IVF | Guidelines for Teaching Pilates Clients Going Through IVF

 Hello beautiful Pilates teacher!

If you've been working with pre and postnatal women for a while, there's a good chance you've had a client who has conceived through IVF. Or maybe you have gone through IVF treatments. 

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a common fertility treatment for women who are experiencing infertility.

• I experienced infertility for 8 years before getting pregnant with my youngest child, Zechariah.
• We opted to adopt instead of go through IVF, because I KNEW the physical AND emotional sacrifice that IVF entails.

I have MANY clients, students, and friends who have successfully conceived through IVF. I also know many who haven't. 

Women who go through IVF treatment are ROCK STARS and full of courage!

They are to be highly respected. 

​A few years ago I had the honor of meeting with Jessica Valant, Pilates teacher and Physical Therapist, who went through IVF treatments, and conceived 2 children. The following information is from our conversation, conversations with other teachers who have gone through treatment, and research I have done on the topic

Below are the KEY points that you want to consider when working with clients who are undergoing treatments. The points are organized by each Phase of treatment. 

Above all, make sure your client follows her doctor's instructions!!!

Feel free to print this email for reference! 

🟣 🟣 🟣

Exercise Guidelines Through Each Phase of IVF

🟣 PHASE 1: Consultation and Decision to Start. Doctor puts them on birth control pills.

• Normal routine is fine to continue, with moderation.
• Don’t add anything to the routine that is physically challenging. Treat this like a pregnancy.
• This period can last from 4-8 weeks, depending on when they decide to start treatment, and when they started the birth control.

🟣 PHASE 2: (Most vulnerable phase) Stimming (stimming = stimulation of ovaries)

• This is when the injections begin, and the body is loaded with hormones.
• Injections are given daily from 8-14 days, and up to 5 times a week.
• The hormones injected are: follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

The ovaries become enlarged.

• This is when excessive movement can become dangerous, resulting in a condition called torsion, where the ovary can twist around the ligaments holding it in place.
• This is also the MOST emotionally and physically difficult time, because of the surge of hormones.
• Weight-gain and heightened emotions are common experiences.

This phase lasts about 2 weeks and guidelines should be followed until embryo transfer.

• No Pilates or other exercise during this time! Give your client those 2 weeks away from the studio. (Send her a few text messages to see how she is doing.)
• Avoid twisting, jumping, anything that could cause a disruption to the location of the ovaries during stimming.

What CAN a woman do during this period?

• Gentle Walking
• Deep Breathing
• Gentle Pelvic Tilts
• Keep the body in the most neutral position possible.
• Quiet the nervous system with calming movement, deep, expansive breathing, and a safe, serene environment.

​Here is a diagram showing the pelvic organs! Feel free to save, share, or print this image! (Just make sure to keep the Creative Commons attribution on that lower right hand visible.)

🟣 PHASE 3: Embryo Transfer -This is when the embryos are transferred to the uterus, giving the embryo a chance to develop.

4 Days of bedrest is usually the protocol from doctors.

• No Pilates or other exercise.

🟣 PHASE 4: Confirmed Pregnancy

At this point, your client has a confirmed pregnancy.

• This is when you will begin a modified 1st trimester protocol, at the clearance of her doctor. 
• Joints and Ligaments may be more lax due to the excess of hormones, compared to a natural conception pregnancy.
  • Keep this in-mind during movement, keeping limbs close to the mid-line.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS When Working with Clients Going Through IVF

1. Encourage clients to let you know if they are going through IVF.
2. Never promote or claim that Pilates can improve fertility.
3. Provide a safe, happy environment for your client to workout in.
   1. Avoid talking about fertility stories, or sharing fertility-boosting ideas..
   2. Let this be a place for your client to have a break from the constant talk about her fertility. If she talks about it. Let her.
   3. And if you have gone through IVF yourself, sharing that you understand what she is going through can be helpful.
4. Find out what the doctor has told her.
   1. Usually doctors give limited guidelines, and so it is up to us to help our clients follow those guidelines at the different stages of treatment.

The BEST thing you can do is:

• Provide your client with the education on gentle, safe movement.
• Provide her with an uplifting studio experience.

Watch my interview with Jessica Valant! Jessica answers some of the most frequently asked questions by Pilates teachers regarding working with this population!

​Click Here to Watch the Interview

You can learn more about Jessica at JessicaValantPilates.com 

For an in-depth resource on IVF, visit sart.org

​If YOU'VE gone through IVF, and still did Pilates in the early stages, I would love to hear your experience! Send me a message on Instagram @pregnancy.pilates.impact

Thank you for your dedication to teaching this very special population!

To Your Perinatal Teaching Success,

Alison Marsh

Founder of Pregnancy Pilates Impact Helping Pilates teachers build competence and confidence in teaching AND empowering pre and postnatal women. 

Click Here for My Bio 

Click Here to Follow Me on Instagram @pregnancy.pilates.impact

🟣 🟣 🟣

Level up your perinatal education with our instant-access trainings! Click Here

Want to Accelerate your perinatal teaching skills? Consider a 3 session 1:1 Mentorship click here for details