Ovulation

How To Increase Ovulation Naturally: Tips to Boost Your Natural Fertility

June 30, 2025 by Olha Hutsman 4 Comments

Each month young, healthy couples who aren’t using birth control typically have about a 20% percent chance of getting pregnant depending on their age.

That’s actually a surprisingly HIGH percentage considering that you can only conceive around the time of ovulation — the small window every month (between 12 and 24 hours) when the egg is viable and ready for fertilization.

So, it’s only natural to wonder…

“What can I do to enhance ovulation and naturally boost fertility?”

Well, one of the best ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant is to have intercourse in the days leading up to ovulation! More on that in just a moment…

With that said, many of the best lifestyle changes to improve your overall health also happen to improve ovulation and reduce your risk of ovulatory infertility.

So let’s explore some important ways to increase fertility and naturally support ovulation!

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

How Healthy Ovulation Works
Knowing When You Ovulate
How to Help Naturally Boost Ovulation

How Healthy Ovulation Works

As ovulatory dysfunction is one of the most common causes of infertility it’s pretty important to understand how ovulation really works. And for that, we need to have a basic understanding of the menstrual cycle.

As you may know, the menstrual cycle can be divided into 2 phases:

The follicular phase (think building follicles)… generally this phase is 14-21 days long and it’s the variable part of the cycle.
The luteal phase (think corpus luteum)… this phase is the fixed part of the cycle and lasts 14 days.

The first day of full flow is considered cycle day 1…

Graph of the menstrual cycle and the timing of ovulation

The follicular phase follows the cessation of menses and is marked by an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the anterior pituitary (the brain) that stimulates the ovarian follicles to produce estradiol (estrogen). A dominant follicle is selected and once estradiol levels peak for an extended period of time and the LH surge is triggered which subsequently results in ovulation.

The onset of the LH surge precedes ovulation (release of the egg) by ~36 hours.

Once ovulation occurs and the egg is released by the ovary, this signals the transition from the follicular phase to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is then produced by the corpus luteum (the follicle that ovulates) while the egg travels down the fallopian tube.

The egg can only survive for 12-24 hours if it’s not fertilized which is why having intercourse in the days leading up to and on the day of ovulation is most important- so sperm is waiting in the fallopian tube when the egg arrives!

Picture of woman's body showing how ovulation works

There are a variety of different causes of ovulatory dysfunction including dysfunctional thyroid hormone or an elevated prolactin level. Conditions that result in an overabundance of estrogen and a relative decrease in progesterone, like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), are also common.

The reproductive system is complex but it’s important to understand in the preconception period as women who have irregular periods as a result of ovulatory dysfunction should seek care sooner than later.

Knowing When You Ovulate

There are 3 primary ways to figure out when you’re ovulating from the comfort of your own home: LH predictor kits, basal body temperature, and cervical mucus monitoring.

LH predictor kit

In general LH predictor kits are the least amount of work with the least amount of subjective interpretation so that’s where we’ll start!

So, how does the LH predictor kit work?

Well, at home LH predictor kits detect luteinizing hormone in a urine sample. As mentioned above, the onset of the LH surge occurs ~36 hours prior to ovulation. Therefore, the use of the LH predictor kit can help you time intercourse or insemination most effectively.

The kits come in many varieties, but in general, the basic kit is all you need. Just a simple yes or no. Either the LH surge is present or not – the kits will detect the lowest levels of LH signaling at the onset of the LH surge.

Other versions can be difficult to interpret adding an extra layer of subjective interpretation to an already stressful process indicating “low,” “medium” or “high” fertility. These types of kits are also detecting estrogen levels which can be harder to detect reliably in the urine. Why complicate something that’s already a bit stressful even further?

Work of caution… false positive tests can occur so the kits should be used as directed.

Now if you prefer to save some money or are interested in the other methods of at-home ovulation detection, here’s the breakdown of how they work…

Cervical mucus testing

Woman's hand with cervical mucus between fingers detecting ovulation

Cervical mucus is produced by the cervix at the entrance to the uterus. While the cervix is constantly producing mucus it varies in amount and consistency throughout the menstrual cycle.

Just after menses, the cervix produces very little mucus and you might notice a “drier” sensation during this time. As you progress throughout the follicular phase (the first ~14 days of the menstrual cycle in a 28-day cycle) it will increase in volume and have a somewhat sticky consistency.

As ovulation approaches, the consistency turns more similar to egg whites. It is creamier in nature and functions to nurture and protect sperm as it travels through the reproductive tract to the egg… not to block it.

