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Background <p>The prevalence of overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age has increased, adversely affecting fertility and reproductive health. Women with overweight and obesity undergoing IVF treatment face additional challenges in maintaining exercise intentions and behaviors, often due to a combination of lower baseline exercise self-efficacy, greater physical discomfort, and magnified fears that physical exertion might disrupt delicate treatment phases.</p> Objectives <p>This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a Phased Aerobic Exercise Training (PAET) program, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), on exercise behaviors in overweight/obese women undergoing In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer (IVF–ET).</p> Methods <p>From July 2022 to June 2023, 82 overweight/obese women were non-randomly allocated into an intervention (PAET, n = 41) or a control group (n = 41). To address attrition bias, an intention-to-treat approach was applied. The PAET intervention spanned the entire IVF–ET cycle and was structured around TPB constructs (incorporating cognitive education, a peer support group, and personalized planning). Through this framework, participants engaged in aerobic exercise with frequency and duration dynamically tailored to their specific treatment stage (e.g., moderate aerobic exercise 3–5 times/week for 30–60&#xa0;min/session during preparation, adjusting to low-impact walking 3–4 times/week post-transfer). Outcomes were measured using the TPB scale, Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (FertiQOL).</p> Results <p>The intervention group showed improvements in perceived behavioral control, exercise intention, exercise self-efficacy, physical activity levels, and BMI reduction compared to the control group. In addition, participants in the intervention group reported better emotional well-being and greater treatment tolerance.</p> Conclusions <p>The PAET program based on the TPB model benefits overweight and obese women undergoing IVF–ET by enhancing exercise behavior, aiding weight control, and improving quality of life. However, maintaining exercise intentions and behaviors remains challenging for this population during IVF treatment.</p>

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Examining a TPB-based intervention on exercise behavior in overweight/obese individuals undergoing in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer (IVF–ET): a quasi-experimental study

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月13日

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  • Mengye Yang,
  • Yan Zhang,
  • Ling Jiang,
  • Ying Zhou,
  • Yan Tang,
  • Zhifeng Zhu

摘要

Background

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age has increased, adversely affecting fertility and reproductive health. Women with overweight and obesity undergoing IVF treatment face additional challenges in maintaining exercise intentions and behaviors, often due to a combination of lower baseline exercise self-efficacy, greater physical discomfort, and magnified fears that physical exertion might disrupt delicate treatment phases.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a Phased Aerobic Exercise Training (PAET) program, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), on exercise behaviors in overweight/obese women undergoing In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer (IVF–ET).

Methods

From July 2022 to June 2023, 82 overweight/obese women were non-randomly allocated into an intervention (PAET, n = 41) or a control group (n = 41). To address attrition bias, an intention-to-treat approach was applied. The PAET intervention spanned the entire IVF–ET cycle and was structured around TPB constructs (incorporating cognitive education, a peer support group, and personalized planning). Through this framework, participants engaged in aerobic exercise with frequency and duration dynamically tailored to their specific treatment stage (e.g., moderate aerobic exercise 3–5 times/week for 30–60 min/session during preparation, adjusting to low-impact walking 3–4 times/week post-transfer). Outcomes were measured using the TPB scale, Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (FertiQOL).

Results

The intervention group showed improvements in perceived behavioral control, exercise intention, exercise self-efficacy, physical activity levels, and BMI reduction compared to the control group. In addition, participants in the intervention group reported better emotional well-being and greater treatment tolerance.

Conclusions

The PAET program based on the TPB model benefits overweight and obese women undergoing IVF–ET by enhancing exercise behavior, aiding weight control, and improving quality of life. However, maintaining exercise intentions and behaviors remains challenging for this population during IVF treatment.