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Can Yoga Help You Get Pregnant?

While the benefits of yoga on fertility treatment outcomes are still being studied, what’s certain is yoga can help you manage the stress that often surrounds infertility treatment. This is one of the reasons Shady Grove Fertility’s Wellness Center offers yoga to their patients and why SGF was featured in Today.com’s Health & Wellness article about yoga for fertility.

“You place your feet on that mat and you automatically get this calmness in your body, and just focus on yourself and your breathing,” says one SGF patient who took advantage of SGF’s yoga classes.

Trying to get pregnant is no easy feat—and for women struggling with infertility, the process can create stress, anxiety, or a feeling of failure. Recent research has shown that practicing yoga can help women cope with these emotions by lowering their stress levels.

“That connection with other women going through similar experiences is a major part of why my yoga practice has been so beneficial,” adds an SGF patient.

The yoga services offered at SGF are intended to create a sense of community and bring together women who were experiencing many of the same feelings and going through similar steps in their journey, serving as a reminder that you are never alone. The program is unlike any other yoga class, because the postures, breath work, class exercises, and discussions are all specifically designed to support fertility.

“Yoga for fertility with Robyn [at SGF} has been great! I think I’ve generally had a positive attitude and approach to fertility treatment at SGF, but when I saw a yoga class was being offered through the Wellness Center, I thought, why not give it a shot? It’s been years since I’ve done any yoga, and was only a beginner then, but that definitely has not been a problem! Robyn has been a great instructor. She provides excellent guidance through the physical moves. Also, there is never any pressure; she poses different movements as suggestions, not commands. I really enjoy the balanced approach she takes towards each class. Robyn definitely comes in with a plan, but she is also really flexible and makes adjustments on the fly that best suit our class that evening. In addition, each class presents a different layer to focus on for the week, including concepts like being more mindful, deep breathing, and bringing in positive energy. I have found these tools can be applied not just to fertility but any aspect of your life that may cause stress, be it work, family, etc,” shares one SGF patient.

“The benefit of yoga for fertility is that it not only lowers stress levels for patients going through treatment, but it can help re-energize the mind, body, and spirit, which can be beneficial for patients who have had unsuccessful cycles and are trying to move forward with treatment,” says Dr. Melissa Esposito, M.D.

Another SGF patient shared, “I was someone who laughed at people saying yoga changed their lives… but in fact I was the one to be laughed at for not believing in it. This class changed my life! And being in the class with woman who are going through the same pain and struggle was the best part! It was like going to counseling but there wasn’t a couch to sit on, there were yoga mats! We expressed what/how we felt, and where we were in our journey, and to top it off, we did relaxation yoga. For those who are going through a lot … this is the best decision you can make in your life and make sure it’s with Robyn!”

Dr. Esposito adds “For those patients that don’t like yoga, Shady Grove Fertility’s Wellness Center offers other complementary therapies such as massage and acupuncture designed specifically for fertility.”

Our Wellness Center services do not replace advanced reproductive technology but rather support patients during their fertility journey. Our holistic practitioners are specially trained by infertility experts so that their approach to treatment addresses each patient’s individual needs.