If you note you don’t produce much cervical mucus or it’s hard to detect changes in consistency make sure you are staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water.

Over-the-counter supplements such as cough syrup to “improve cervical mucus” have not been rigorously studied and are not recommended.

Basal body temperature (BBT)

Body temperature chart tracking ovulation

Basal body temperature is the body’s temperature under resting (basal) conditions and should be measured upon awakening each morning.

BBT works as a means to detect ovulation due to the thermogenic or warming properties of the hormone progesterone. If ovulation occurs, progesterone levels will rise in the second half of the menstrual cycle. This rise in progesterone to at least 3 ng/mL correlates with a slight (0.4-0.8 degrees Fahrenheit) increase in BBT during the luteal phase.

The rise in BBT will occur up to 4 days after ovulation.

Tracking your basal body temperature over the course of 1-3 months should generally reveal a biphasic pattern wherein you reliably see an increase in your BBT in the second half of your cycle.

A nadir in BBT occurs just prior to ovulation, but ovulation can only be assumed after the sustained rise in BBT is identified. Menses should begin 12 days or more after the elevation in BBT. Although this method of tracking ovulation is free, the temperature shift is subtle and can be difficult to detect.

Another key point that many women don’t realize is that once the temperature rise has occurred and is evident, the most fertile window has already passed. So, the real utility of BBT for timing intercourse is best utilized over pattern recognition throughout many cycles. Having intercourse every other day beginning 7 days prior to the earliest rise in BBT and ending on the last day is best to optimize chances of conceiving with this method.

How to Help Naturally Boost Ovulation

If you suspect that your cycles may be irregular, then try making a few of the key lifestyle changes that have been backed by the most evidence below.

Adopt a Pro-Fertility Diet

If you’ve read our mini-series on Decoding the Fertility Diet, you know that much of the initial research surrounding the principles of a pro-fertility diet was derived from nutritional factors that have been associated with ovulatory infertility.

And even though diet can be a big factor in controlling ovulation and your menstrual cycle, it can affect nearly every aspect of your reproductive health. That makes this lifestyle change one of the most important to undertake in order to reduce your risk of infertility and increase your chances of getting pregnant.

So, to quickly recap…

The top 3 principles of a pro-fertility diet include:

1) Choose “good” carbs including whole grains and antioxidant-rich leafy greens.

2) Eliminate trans fats and enjoy high-quality omega-3 fatty acids instead.

3) Add more plant proteins into the mix and eat less red meat.

Yes, there are technically a few more elements to a pro-fertility diet. But make sure to start here when attempting to make changes. There’s a lot of information out there and it can be easy to get overwhelmed.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Weighing too much or too little can interrupt normal menstrual cycles, throw off ovulation, or stop it altogether. On top of that, excess body weight lowers the odds that in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other fertility treatments will succeed. It increases the chances of miscarriage, puts a mother at risk during pregnancy or developing high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) or diabetes, and increases her chances of needing a Cesarean section.

Fertility researchers have described the Fertility Zone for Weight to be between a body mass index (BMI) of 20 to 24. This is based on research suggesting that infertility was least common among women with BMIs in this range.

The good news?

Relatively small changes are often enough to have the desired effects of promoting healthy ovulation and improved fertility. If you are underweight, gaining 5 – 10 pounds can sometimes be enough to restart ovulation and menstrual periods. If you are overweight, losing 5 – 10 % of your current weight is often enough to improve ovulation.

Increase Your Exercise

Findings from over a half-century ago that too much exercise can turn off menstruation have led some wellness experts (and even doctors) to instruct women to shy away from exercise while trying to conceive.

And while this might be the right approach for women who exercise incredibly hard for many hours a week (e.g., marathon runners) and who are extremely lean, it’s not the best strategy for the vast majority of women.

In fact, Dr. Rich-Edwards and her colleagues found that vigorous activity actually offered some protection against ovulatory infertility. Every hour of vigorous exercise per week translated into a 7 percent reduction in risk.

Take home message…

If you aren’t physically active, start a daily exercise plan. If you already exercise, pick up the intensity of your workout – unless you are very lean.

Ditch the Soda

Most women trying to conceive have lots of questions about what they can safely drink. And most of the attention tends to be focused on coffee and alcohol intake. But…

When it comes to improving ovulatory function and decreasing the risk for infertility, the most important beverage to be mindful of is soda.

When looking at data from the Nurses’ Health Study, women who drank two or more caffeinated sodas a day were 50 percent more likely to have experienced ovulatory infertility than women who drank these less than once a week. And in case you’re curious, the link between soda and infertility actually became stronger when researchers accounted for caffeine in their analysis.

