The Benefits of Fertility and Prenatal Massage

By Theresa Teague, LMBT

If you have ever undergone fertility treatments or had any problems getting or staying pregnant, you probably well know that infertility affects nearly one in six couples. It may seem that you are in this pursuit alone, and it definitely tends to feel that way. You are, however, not alone. You have a team at your disposal: your significant other, your friends and family and your healthcare team, which includes your acupuncturist and your massage therapist.

Yes, I did say ‘your massage therapist’.

We all know the word “stress,” but people with fertility issues seem to know the meaning of the word intimately. Couples trying to conceive go through several procedures that can cause elevated stress levels, not to mention the stress of just trying to conceive month after month. But do we truly understand the far-reaching effects that stress has on our bodies? Stress can magnify feelings of pain, discomfort and physical reactions as well as increase the feelings of fear, worry, emptiness and anger. All of that combined can lead to a downward spiral and overall feeling of loss of control. Stress during an IVF cycle causes a decrease in the number of eggs developed, retrieved and transferred. And, yes, as our mothers told us, stress can causes changes in our menstrual cycle both at ovulation and menses.

Massage helps to break the cycle of stress by encouraging relaxation. It relaxes tense muscles and tight connective tissue, it increases blood flow and drains the lymphatic system of toxins, it induces the body’s relaxation response and calms stress-related conditions. After a massage you tend to have an overall sense of well being and calm. All of these are factors for a successful pregnancy.

While there is no scientific evidence that massage improves fertility there have been plenty of studies on the effects of stress on fertility. Massage helps to mitigate the body’s stress response, so it makes sense that massage should be part of your plan to improve the odds of successfully conceiving.

Fertility massage specifically helps your body to better handle the effects of stress; it increases blood flow to the reproductive organs and helps the body to eliminate toxins. All of these things assist in the stimulation of hormone production. A massage therapist trained in fertility massage is familiar with the medical aspects of infertility treatments and can customize the massage to fit your needs surrounding your fertility/reproductive cycle.

Once you are pregnant, pregnancy massage is also very beneficial. Pregnancy brings with it a variety of changes, most pleasant but some not. All pregnant women can expect to experience at least a little stiffness and muscular tension during their pregnancy as their uterus expands to accommodate their growing baby. Massage is a simple and effective way to treat some of the side effects of pregnancy, prepare you for labor, bring back some mind-body integration (when I was pregnant there were days when I felt that my body was not my own), and also leave you feeling great. It also helps relieve edema and swelling by stimulating circulation throughout the body. It can help promote restful sleep and relieve pregnancy related insomnia, and aside from the obvious low back pain, it can also reduce leg cramps. Getting massages during pregnancy can also put you into a state of calm acceptance of your continually changing form. Massage’s relaxing benefits can also translate to your baby, particularly if your massage therapist is trained in pregnancy massage and uses gentle strokes on your abdomen.

So next time you think of massage as an indulgence, remember too that it has therapeutic benefits. No matter where you are in the process of conceiving, there seems to be no better way to ease your troubles than to lie under warm sheets, listen to soothing music and have a massage.