Yoga reduces stress, boosts fertility

Yoga encourages practitioners to fight off obesity is also hugely beneficial in keeping hormonal imbalances at bay.

While the yoga is an ancient practice known for its numerous benefits, a new, yet complicated, link has recently been found between the exercise and fertility.
Although the links are not fully understood, cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, can hamper ovulation. According to Dr Pankaj Shrivastav, director of Conceive Gynecology & Fertility Hospital, yoga lowers stress levels and gives a positive mood and outlook, which can increase the odds that fertility treatments will work.
"Yoga is documented to provide immense benefits in terms of wellbeing and fitness, both of which are vital to ensure one's health and fertility." He added that yoga poses enhance flow and circulation through increasing body flexibility and cause better perfusion to the reproductive tracts aids in boosting fertility.
A 2000 study by Alice Domar, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, showed how reducing stress through yoga particularly and other means can boost fertility.
Domar found that 55 per cent of infertility patients became pregnant (and had a baby) within one year of participating in her 10-session fertility programme, through which couples were introduced to yoga and meditation, along with other relaxation techniques and acupuncture. In a control group, just 20 per cent had babies.
"Stress is harmful to just about everything physiologically. When the body feels like it doesn't have enough energy, it will start to shut down the less crucial functions. One of those is reproduction," said Shrivastav.
However, he stressed that yoga must be incorporated with other fertility treatments instead of relying on the practice solely. While yoga boosts overall health including fertility, it cannot open blocked tubes, or restore normal sperm count in a man, who has no sperm or very few sperm, in his sample.
Shrivastav stated: "Benefits of practising Yoga along with fertility treatments are many and we regularly incorporate Yoga recommendations in our treatment schedule."
When used in conjunction with fertility treatments, yoga lowers stress, allowing for couples to sleep and feel better through what can often be an overwhelming journey, said Shrivastav.
"I regularly recommend lower impact fitness regimes and yoga to my female patients to stay fit during the treatment process."
He said the fact that yoga encourages practitioners to fight off obesity is also hugely beneficial in keeping hormonal imbalances like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) at bay or controlled.

Low sperm quality

According to Shrivastav, there has been a steady decline in the quality of sperm count among UAE residents and globally for various contributing factors. 
"Chemicals, pesticides and preservatives coming into our food chain are having an impact, as are animals who are being injected with hormones and increasing usage of plastic," he said. 
The latest figures released by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) showed about 50 per cent of women in the UAE with fertility problems, partly due to a shifting demographic trend coupled with late marriages and a delayed family.
A UN study estimates the global in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) market will be worth up to $21.6 billion (Dh79.33 billion) by 2020.
While there are no real supplements that effectively improve sperm production, men should focus on living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a good diet.
Shrivastav added that obesity and smoking are other factors causing reduced fertility for men and women, with pollutants from industry and vehicle fumes also having an effect. 
He said couples should know when to seek reproductive medical advice. Young couples should ideally wait for a year of trying before seeking medical advice. However, if the wife is over 35 years old and is unable to conceive within 6 months of trying, she should visit a fertility doctor immediately, said Shrivastav.
He added it is best for women to conceive in early years as their fertility peaks in their 20s. He said the egg quality and number is reasonable to work until about 38 years of age.
"After 40 years old, fertility rate decline is rapid and chances of conceiving are low," said Shrivastav. 
However, in the last 50 years, there has been a general decline in sperm and egg quality due to environmental and lifestyle factors and changing social trends like marrying later. 
Shrivastav recommended couples to resort to options like egg and sperm freezing as these techniques preserve gametes from a younger, fertile self to be used at a later stage.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
 

• UAE
• Dubai

Sherouk Zakaria

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com