What can you do instead?

Try switching to carbonated water with a splash of lemon, lime, or pomegranate juice. You might notice we didn’t recommend diet soda – check out this article on artificial sweeteners for more information on why diet soda may not be the way to go when trying to conceive.

Another potential (and somewhat counterintuitive) beverage to try in place of soda is whole milk. Full-fat dairy products, particularly milk, have been shown to decrease the chances of having ovulatory infertility with as little as one serving per day. Keep in mind that whole milk has nearly double the calories of skim milk and these findings are only associative. You can read more about dairy and your fertility here.

Upgrade Your Prenatal Vitamin

When you’re trying to conceive, a daily multivitamin should be treated as more than just insurance against common micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., vitamin D). In fact, conception and pregnancy are two situations in which your body demands more nutrients than what food can typically provide – this is especially true for iron and the mighty b-vitamin folate.

Based on findings from the Nurses’ Health Study, at least 700 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid are needed to improve ovulation and conception. That’s nearly double what’s recommended for the average woman!

And when it comes to iron, fertility benefits begin to appear between 40 – 80 milligrams (mg) a day, which is 2 – 4 times higher than the general recommendation for women.

So, make sure to look at your multivitamin close and be sure to talk to your OB/GYN or fertility specialist to make sure it contains enough of the right pro-fertility nutrients.

Watch the Video Recap:

Final Thoughts

We know it goes without saying, but ovulation is a pretty important step when it comes to getting pregnant, and knowing when you ovulate can help increase your chances of success.

Sometimes your body falls out of its natural rhythm which can be quite frustrating. Luckily, there has been a lot of great research on how to reduce your risk of ovulatory infertility and support a regular, healthy menstrual cycle.

If your cycles are not functioning normally (i.e., they are regular), you should consult your healthcare provider or a fertility specialist who will be able to understand the unique pattern of your cycles as well as your hormone levels and address the root cause of the problem.

In the meantime, be sure to incorporate the lifestyle changes we presented here to optimize your cycle regularity and ovulation as much as you can. You may find that’s all you need.

References:

Weight and fertility. American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
 www.reproductivefacts.org/globalassets/rf/news-and-publications/bookletsfact-sheets/english-fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/weight_and_fertility_factsheet.pdf
Rich-Edward, JW, Spiegleman D, Garland M, et al. Physical activity, body mass index, and ovulatory disorder infertility. Epidemiology. 2002 Mar;13(2):184-90.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11880759/
Chavarro JE, Rich-Edward JE, Rosner BA, Willet WC. Iron intake and risk of ovulatory infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Nov;108(5):1145-52.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17077236/
Chavarro JE, Rich-Edward JE, Rosner BA, Willet WC. Use of multivitamins, intake of B vitamins, and risk of ovulatory infertility. Fertil Steril. 2008 Mar;89(3):668-76.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17624345/

Exercise While Trying to Conceive: Does Exercise Help or Harm Fertility?

June 30, 2025 by Olha Hutsman 4 Comments

If you love exercising, you might be wondering if you can continue your routine when trying to conceive… And if exercise is not your thing, you might be wondering if you should give it a go to increase your chances of success.

Of course, someone has probably told you to STOP exercising when trying to get pregnant. Perhaps your doctor even told you to slow down for a bit…

Luckily, there’s a lot of good research to help guide us on this important fertility topic because it’s not an all or nothing decision.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

Why Exercise To Begin With?
Benefits of Exercise When Trying to Get Pregnant
Important Exercise Considerations
What About Exercising During Pregnancy?
Does Exercise Matter for Male Fertility?
The Best Exercises for Fertility

Why Exercise To Begin With?

You know exercise is good for you…

But do you know just how good it can be?

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. In fact, regular exercise has been shown to:

Help your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels.
Reduce your risk of heart disease.
Improve your mental health and mood.
Reduce your risk of some cancers.
Improve your sleep.
Improve your sexual health.
Increase your chances of living longer.

All good stuff, right?

Of course, we know most of you don’t lace up your shoes thinking about how the next 30-60 minutes are going to reduce your risk for chronic illness. It’s about feeling good, community, clearing your head, and ENDORPHINS!

Let’s explore why and how you can continue exercising when trying to get pregnant…

Benefits of Exercise When Trying to Get Pregnant

Before we jump into whether or not exercise is actually advisable, let’s look at the potential mechanisms through which physical activity and exercise can positively affect fertility.

