Exercise guide
During in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or egg freezing, gentle activity is usually fine, and your clinic's advice always comes first. The injections make your ovaries bigger, so while they're enlarged, our suggestion, based on National Health Service (NHS) hospital leaflets, is to keep to walking, light strength work and stretching, and leave out jumping, running, fast twists and heavy lifting. After embryo transfer, bed rest doesn't help.
The evidence behind most exercise advice in IVF is thin, and clinics differ. What's clearer is that stress doesn't make IVF fail, and nothing suggests that ordinary activity does either. If a cycle doesn't work, there's no reason to think a walk or gentle exercise caused it.
This guide goes stage by stage, from before treatment through the injections, egg collection, embryo transfer and the two-week wait, and covers frozen transfers and egg freezing, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and a twisted ovary, coping and support, and the NHS warning signs.
After embryo transfer, NHS clinic leaflets range from "live normally but avoid strenuous exercise" to "only do low impact exercises" such as walking or cycling, and one private clinic group advises no exercise at all for the first 24 hours. If your clinic has given you advice, follow it.
The injections make several eggs grow, so your ovaries get bigger. NHS hospital leaflets written for OHSS, when the ovaries over-respond, say to stay gently active and avoid sudden or jerky movements, because enlarged ovaries can twist. Our suggestion is to follow the same caution whenever your ovaries are enlarged.
One clinic's figures suggested a twisted ovary (ovarian torsion) in about 1 in 1,200 IVF cycles. Sudden, severe tummy pain with vomiting and feeling unwell needs urgent medical help.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says bed rest of more than 20 minutes after embryo transfer doesn't improve the outcome, and walking, coughing or going to the toilet doesn't make an embryo fall out. NHS clinics advise everyday life and walking, but nothing strenuous, until your test.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) says there's no conclusive evidence that stress affects treatment results, and across 14 studies, distress before treatment wasn't linked with pregnancy. In women followed after transfer, everyday activity wasn't linked with the outcome either.
Around a third of women have mild OHSS, which usually settles on its own. Call 999 or go to accident and emergency (A&E) for difficulty breathing, chest pain, being very thirsty and peeing less than usual, or swelling; contact your clinic or NHS 111 for tummy pain and bloating, or feeling or being sick.
A full cycle takes 3 to 6 weeks. You may take medicine to switch off your natural cycle, then inject medicine for about 2 weeks so that several eggs grow, with scans to check on them. The eggs are collected with a fine needle passed through the vagina, under sedation, which takes about 20 minutes. An embryo is transferred to the womb a few days later, and the NHS gives you a pregnancy test to use around 16 days after the transfer.
Egg freezing uses the same fertility drugs to boost egg production, and the same collection under sedation or general anaesthetic, so the advice for the injections and egg collection applies.
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Embryos left over from a cycle may be frozen for a later attempt. A frozen embryo transfer doesn't involve the injections that make eggs grow, so your ovaries aren't enlarged, and the transfer advice below is what applies (our suggestion; check with your clinic).
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The NHS says IVF can affect you emotionally and physically. Your clinic should offer you the chance to talk to a counsellor before, during and after treatment, and every clinic licensed by the HFEA must offer it before you start.
A NICE recommendation, and two meta-analyses: in 4 trials with 757 women, bed rest didn't increase pregnancies or births and was linked with fewer embryos implanting; across 21,598 cycles, births were 43.6% with bed rest and 52.5% without, a difference that could have been chance.
In one study of 121 women with activity monitors, activity after transfer wasn't linked with implantation, pregnancy or birth, and more activity over the past year went with better odds of a pregnancy. Almost no one did vigorous exercise, so hard training after transfer hasn't been studied.
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In 8 studies of 3,683 couples, activity before IVF went with about twice the odds of a pregnancy and a birth. In a review of 12 studies of 3,431 women, pregnancies were higher but births uncertain, and the studies were of low quality. In 2,232 women, 4 or more hours of exercise a week for 1 to 9 years went with fewer births. These are observational studies, so they can't show cause and effect.
