Fertility yoga poses are gentle, mostly restorative practices that many people use while trying to conceive. They’re a supportive routine for body and mind, not a fertility treatment. In this guide, we share six poses and a breathing practice, explain what the research does and does not show, and say when to talk to a doctor. Trying to conceive can feel private and tender, so we’ve written it with care and without promises.
Please note: This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor or midwife before starting yoga or any exercise in pregnancy or while trying to conceive, and stop if something feels wrong. Shvasa classes complement medical care and do not replace it.
Can yoga help with fertility? The honest answer
Yoga may help you feel calmer and more supported while trying to conceive. There isn’t enough evidence to say that it improves your chances of getting pregnant. The research says so itself:
- A 2020 review of 12 studies (4 randomised trials, 4 non-randomised controlled studies and 4 uncontrolled studies) looked at mindfulness and yoga in women with infertility. It found lower anxiety and depression, and suggested a possible improvement in pregnancy rates. The authors call for more randomised trials.1
- A 2024 narrative review in the International Journal of Yoga describes yoga as a promising complementary therapy for infertility, and says more clinical research is needed on specific benefits, protocols and long-term effects.2
In plain words: yoga is a reasonable companion to medical care, and the stronger evidence is for stress, anxiety and mood rather than for pregnancy itself.
Stress can also strain a relationship and reduce sex drive, and in severe cases it may affect ovulation and sperm production.3
6 gentle fertility yoga poses, step by step
These poses are commonly taught for people trying to conceive. No study shows that any single pose improves fertility.
- Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani). Hold: 3 to 5 minutes. Props: wall, optional bolster or folded blanket.
- Reclining bound angle (Supta Baddha Konasana). Hold: 3 to 5 minutes. Props: cushions under knees.
- Seated butterfly (Baddha Konasana). Hold: 5 to 8 breaths. Props: folded blanket.
- Supported bridge (Setu Bandhasana). Hold: 5 breaths. Props: block under the sacrum.
- Wide-knee child’s pose (Balasana). Hold: 5 to 10 breaths. Props: bolster or cushions.
- Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana–Bitilasana). Hold: 5 to 8 rounds. Props: none.
1. Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani): a restful way to unwind
How: Sit sideways next to a wall, then lie back and swing your legs up the wall. Your hips can be close to the wall or a few inches away. Rest your arms by your sides and breathe slowly for 3 to 5 minutes.
Why teachers use it: It’s a restful pose that helps many people unwind.
Modify: Bend your knees, or place a folded blanket under your hips. Roll to your side to come out.
2. Reclining bound angle (Supta Baddha Konasana): rest with supported knees
How: Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees open. Support your knees with cushions so your hips and thighs can relax. Rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Seated butterfly (Baddha Konasana): gentle, on a folded blanket
How: Sit on a folded blanket with the soles of your feet together. Sit tall and breathe for 5 to 8 breaths. Keep the movement gentle, and rest your knees on cushions if they don’t reach the floor.
4. Supported bridge (Setu Bandhasana): rest on a block
How: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips and slide a block under your sacrum (the flat bone at the base of your spine). Rest for 5 breaths, then lower down slowly.
5. Wide-knee child’s pose (Balasana): fold forward over a bolster
How: Kneel with your knees wide and fold forward over a bolster, resting your head on it. Breathe slowly for 5 to 10 breaths.
6. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana–Bitilasana): move slowly with your breath
How: On hands and knees, breathe in as you lift your chest and out as you round your back. Move slowly for 5 to 8 rounds.
Breathing and relaxation: a calming finish to your practice
Slow, steady breathing and a few minutes of guided relaxation after your practice can help you settle. Keep the breath soft, and skip forceful breathing practices unless a qualified teacher has advised them for you.
Fertility yoga for men: a guide for partners
Fertility involves both partners. A 2024 narrative review in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences argues that yoga may help male-factor infertility, for example through effects on oxidative stress and sperm health, and describes yoga as a non-invasive adjunct. It is a narrative review with no participants of its own, and the abstract uses cautious language such as “probably”.4 Poor semen quality is a common cause of infertility, and smoking and heavy drinking can lower sperm quality.3
Partners can practise the same gentle poses above. If you are concerned about male fertility, a semen analysis from a doctor is the way to find out where things stand. Yoga doesn’t replace that.
Yoga and PCOS: what one small pilot study found
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is one of the conditions people often ask about. A 2023 pilot study in the International Journal of Yoga followed 52 women with PCOS and infertility, 26 in a yoga group and 26 in a comparison group. The yoga group did 90 minutes of structured yoga for 12 weeks and showed changes in several measures, including weight, insulin, cholesterol and ovarian features. Thirteen women in the yoga group and seven in the comparison group became pregnant within a year. The authors call it a pilot study.5 It’s small, so it can’t show that yoga caused the difference. Yoga isn’t a treatment for PCOS. Talk to your doctor about care for PCOS, and ask whether gentle yoga can sit alongside it.
Yoga during IVF, IUI or other fertility treatment: ask your clinic first
If you are having IVF, IUI or other fertility treatment, ask your clinic before you start or continue yoga. Clinics may have advice that depends on the stage of your cycle and your own situation. Tell your yoga teacher too, so they can adapt the class.
When to see a doctor if you’re trying to conceive
Consider seeing a GP if you haven’t conceived after a year of trying, and sooner if you’re 36 or older or already know of a possible fertility problem. Where the woman is under 40, over 8 in 10 couples conceive naturally within a year of regular unprotected sex.3 Doctor advice differs by country, so ask your own doctor what applies to you.
A simple weekly fertility yoga routine
- Two or three 15-minute practices a week using three or four of the poses above.
- A 5-minute breathing and relaxation practice on busy days.
- Any activity your doctor has approved, such as walking.
Be gentle with yourself. If a practice feels stressful, shorten it or rest. If you become pregnant, tell your teacher and move to a prenatal practice. See our guide to prenatal yoga exercises and our prenatal yoga classes.
A private, small-group space: join the fertility yoga waitlist
Fertility is personal. Shvasa’s fertility yoga program is designed as a live, small-group space, with gentle, restorative classes, breath and meditation, and sessions for partners. Only your teacher sees you in class, and your camera is your choice. The program isn’t open yet. Join the waitlist and we will tell you when it opens.
Shvasa’s fertility yoga program is not open yet. Join the waitlist and we will tell you when it opens. Only your teacher sees you in class, and your camera is your choice. Visit the fertility yoga page
Sources
- Gaitzsch et al., The effect of mind-body interventions on psychological and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women: a systematic review, Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 2020.
- Yadav, Tiwari and Dada, Yoga and Lifestyle Changes: A Path to Improved Fertility, a Narrative Review, International Journal of Yoga, 2024.
- NHS, Infertility.
- Yoga as a Transformative Approach to Addressing Male Infertility, a Narrative Review, Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, 2024.
- Patil et al., Yoga intervention improves the metabolic parameters and quality of life among infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome in Indian population, International Journal of Yoga, 2023.
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