Exercise may influence ovarian function by altering the production of estrogens and other steroid hormones via the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (1).
Exercise can impact reproductive health through its ability to regulate energy balance and optimize body mass index (BMI), which, in turn, are correlated with fertility (2).
Exercise can improve lipid profiles and inflammation (3).
Moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to increase the expression of antioxidant enzymes throughout the body (4).
Exercise may improve assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes through improved insulin sensitization, which has been shown to have an effect on ovarian response to clomiphene citrate during ovulation induction (5).
Exercise can help to relieve stress and anxiety, which have been shown to negatively affect fertility treatment outcomes (6-7).

We could list out several other potential connections between exercise and fertility, but we think that you can see there are some pretty compelling mechanisms supporting exercise when you are trying to grow your family.

Important Exercise Considerations When You’re Trying to Conceive

As you probably know already, the question of whether you can or should exercise before you get pregnant is a bit more complicated, especially if you’ve been struggling to conceive.

And it probably doesn’t help that there’s so much conflicting advice floating around out there:

“Exercise is great, just don’t do intervals…”

“Stay active, but don’t get your heart rate up too high…”

“Absolutely NO exercise while trying to conceive!”

Luckily, a meta-analysis published by researchers in Australia has been able to shine some light on whether exercise is okay to do when trying to conceive (8). In fact, they found that physical activity has a positive impact on reproductive outcomes with higher pregnancy and live birth rates among women who exercise regularly. These benefits seemed to be even stronger among patients with a greater BMI, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and insulin resistance.

Should I stop all exercise if I’m undergoing fertility treatments?

Many patients going through fertility treatment, especially in-vitro fertilization (IVF), are told “minimal to no exercise.”

Fortunately, more and more research is starting to emerge on whether or not this advice is prudent when it comes to maximizing your chances of conceiving.

Can I exercise during the two-week wait?

Our fertility warriors out there know just how long and anxiety-provoking the two-week wait can be when trying to get pregnant.

For those of you just getting started, the “two-week wait” refers to the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle that begins after ovulation (and possible fertilization of an egg) OR the wait time between embryo transfer and taking a pregnancy test. So, it should come as no surprise if the voice in the back of your head starts asking if exercise is safe to do over those two weeks.

When looking at the scientific literature, most women tend to engage in little to no activity after embryo implantation with IVF (12). Therefore, the impact of exercise on implantation is tough to determine from clinical studies. With that said, there is some evidence to suggest that light exercise is unlikely to cause harm and might even be beneficial during the two-week wait.

In fact, when looking back at the study conducted by Dr. Deniss Sõritsa and colleagues, they ultimately concluded that light physical activity during the most critical period of establishing a pregnancy (e.g., after embryo transfer and until confirmation of a clinical pregnancy), was not harmful for the IVF procedure to succeed (10).

How much exercise is too much?

The answer to this question really comes down to whether or not your exercise routine creates an ongoing energy deficit.

Over an extended period of time, a caloric deficit brought about by exercise can disrupt the normal signaling of your reproductive hormones and result in menstrual cycle disturbances.

In fact, exercise-related menstrual disturbances are common in women who exercise regularly. Some studies estimate that up to 60 percent of exercising women experience some form of menstrual disturbance (13). The most extreme form of exercise-related menstrual disturbance is hypothalamic amenorrhea, where the cycle stops completely.

We don’t bring this up to scare anyone out of exercising, but it’s important to ensure that you are nourishing your body with a pro-fertility diet that includes enough calories to match your energy expenditure.

If you’re worried about throwing off your menstrual cycle because you love to exercise, it might be a good idea to have your resting metabolic rate (RMR) calculated and track your body composition from time to time.

And if you’re looking for a more definitive answer on how much you can exercise, one systematic review of 10 studies found an increased risk of anovulation in extremely heavy exercisers (> 60 minutes/day), while vigorous exercise of 30-60 minutes/day was associated with reduced risk of ovulatory infertility (14). This probably shouldn’t be taken as a hard and fast rule, but hopefully, it gives you some guides on just how many hours you can put in at the gym.

Unfortunately, this study left many common questions unanswered, which is partially due to the lack of available research out there. With that being said, let’s try and address some of the common TTC exercise questions that we get asked…

What About Exercising During Pregnancy?

Being active with regular, moderate exercise once you get pregnant will help you have a healthy pregnancy and birth.

Research has shown that being active before and during early pregnancy can reduce your risk of having problems in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of cesarean delivery when you’re pregnant.

