move Wellness. Together, they created a series of workout videos that are safe to do at home during retrieval cycles. The workouts are specifically designed for these cycles and focus on keep the abdomen stable, reducing the risk of ovarian torsion, while still providing a good workout and getting your blood flowing. These workouts can also act as a placeholder for your usual workouts to keep up the healthy habit of exercise throughout your journey. The best part…these workouts are free of charge to access!
We, of course, advise you to discuss the program with your doctor just to be sure it’s safe for you specifically, but with a physician’s approval already on board, we hope you get a green light to keep moving throughout your cycle and beyond! And once you are pregnant, you’ll be able to do Julia’s amazing pregnancy and postpartum programs too! Want more tips about egg retrieval cycles, including researched backed ways acupuncture can help? Read our blog about egg retrieval cycle side effects and how to support them naturally!