Self-care practices are essential on your journey to pregnancy. If you’ve been looking for a mind-body practice to support you while on this fertility path, yoga is definitely worth trying.
There’s growing interest in the role meditation and mindful movement play in reproductive health and fertility. Both scientific research and anecdotal evidence suggest yoga can positively affect resilience, stress levels, and hormonal health — all of which can impact fertility.
Mind-body Practices and Pregnancy Rates
Meditation, visualization, and yoga are examples of mind-body practices. These practices support both mental and physical health.
A study conducted by fertility psychology pioneer Alice Domar found that women undergoing IVF who participated in a ten-week mind-body fertility program had higher success rates than women who did not participate.
Yoga and Infertility-related Depression
Difficulty getting pregnant can be emotionally challenging. People experiencing infertility often have depression and anxiety levels similar to those facing cancer or other chronic illnesses.
Yoga is considered an effective way to build resilience and reduce the emotional effects of infertility. Research also shows that practicing yoga may significantly reduce depression and anxiety associated with infertility.
Yoga and PCOS
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is one of the leading causes of ovulatory infertility.
Research suggests yoga may help relieve many PCOS symptoms and support better hormone balance.
In a 2012 study, researchers compared yoga with conventional exercise for young women with PCOS. The yoga group showed greater improvement in insulin levels, menstrual regularity, androgen levels, and other PCOS-related symptoms.
What Type of Yoga is Best for Fertility?
While yoga can benefit overall and reproductive health, gentler styles are usually recommended when trying to conceive.
Recommended types:
- Slow-flow yoga
- Gentle yoga
- Restorative yoga
- Yin yoga
- Fertility yoga
Avoid or limit:
- Hot yoga
- Power yoga
- Strenuous yoga styles
3 At-home Yoga Poses to Support Reproductive Health
1. Legs Up the Wall
Step 1
Sit close to a wall with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Turn sideways so your body is perpendicular to the wall.
Step 2
Place your right hip against the wall and lie back while keeping your knees bent.
Step 3
Rotate your body so your legs extend up the wall and your hips rest against it. Breathe slowly and deeply for 5 minutes or longer.
Step 4
To exit the pose, bend your knees, roll onto your side, and slowly sit up.
Video Link:
Legs Up the Wall Pose Tutorial
2. Bound Angle Pose
Step 1
Sit on your mat and place the soles of your feet together.
Step 2
Allow your knees to fall outward toward the floor. Breathe deeply and hold for 1–5 minutes.
Step 3
Extend your legs forward and gently shake them out.
Video Link:
Bound Angle Pose Tutorial
3. Supported Bridge Pose
Step 1
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Step 2
Lift your hips and place pillows, blocks, folded blankets, or a bolster under your tailbone. Breathe slowly and hold for 1–5 minutes.
Step 3
Lift your hips again and remove the support to exit the pose.
Video Link:
Supported Bridge Pose Tutorial
