Wannabe a mom? Play less games

Dr Ritu

A sportsperson would usually be considered in the pinnacle of health because of his/her gruelling workout routine. While this may hold true in the case of men, it is not so for the women. Because the same intense training that makes women good athletes also affects their fertility. According to experts, around 18 per cent of women dealing with infertility are athletes. It is a common problem in long distance runners and professional dancers.

So, it is not just female athletes but any woman who likes challenging workouts or who exercises excessively can have problems in conceiving due to reduced fertility. Studies say a rigorous workout done frequently can result in poor follicular development, decreased estrogen levels and progesterone secretion and absent ovulation.

Women involved in competitive sports hurt their chances of getting pregnant as they are more likely to have menstrual disorders which results in affecting the pregnancy rate. Missing or irregular menstrual cycle means their ovaries can't produce eggs due to lack of estrogen supply. 

Runners, ballet dancers, gymnast, swimmers and many women sportspersons are usually lean and have quite low body fat, as they like to keep their weight in check because of the demands of their profession. A woman's body needs at least 22 per cent body fat to ovulate and become pregnant. According to some studies, around 50 per cent of ballet dancers don't have periods. 

Bodies of women athletes or other female sportspersons remain under heavy physical stress, especially when they don't eat enough to compensate for the energy their bodies are using. The body goes in the starvation mode and the brain figures out that it is not a good time to get pregnant so the body and the reproductive hormones go into a shut-down mode. 

Apart from low fertility rates, the lack of estrogen in the body can have long-term health consequences for women, such as osteoporosis and even heart attacks. 

How to maintain balance between training and health:

Keep a track of your periods: Keep a note if there is any  change in the time between your periods and/or if it coincides with your training schedule. A menstrual cycle should be an average of 28-30 days and can also range between 21 and 35 days. If the days between two periods are shorter or longer then you might be not ovulating properly. 

Irregular menses may be an indication of infertility: Monitoring your ovulation cycle makes sure that the body's biological clock is working properly. If you notice any discrepancy, get the luteinizing hormones (LH) levels checked as early as possible. 

Maintain required daily 

calorie intake: Your diet should have adequate amount of fat and protein. Fibre intake should be within recommended limits as large amounts can interfere with ovulation. As per recommendation, a women athlete weighing between 50-60 kg should at least have 20-25 per cent body fat and her daily calorie intake should be 1900-2000.

Making career vs making babies: If your career is at its peak and having babies doesn't fit into your training schedule, egg freezing can be an option.

Height-to-weight ratio: It is another important factor in relation to female fertility. No specific rules of exercise frequency can be imposed on fit athletes with proper BMI. 

But once a woman fails to conceive even after trying to conceive for over a year, conditions and issues like age factor, irregularity in her menses, along with complete pelvic examination should be considered prior to checking her training regime.

How to boost fertility

n Limit your workout regime in case of irregular menses and in case you are unable to conceive. This will directly cut down the stress levels and boost the levels of reproductive hormones in the body. 

n Underweight women should aim to eat at least 3,500 calories a day to gain the weight that will get her into the normal BMI range, or body fat above 12 per cent. Cut back the exercise schedule to only three times a week. Opt for yoga, it will keep you fit and toned.

n If you are overweight, reduce your calories and increase your workout schedule so that you reach to fertility-friendly BMI. Build your tolerance level slowly.

n If you are already undergoing to some fertility treatments, check with your doctor before starting or increasing any exercise. High-impact exercise can twist the ovaries that are enlarged due to fertility drugs.

Not every woman suffers from irregular menstrual cycles and is able to conceive with no problems at all, though some do face infertility problems. So before turning your exercise regime down, it is best monitor your menstrual cycles which can give you a lot of information. Irregular periods are itself an indication about your chances of getting or not getting pregnant. Use an ovulation calendar or go for ovulation tests (under doctor's advice) to find out that you are able to conceive naturally or not. 

The writer a gynaecologist and an IVF expert, Indira IVF Hospitals, Dehradun, Uttarakhand