In 617 women, activity levels before IVF, measured by questionnaire or by an activity monitor, made no difference to how many eggs were collected or how many were mature.
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There's very little research. In a 2026 online survey of 216 athletes who'd had egg freezing or IVF, 79% kept exercising during treatment, most at a lower level, and problems were no more common in those who kept exercising. It relied on what the athletes reported, and its authors note there's no direct evidence behind the usual advice.
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It's rare. At one clinic, it happened in 9 of 10,583 IVF cycles, about 1 in 1,200, and one NHS trust puts it at 0.2% of OHSS cases. It was more likely with OHSS, in a pregnancy after OHSS, and when the ovaries were very large. These are small case series from single clinics.
Across 14 studies of 3,583 women, distress before treatment wasn't linked with pregnancy. Across 20 studies of 4,308 women, anxiety, depression or stress before treatment, and anxiety or depression during it, weren't linked with the results. The HFEA says there's no conclusive evidence that stress affects treatment outcomes.
In 168 women with high distress, a 10-week mind and body programme and a support group both improved wellbeing, and the programme helped anxiety a little more, but neither changed pregnancy or birth rates.
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In observational studies, women who were active before IVF had more pregnancies, though the results for births are less certain. One older study linked 4 or more hours of exercise a week, kept up for years, with fewer births. Moderate activity on most days is a sensible middle way, and this isn't the time to start an extreme new programme (our suggestion).
NICE says you're likely to take longer to conceive, and that a group programme combining exercise and advice on diet leads to more pregnancies than advice on losing weight alone. Our weight loss guide covers the exercise side.
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Your clinic's advice comes first.
You inject medicine for about 2 weeks so that several eggs grow, and your ovaries get bigger as they do. One NHS trust says mild discomfort after egg collection is normal; pain and bloating in your tummy are a reason to contact your clinic (see the warning signs).
Leaflets from two NHS trusts, written for OHSS, say: "Stay gently active to reduce the risk of blood clots"; "Avoid sudden or jerky movements, as enlarged ovaries can twist"; and "Strenuous exercise and sexual activity should be avoided until symptoms are resolved."
Walking, easy pedalling on an exercise bike, light strength work and gentle stretching, at a pace where you can talk. Our editorial starting point is 10 to 30 minutes of easy walking and 1 or 2 sets of 8 to 10 light strength moves, as in our trying-to-conceive guide. Stop anything that pulls on your tummy.
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Jumping, running, fast or deep twists, heavy lifting, contact sport and high-intensity classes, until your clinic says your ovaries have settled (our suggestion, from the NHS leaflets). One private UK clinic group lists high-intensity interval training (HIIT), spin, circuit training, contact sports, heavy lifting including kettlebells, and twisting yoga poses.
It's caution rather than evidence: a 2026 study of athletes notes there's no direct evidence behind exercise advice during egg freezing and IVF. A twisted ovary is rare, but it's an emergency, so clinics lean towards care while the ovaries are large.
You may feel tired and have mild period-like pains and some vaginal bleeding; one NHS clinic says bleeding and pain for 2 to 3 days are common.
Rest that day, and walk gently from the next day if you feel well (our suggestion, as in our trying-to-conceive guide). Keep to gentle activity until your period or your clinic says you can do more.
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One private clinic group suggests no swimming for a few days after egg collection, to lower the risk of infection.
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Strong symptoms usually come in the week after egg collection. Contact your clinic for sickness that won't stop, vomiting, severe pain, a swollen tummy or passing less urine.
NICE says bed rest of more than 20 minutes after embryo transfer doesn't improve the outcome of IVF. In 4 trials with 757 women, bed rest didn't increase pregnancies or births, and across 21,598 treatment cycles, births weren't higher with it.
"Walking, running, coughing, going to the toilet and sneezing does not cause an embryo to fall out," says one NHS clinic, and another says it isn't necessary to rest lying down.
