HOW YOGA CAN BOOST FERTILITY

For some women, chronic stress can affect ovulation by altering signals to the hypothalamus, the centre of the brain that regulates some of the hormones that trigger the ovaries to release eggs.

In one of the largest yoga studies to date, US experts found that just six weeks of the practice dramatically lowered anxiety. The study by Fertility Centres of Illinois and Rush University Medical Centre found those practising yoga lowered their anxiety levels by 20 per cent over the period, compared with just two per cent for the control group.

Lead author Dr Jenny Hirshfeldcytron said: “This is particularly exciting given that there is usually an increase in anxiety for infertility patients undergoing treatment.”