It’s important to point out that there are some conditions during pregnancy that may preclude you from continuing your exercise routine such as preeclampsia, severe anemia, and placenta previa to name a few. But that’s a conversation for a different day…

Bottom line: If you are healthy and your pregnancy is uncomplicated, in general it is safe to continue or start exercising. Remember, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), physical activity does not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery when you’re pregnant.

Does Exercise Matter for Male Fertility?

It goes without saying, but it takes two to get pregnant… So let’s not forget to talk about the impact exercise can have on male fertility!

More often than not, we hear concerns about how strenuous exercise can harm male fertility. And most of the time this is brought up because of a study that found cycling more than 5 hours per week decreased sperm counts in men undergoing fertility testing (15).

On the other hand, another study found that both sperm counts and motility improved among sedentary men when participating in a cardiovascular exercise program. Interestingly enough, their sperm parameters worsened when they stopped exercising (16).

One word of caution… It’s critically important that your male partner NOT use testosterone therapy while you’re trying to start a family. Taking supplemental testosterone shuts your body’s natural production down, which indirectly shuts down the production of sperm. In some cases, this can be irreversible – yikes!

The Best Exercises for Fertility

When you consider all of the research together, the majority of the evidence suggests that light-intensity exercise is beneficial to almost all women throughout their fertility journey.

On the other hand, high levels of intense exercise might impair fertility in some women and the decision to continue with a more vigorous exercise routine should be discussed with your healthcare provider.

In the meantime, here are a few exercises that are generally considered safe if you’re trying to conceive or you are already pregnant:

Walking and Jogging

Both walking and jogging are excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise, especially since you don’t need any special equipment. And once you are pregnant, walking is safe and recommended right up to your delivery day. For our seasoned runners out there, it’s likely okay to stay on track, as long as you get your doctor’s approval and stick to level terrain.

Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact exercise that builds muscle tone and offers fantastic cardiovascular benefits. It’s ideal for expecting moms since it makes them feel weightless and can help relieve common pregnancy symptoms like back pain. If you’re undergoing fertility treatments, it’s probably best to avoid the flip turns (remember the whole ovarian torsion thing).

Indoor Cycling

Spinning is another great low-impact exercise to incorporate into your fertility journey. Monitor your intensity, especially if you partake in group classes or Peloton rides – it can be easy to get carried away when the music starts pumping.

Strength Training

Weight lifting builds muscle tone and strength which helps keep you in shape and burn calories even when you’re not working out. If you are new to weight training, opt for lighter weights with more repetitions (12 – 15), or focus on resistance exercises that use your own body weight, like lunges, squats, crunches, and push-ups.

And because we know some of you want to know… CrossFit can be okay when you’re expecting if you’ve been at it for years and you get approval from your doctor. Regardless, make sure to avoid jumping or jarring movements, and be sure to take breaks when you need them.

Yoga

Yoga is an ideal exercise if you’re trying to get pregnant, especially since it helps build strength, balance, endurance, and muscle tone in less than 60 minutes. The breathwork in yoga also helps you relax and has been shown to improve anxiety and depression levels in women undergoing fertility treatments (17). If you’re a fan of super-hot yoga, you’ll want to get your doctor to sign off as there is some concern that the extra heat might not be safe for a developing fetus.

Final Thoughts on Exercise When Trying to Conceive

When done in the right amount, exercise can certainly benefit your reproductive (and mental!) health.

Remember, there’s no need to stop exercising altogether. Low- to moderate-intensity exercise not only improves your overall health and well-being, but it can contribute to success with fertility treatments (and improve sperm parameters too)!

Depending on where you are along your fertility journey, your chosen method of exercise may need to change temporarily, so don’t forget to review your routine with your healthcare provider.

And whatever your favorite form of exercise, don’t forget to enjoy the endorphins!