The leaflets differ:
NHS clinics advise against saunas, hot baths and hot tubs after transfer, because they raise your body temperature. Showers are fine.
In 121 women who wore activity monitors from transfer to their pregnancy test, everyday activity wasn't linked with implantation, pregnancy or birth, though almost no one did hard exercise, so its effect isn't known. NHS clinics say to live normally and keep to low-impact activity such as walking until the test.
Light bleeding or cramping before your test date can come with implantation or the start of a period. NHS clinics say to keep taking your medicines as your clinic has told you, and do the test on the date you were given.
The NHS says exercise is safe for you and your baby in pregnancy and to keep up what you already do, but it's not recommended to start a new vigorous activity, such as running. Stop if you feel too hot or unwell. Our pregnancy guide takes it from there.
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Exercise isn't on the NHS list of things that raise the chance of miscarriage. Most miscarriages happen because of a problem with the way the pregnancy develops, and most women who miscarry go on to have a successful pregnancy.
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An ectopic pregnancy grows outside the womb, usually in a fallopian tube. It affects about 1 in 90 pregnancies, women having IVF may be more at risk, and symptoms usually start between weeks 4 and 12. The warning signs below include its emergency symptoms.
OHSS happens when the ovaries over-respond to fertility medicine and fluid leaks into the tummy. It usually starts after the trigger injection given before egg collection, and if you're not pregnant it usually settles within 7 to 10 days; a pregnancy can make it worse and last weeks. Around a third of women have mild OHSS; one NHS trust puts moderate or severe OHSS at 5%, and severe or critical OHSS now happens in about 0.1% of UK IVF cycles.
Polycystic ovary syndrome or many follicles on a scan, OHSS before, 20 or more eggs collected, a high level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH, a marker of egg reserve), and a pregnancy after IVF, especially with twins. It can happen without any of these.
Eat normally, drink according to thirst rather than forcing fluids, and stay gently active to lower the risk of blood clots. Avoid sudden or jerky movements, and avoid strenuous exercise and sex until it has settled. Follow your clinic's advice on pain relief.
An enlarged ovary can twist and block its own blood supply. The symptoms "include sudden severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and feeling unwell. Seek urgent medical help if this occurs."
Walk for 10 to 30 minutes at an easy pace, pedal easily for 10 to 20 minutes, and do 1 or 2 sets of 8 to 10 of the strength moves with a light band (our editorial starting points). The move pages' doses: cat-cow, 8 slow waves; slow breathing, at least 5 minutes; pelvic floor relaxation, 5 to 10 slow breaths, 1 to 3 times a day; reclining bound angle, 2 to 5 minutes with a support under each thigh; corpse pose, at least 5 minutes. Skip any position that's uncomfortable when you're bloated.
3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine
3D demoRecumbent exercise bikeBeginner · Cardio machine
3D demoStationary cyclingBeginner · Cardio machine
3D demoSit to stand from a chairBeginner · A bench or box
3D demoWall push-upBeginner · A wall
3D demoBand rowBeginner · A band + An anchor point
3D demoCat-cowBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSlow breathing (6 breaths a minute)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoPelvic floor relaxation (reverse Kegel)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoReclining bound angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)Beginner · Firm cushion
3D demoCorpse pose (Savasana)Beginner · No equipmentThe 10-minute starter workout has no jumping, so it suits injection days. While your ovaries are enlarged: do the easy cardio workout as an easy walk; use the restorative sequence's 20-minute version and leave out child's pose and the twist; skip the crocodile breathing in the breathing routine if your tummy is tender; and in the stress relief workout, march instead of doing step jacks. The strength workouts are for before treatment and after your ovaries have settled.
A 10-minute session for low-energy days: marching, sit-to-stands, wall push-ups, step-ups and bridges, then a short walk. Doing a little counts.
10 minBeginner7 movesA bench or box, A wallA steady 30 to 45 minute cardio session at talk-but-not-sing pace: walk, cycle, row or cross-train, counting toward weekly activity guidelines.
