QuestionHi,
I am 28 years old and have extremely regular periods. I exercise and train heavily (approx 10-13 hrs a week). I run, use the stairmaster, and do frequent high energy aerobics such as Taebo. I just started trying last cycle and did not become pregnant.
I think I did not ovulate because of the intense exercise. At around Day 14 on both of my last cycles after vigorous amounts of exercise, I had bleeding while at the gym. It was enough that I actually saw it in the toilet. It lasted for about 6 days after.
I have dropped my bodyfat % recently. My periods are light and I don't feel any cramping and almost no PMS type hormonal shifts. I am scared that I did not ovulate this cycle.
How much exercise is ok during trying to conceive? Also, can vigorous jumping 'shake an implantation' loose?
Thanks!
AnswerOvulation can stop if a woman's fat stores fall too low, and this can occur through rigorous training. However, outside of competitive sports like gymnastics, where women feel an intense pressure to be as low body weight as possible, most athletic women will have enough fast on their bodies to ovulate. Ovulation will cease if a women falls below 14% body fat. Most female athletes are in the 17% - 20% range.
There have been a few studies that show that very heavy free weight lifting, i.e. Olympic lifting may cause enough internal pressures to dislodge a newly implanted fetus. A new European study has found a correlation between heavy high impact aerobic activity and miscarriage. However this is the first study to find this connection and it is too soon to say why this might be.
You've only been trying to conceive for one cycle, so you do not have enough data to assume that you're exercising too much, or that you might have problems regarding conception.
Get you body fat measured. If you need to, get up to about 18. If you're concerned about impact exercise, stair master is OK along with elliptical trainers, indoor cycling, fitness walking on a treadmill (inclined) and swimming.
