Physical and Sedentary Activities in Association with Reproductive Outcomes among Couples Seeking Infertility Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study

Siret Läänelaid, Francisco B. Ortega, Theodora Kunovac Kallak, Lana Joelsson, Jonatan R. Ruiz, Julius Hreinsson, Kjell Wånggren, Anneli Stavreus-Evers, Ruth Kalda, Andres Salumets and Signe Altmäe
Additional contact information
Siret Läänelaid: Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
Francisco B. Ortega: Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Granada, Carretera de Alfacar, S/N CP, 18071 Granada, Spain
Theodora Kunovac Kallak: Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Lana Joelsson: Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Jonatan R. Ruiz: Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Granada, Carretera de Alfacar, S/N CP, 18071 Granada, Spain
Julius Hreinsson: Minerva Fertility Clinic, Kålsängsgränd 10 d, 753 19 Uppsala, Sweden
Kjell Wånggren: Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Anneli Stavreus-Evers: Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Ruth Kalda: Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
Andres Salumets: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
Signe Altmäe: Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Teaduspargi 13, 50411 Tartu, Estonia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of physical activity (PA) with assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment and pregnancy outcomes among couples seeking infertility treatment. Methods: This prospective cohort study was carried out among 128 infertile individuals (64 couples), entering the infertility clinic for ART procedures. Baseline PA (before entering any treatment) was assessed using accelerometry for both women and men. For every couple the infertility treatment outcomes were recorded. Results: The couples that required invasive ART procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) spent less time in vigorous PA (?73 min/week per couple, woman + man) than those couples who became spontaneously pregnant after entering the study ( p = 0.001). We observed no significant associations between the time spent in physical activities and positive pregnancy test or live birth. Conclusions: Our results do not support a positive nor negative relation between the time the couples spent in physical activities and the chances of getting pregnant or having a baby among patients seeking infertility treatment. However, couples undergoing invasive ART procedures did less vigorous PA than couples that became spontaneously pregnant, suggesting that PA may interfere with their reproductive health.

Keywords: exercise; infertility; reproductive health; reproductive techniques; assisted; sedentary behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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