References

Tworoger SS, Missmer SA, Eliassen AH, Barbieri RL, Dowsett M, Hankinson SE. Physical activity and inactivity in relation to sex hormone, prolactin, and insulin-like growth factor concentrations in premenopausal women – exercise and premenopausal hormones. Cancer Causes Control. 2007;18:743–52.
Redman LM. Physical activity and its effects on reproduction. Reprod BioMed Online. 2006;12:579–86.
Sorensen TK, Williams MA, Lee I-M, Dashow EE, Thompson ML, Luthy DA. Recreational physical activity during Pregnancy and risk of preeclampsia. Hypertension. 2003;41:1273–80.
Gomez-Cabrera M-C, Domenech E, Viña J. Moderate exercise is an antioxidant: upregulation of antioxidant genes by training. Free Radic Biol Med. 2008;44:126–31.
Palomba S, Falbo A, Russo T, Orio F, Tolino A, Zullo F. Systemic and local effects of metformin administration in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): relationship to the ovulatory response. Hum Reprod. 2010;25:1005–13.
Hämmerli K, Znoj H, Barth J. The efficacy of psychological interventions for infertile patients: a meta-analysis examining mental health and pregnancy rate. Hum Reprod Update. 2009;15:279–95.
Frederiksen Y, Farver-Vestergaard I, Skovgård NG, Ingerslev HJ, Zachariae R. Efficacy of psychosocial interventions for psychological and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women and men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e006592.
Mena GP, et al. The effect of physical activity on reproductive health outcomes in young women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod 2019;25:542-564.
Littman ED, Rydfors J, Milki AA. Exercise-induced ovarian torsion in the cycle following gonadotrophin therapy: case report.Hum Reprod. 2003 Aug;18(8):1641-2.
Sõritsa, D., Mäestu, E., Nuut, M. et al.Maternal physical activity and sedentary behaviour before and during in vitro fertilization treatment: a longitudinal study exploring the associations with controlled ovarian stimulation and pregnancy outcomes.J Assist Reprod Genet. 2020; 37, 1869–1881.
Gaskins AJ, Williams PL, Keller MG, et al. Maternal physical and sedentary activities in relation to reproductive outcomes following IVF.Reprod Biomed Online. 2016 Oct;33(4):513-521.
Everson KR, Calhoun KC, Herring AH, et al. Association of physical activity in the past year and immediately after in vitro fertilization on pregnancy. Fertil Steril. 2014 Apr; 101(4): 1047-1054.e5.
De Souza MJ, Toombs RJ, Scheid JL, et al. High prevalence of subtle and severe menstrual disturbances in exercising women: confirmation using daily hormone measures.Hum Reprod. 2010 Feb;25(2):491-503.
Hakimi O, Cameron L. Effect of Exercise on Ovulation: A Systematic Review.Sports Med. 2017 Aug;47(8):1555-1567.
Wise L, et al. Physical activity and semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic. Fert Stert 2011;95:1025-1030.
Maleki B, et al. The effects of three different exercise modalities on markers of male reproduction in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Reproduction and Fertility 2017;153:157-174.
Oron G et al. A prospective study using Hatha Yoga for stress reduction among women waiting for IVF treatment. Reprod Biomed Online. 2015;30:542-8.

Two-Week Wait: How to Make It Feel Like a One Week Wait Instead of Two

June 30, 2025 by Olha Hutsman 2 Comments

Trying to conceive and undergoing infertility treatments can be downright stressful at times, especially when it comes to the 2-week wait. That’s why we’re going to cover some tips to help you not only survive but to thrive.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

What is the Two-Week Wait
Two-Week Wait Symptoms
What Not to Do While You Wait
Tips to Support Your Body & Mind
Next Steps if You’re Not Pregnant

What is the Two-Week Wait?

The 2-week wait refers to the period between ovulation and when an embryo implants.

More specifically, it’s the time until your body produces enough beta-hCG (i.e., the pregnancy hormone) to be detected in the urine or blood when you take a pregnancy test. Beta-hCG is commonly referred to as your “beta” because this is specific to the hormone of pregnancy.

And although it’s just two weeks… it can feel like an eternity when you’re in it.

What is happening to my body?

Whether it’s the process of natural ovulation, superovulation, fertilization, implantation, or embryo transfer, your body undergoes A LOT of hormonal changes.

Progesterone, the primary hormone that supports pregnancy, starts to increase either from ovarian production (in the case of an ovulatory menstrual cycle) or from supplemental progesterone if you undergo an embryo transfer.

Two Week Wait Symptoms

It’s common to become hyper-aware of all physical sensations and symptoms during this time making you wonder even more…

“Is this pregnancy? Or just ALL the hormones?”

And even though that question can’t be answered during the wait (no matter how many tests you use), it’s important to understand what’s going on physiologically and why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling.

If you’ve undergone infertility treatments like IVF, then your hormones are likely at an all-time high. This can definitely accentuate baseline PMS-type symptoms. Just remember the goal of supplementing with those extra hormones (typically estrogen and progesterone in the case of embryo transfer) is to enhance your uterine lining and to create an optimal environment that supports a healthy pregnancy.

Unfortunately, these medications can often contribute to increased nausea, bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, cramping, and even light spotting — all of which can also be experienced early in pregnancy.

