C-Section Recovery
Physiotherapy During IVF
IVF is a medical treatment planned by your fertility team, and physiotherapy does not replace it. Physiotherapy offers support for accompanying problems such as pelvic pain, pain during sex or difficulty using and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. The assessment takes your history, symptoms and IVF schedule into account and looks at breathing, movement, and abdominal wall and pelvic floor muscle function. Where needed, assessment and treatment are planned with your consent and in line with your fertility team’s recommendations. Depending on your needs, the physiotherapy approach includes exercise, relaxation and body awareness work.
Tuğçe Atalay
Physiotherapy During IVF: A Supportive Approach
Physiotherapy Assessment Before IVF
In the consultation, we discuss lower back and pelvic pain, pain during sex, previous surgeries and pelvic floor muscle function. Breathing, the muscles’ ability to contract and relax, and abdominal-pelvic coordination during movement are assessed. The physiotherapy plan is built around your symptoms and goals.
Movement and Treatment During Ovarian Stimulation
During ovarian stimulation, your exercise and manual therapy plan should be adjusted according to how you respond to treatment and your IVF team’s recommendations. In this phase, the timing of any techniques directed at the abdomen and pelvis in particular should be shared with your treatment team.
Physiotherapy Around Egg Retrieval and Embryo Transfer
Whether physiotherapy continues on egg retrieval and embryo transfer days is decided based on guidance from the team performing the procedure. During this time, physiotherapy can be planned around personal needs such as pain, ease of movement or relaxation.
Common and Treatable
In a 2026 review, results from 6 studies on physiotherapy during embryo transfer suggest that it may increase the likelihood of pregnancy.
"I’m wondering whether it’s okay to have manual therapy before my transfer."
"I don’t know which exercises I can do while my ovaries are being stimulated."
"I’m going through IVF; can I get physiotherapy for my lower back and pelvic pain?"
Author: Tuğçe Atalay, Specialist Physiotherapist
Last updated:
The information on this page is for general information only and does not replace diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your doctor and physiotherapist about your symptoms.
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