40 minBeginner3 movesCardio machine, A wallA 6-minute breathing routine: slow breathing, crocodile breathing, alternate nostril breathing, box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing.
6 minBeginner5 movesNo equipmentA 45-minute restorative yoga sequence: five fully supported poses held for 4 to 10 minutes each, with slow breathing and a long final rest.
45 minBeginner6 movesFirm cushion, A wallAn 8-minute routine for a tight pelvic floor: slow breathing and comfortable positions to help the muscles let go, with no strengthening squeezes.
8 minBeginner5 movesFirm cushionA 12-minute reset for stressful days: 4 minutes of brisk movement, 3 minutes to loosen your neck, shoulders and back, then 5 minutes of slow breathing.
12 minBeginner10 movesA bench or box, A wallA gentle 20-minute beginner home workout with a chair, a wall and a band: sit-to-stands, wall push-ups, band rows, step-ups and dead bugs.
20 minBeginner11 movesA bench or box, A wallA 20-minute full-body dumbbell workout: two supersets of squats, rows, Romanian deadlifts and push-ups. Twice a week covers the minimum dose.
20 minBeginner8 movesA dumbbell, A bench or boxFor weekly structure before and between cycles. After a positive test, the pregnancy plan shows what changes.
A free 8-week walking plan for beginners: build to 150 minutes of brisk walking a week, with intervals, hills and two short strength sessions.
6 training days40 minBeginner2 days a weekYour first four weeks: two, then three short strength sessions a week at home plus walks, building gently to a full routine.
2 training days20 minBeginner5 days a weekA pregnancy workout plan for each trimester: walks or swims, two strength sessions a week off your back, daily pelvic floor work and when to stop.
5 training days30 minBeginnerYour fertility clinic should offer you the chance to talk to a counsellor before, during and after IVF. Every HFEA-licensed clinic must offer it before you start, and European fertility guidance asks clinic staff to offer emotional support as part of routine care.
Walking, gentle yoga and slow breathing can help with the waiting and the worry. They won't change your chances, and they don't need to: stress isn't what decides the result.
The NHS says it's important to give yourself time to recover and make sure you're getting plenty of support. Go back to your usual activity when you feel ready. Fertility Network UK has a free support line and an online community.
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Talk to your clinic's counsellor, or ask your GP (general practitioner) about counselling on the NHS. The warning signs below cover when to get urgent help.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. In the US, call 911 where this page says 999.
The NHS says these could be severe symptoms of OHSS or of an ectopic pregnancy. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
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Sudden, severe tummy pain, especially with vomiting and feeling unwell, can mean a twisted ovary, which needs urgent medical help. The NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E for a stomach ache that started suddenly and is severe.
If you develop breathing problems, chest pain, or pain and swelling in your legs, go to your nearest emergency department.
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The HFEA says to contact your clinic straight away with OHSS symptoms: "Never feel you are wasting the clinic's time."
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For light bleeding or spotting, or an unusual discharge, get urgent help from your maternity unit, an early pregnancy unit or NHS 111. The NHS also says to get a high temperature (38°C or above) checked, to get help straight away for any pain you're worried about, and to get breathlessness checked immediately if it comes on suddenly or with chest pain or dizziness.
Stop and contact your clinic if you get tummy or pelvic pain, a heavy, dragging or bloated feeling, feel sick or faint, or become breathless (our suggestion, from the OHSS and twisted ovary signs).
NICE says bed rest of more than 20 minutes doesn't improve the outcome, and in trials it didn't increase pregnancies or births.
NHS clinics say it can't, and that you don't need to rest lying down.
In the one study that measured it, everyday activity after transfer wasn't linked with implantation, though hard exercise wasn't studied. That's why clinics suggest everyday life but nothing strenuous.