These symptoms may also be experienced after using a medication like Clomid or Femara for ovulation induction or maybe experienced each month around the time of ovulation for many women too (even without medications!).

So how do you manage all of these symptoms while your mind is racing over these two weeks?

Well…

Let’s dive into what to do AND what not to do while you wait…

What NOT to Do While You Wait

Obsess over pregnancy symptoms

Now that you know ALL the potential symptoms you can experience from the medications designed to support your pregnancy efforts, it’s important to remember that they do not necessarily indicate if you’re pregnant or not.

We know it’s easier said than done, but try not to fixate on early pregnancy symptoms too much or worry about what it does or does not mean.

If you find yourself obsessing over the little stuff (and who wouldn’t when trying to have a baby), try some simple deep breathing exercises to calm your nerves. We love the 4-7-8 method which is a great way to bring you a sense of inner calm.

One final word about the potential symptoms of pregnancy… If you’ve undergone fertility treatments via egg retrieval and you experience severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rapid weight gain, decreased urine output, or difficulty breathing you should call your doctor or seek care immediately. These symptoms are more concerning and not considered a normal part of pregnancy or the post-operative state.

Give into the early testing temptation

Although we are all tempted to do it, taking a home pregnancy test too early can yield false-positive and false-negative results both of which are equally devastating when TTC.

False-positive urine pregnancy tests can result if you are undergoing fertility treatments and take a “trigger shot” to cause egg maturation or ovulation, which include a variety of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) products like Pregnyl, Ovidrel, and Novarel. These can ultimately be detected in a urine pregnancy test for up to 10 days after use.

And while urine pregnancy tests have become more and more sensitive over time, false-negative results happen WAY too frequently to ever rely on them 100% for the initial beta following IVF.

Remember, urine pregnacy tests (UPTs) are qualitative, meaning they simply tell you YES or NO to the pregnancy question. On the other hand, a serum pregnancy test is qualitative and gives you an actual beta-hCG value. A beta-hCG blood test will always be the most accurate.

Bottom line, testing too early at home could simply mean one of your key pregnancy hormones isn’t high enough to be detected in your urine yet.

If you find yourself wanting to test early, try to redirect that nervous energy to something that will benefit you both mentally and physically… More on that below!

Overdo strenuous exercise

Although we fully encourage staying active as a part of your overall physical and mental wellness plan, try not overdo it. If your body isn’t accustomed to running a marathon, now is probably not the best time to decide you’re going to start training.

Or maybe you’re already accustomed to intense exercise. If that’s the case, consider active recovery for the next week or two with lower impact, steady-state exercise to get your blood flowing. Your body is going through a lot physically and hormonally, so it’s important not to overexert it during these two weeks.

At the same time, don’t feel like you have to stay sedentary and lay flat and not move all day. That may ultimately have the opposite effect.

We recommend speaking with your physician about specific recommendations for exercise immediately following fertility treatment as everyone’s personal circumstances are unique.

Stay home all week

It is tempting to avoid people and simply stay home all week. However, don’t underestimate the power of leaving your house and sharing quality time with family and friends.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a complete homebody. But, it’s important to recognize when that’s a restorative thing or simply restrictive and detrimental to your mental health.

Be mindful of how alone time is affecting you…

Sometimes getting out can make all the difference, even if you don’t necessarily want to go out and interact with anyone outside of your home.

Tips to Support Your Mind & Body While you Wait

While there are so many things to be stressed about during this time, emotional coping strategies are critical for both men and women to thrive during this time as well.

Beyond simple things like nourishing your body with a fertility diet, getting 8 hours of sleep a night, avoiding alcohol, and taking your prenatal multivitamin, there are so many other resources you can tap into to help on the mental and physical side of things that are just as important.

Be kind to yourself…

First and foremost don’t forget to take care of YOU.

If any of your usual day to day causes you a significant amount of stress, look at what you can give up for a week. Don’t be hard on yourself for stressing or wondering what the outcome will be…

If you find yourself stressing over it more than not, try tapping into that 4-7-8 breathing, go on a walk, get outside and get some fresh air, try cooking a new meal, or lean into your support group.

Practice evidence-based relaxation techniques…

Every individual’s fertility journey is unique and filled with periods of waiting and unknown.

Developing a mindfulness practice that facilitates peace within the chaos — a way to center yourself during the periods of unknown — is critical to maintaining your overall quality of life throughout the process.

Behavioral interventions such as meditation and yoga (i.e., ones that focus on increasing mindfulness) have been shown to improve psychological distress and coping strategies in couples undergoing fertility treatment. (1-2)

In looking at data on yoga and fertility specifically, one study of women undergoing IVF treatment demonstrated that as little as one 55-minute yoga practice once a week for six weeks leading up to IVF treatment resulted in significantly improved overall quality of life, emotional and mind-body scores in addition to a significant reduction in anxiety and depression. (3) In addition to the physical benefits such as increased strength and flexibility, the mental benefits from an increasing inner calm, stress reduction, and overall relaxation can positively impact many areas of life. (4)

Another study used a combined approach emphasizing mindfulness of thoughts and feelings through breath, guided body scans, and hatha yoga which resulted in improved self-compassion, coping strategies, and improved scores in all domains of a validated quality of life assessment (2).

There are numerous guided meditations available online for free. Apps like Circle and Bloom, Headspace, and Calm are becoming more common and are easily accessible from the privacy and comfort of your own home.

Acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) technique that has been used for thousands of years. Acupuncture techniques can vary widely but have been increasingly studied for their potential benefit on fertility and fertility treatment outcomes.

At this point, there are no consistent findings in terms of acupuncture’s impact on pregnancy rates, but data has shown benefit in terms of decreasing anxiety and depression scores particularly in women with PCOS (5). Some women find it to be an incredibly calming and grounding experience.

If you’ve been curious and have been wanting to test the waters, ask your doctor for some recommendations that can be continued into pregnancy as well!

Connect with other fertility warriors…

A community can be invaluable when going through stressful times especially if others understand exactly what you’re going through…

Resolve has some great resources and options for local community support groups and forums. If in-person isn’t your thing, there are plenty of online support groups to tap into. It also has tons of other great information and patient resources for support!

On the other hand, if group gatherings or hearing other’s stories leaves you feeling more stressed and in a state of comparing yourself to others, maybe purposely taking a step back would serve you better. Consider leaning into family or close friends or try journaling as a source of support and a healthful outlet.

There are so many ways to center yourself.

Find what works for you!

Try something new…

Periods of waiting are the PERFECT time to try something new.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic or fancy… just something new to focus your energies on and change your environment a little bit.

Start a new tradition of going on a walk after dinner with your partner.
Play a new game.
Try a new recipe.
Work mindfulness practice into your everyday routine.
Go on a hike.
Take a weekend trip.
Watch a movie.
Meet up with a friend.

Sometimes just changing things up a little can give you a whole new perspective.

Trust your body…

Your body is nothing short of a miracle and capable of so much. If you find yourself stressing about being pregnant or not during the two-week wait or you catch yourself focusing on all the tests and test results… remember just how amazing your body truly is and all that it’s done for you to this point and will continue to do.

6 Tips for Support During the Two-Week Wait

Next Steps If You’re Not Pregnant

If the end of that two-week wait comes and only a single line appears OR you get your period again… know that you are going to be ok.

Lean into your partner.
Reach out to your closest friend.
Make a standing appointment with a therapist or counselor.
Follow up with your physician to discuss next steps.
Focus on your mindfulness based practices.

Prioritize yourself.

Take care of yourself.

Practice self-love.

Find a fertility affirmation and tape it to your mirror so it’s the first and last thing you see each and every day… Let it be your sign.

Whatever you do, don’t lose hope.

You’ve got this!

Final Thoughts

The two-week wait is an incredibly stressful part of the fertility journey… when it feels like all you can do is count the days.

But during those times remember to be compassionate with yourself and to take care of yourself. Take one day at a time and lean on others for support.

Incorporate some of the strategies discussed above to not only survive those two weeks but to thrive in them. You are not alone in this.

References:

Galhardo A, Cunha M, Pinto-Gouveia J. Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility: efficacy study. Fertil Steril2013;100:1059-67.
Li J, Long L, Liu Y, He W, Li M. Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on fertility quality of life and pregnancy rates among women subjected to first in vitro fertilization treatment. Behav Res Ther2016;77:96-104.
Oron G, Allnutt E, Lackman T, Sokal-Arnon T, Holzer H, Takefman J. A prospective study using Hatha Yoga for stress reduction among women waiting for IVF treatment. Reprod Biomed Online2015;30:542-8.
Valoriani V, Lotti F, Vanni C, Noci MC, Fontanarosa N, Ferrari G, et al. Hatha-yoga as a psychological adjuvant for women undergoing IVF: a pilot study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol2014;176:158-62.
Stener-Victorin E, Holm G, Janson PO, Gustafson D, Waern M. Acupuncture and physical exercise for affective symptoms and health-related quality of life in polycystic ovary syndrome: secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med 2013;13:131.

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