A twisted ovary is rare: about 1 in 1,200 IVF cycles in one clinic's figures, and more likely when the ovaries are very large, with OHSS or a pregnancy after it. Avoiding jumps and fast twists while your ovaries are enlarged is a sensible precaution, not a sign that gentle exercise is risky.
NHS leaflets say to stay gently active, even with OHSS, to lower the risk of blood clots. In a survey of athletes, problems were no more common in those who kept exercising, mostly at a lower level.
Large reviews found no link between distress and the result. A cycle that doesn't work isn't your fault.
Relaxation and mind and body programmes can help you feel better, but in a trial they didn't change pregnancy or birth rates, and no study shows a pose helps an embryo implant.
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One older study linked years of 4 or more hours a week with fewer births, but reviews link activity with more pregnancies, or find no clear difference. Usual moderate exercise isn't a reason to worry.
Gently, yes, unless your clinic says otherwise. Walking, easy cycling, light strength work and stretching are sensible while the injections enlarge your ovaries; leave out jumping, running, fast twists and heavy lifting until your clinic says your ovaries have settled. NHS leaflets say to stay gently active and avoid sudden or jerky movements.
The injections make the ovaries larger, and a large ovary can, rarely, twist, which is an emergency. One clinic's figures suggested about 1 in 1,200 IVF cycles. There's no direct evidence that ordinary exercise causes it, but clinics are cautious because the consequences are serious.
Light weights, yes. Clinics ask you to leave out heavy lifting during the injections and after embryo transfer, so use a light band or the 10-minute starter workout on injection days. Heavier training can come back once your clinic says your ovaries have settled.
Rest that day; tiredness, mild period-like pain and some bleeding are normal. Walk gently from the next day if you feel well, and keep to gentle activity until your period or your clinic says you can do more. Contact your clinic for severe pain, a swollen tummy, vomiting or passing less urine.
No. NICE says bed rest of more than 20 minutes doesn't improve the outcome, and walking, coughing or going to the toilet can't make the embryo fall out. NHS clinics say to live normally but avoid strenuous exercise until your test.
Yes, gently: walking and the everyday activity you're used to, but nothing strenuous, and no saunas, hot baths or hot tubs. If you're pregnant, the NHS advises against starting a new vigorous activity. Follow your clinic's leaflet if it says something different.
There's no evidence that everyday activity does. In women followed after transfer, activity wasn't linked with implantation or pregnancy, though hard exercise wasn't studied, and exercise isn't on the NHS list of things that raise the chance of miscarriage. Most miscarriages happen because of a problem with how the pregnancy develops.
Mild OHSS causes bloating and tummy discomfort and usually settles within 7 to 10 days if you're not pregnant. Call 999 or go to A&E for difficulty breathing, chest pain, being very thirsty and peeing less, swelling, tummy pain low down on one side, or pain in the tip of your shoulder. Contact your clinic or NHS 111 for pain and bloating in your tummy, feeling or being sick, or feeling faint.
Gentle activity does: NHS leaflets say to stay gently active with OHSS to lower the risk of blood clots. Avoid sudden or jerky movements, strenuous exercise and sex until it settles, and drink to thirst rather than forcing fluids.
Egg freezing uses the same injections and collection as IVF, so keep to gentle activity during the injections and the days after collection. A sensible point to go back to your usual exercise is after your next period, once any bloating has gone, unless your clinic says otherwise.
Possibly: in observational studies, active women had more pregnancies, though the results for births are uncertain. If your BMI is 30 or over, NICE says a group programme of exercise and diet advice leads to more pregnancies than weight-loss advice alone. This isn't the time to start an extreme new programme.
Large reviews found no link between distress and the result, and the HFEA says there's no conclusive evidence that stress affects treatment outcomes. Walking, yoga and breathing exercises can help you cope with the waiting, but they don't change your chances. Your clinic offers counselling before, during and after treatment.
Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan, and clinical review of these guides is pending. Stop and get advice for chest pain, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or fainting, or new pain, and check with your doctor or midwife first if they have told you to limit activity. Health disclaimer.
