Guidelines For Exercise During Pregnancy
Listening to, and understanding, your body as it changes during pregnancy will enable you to exercise confidently and effectively, allowing you to achieve the results that you want without the burden of injury.
Why exercise during pregnancy?
Exercise during pregnancy has been proven to result in marked benefits for both mother and baby. Benefits for the mother include improved cardiovascular function, limited pregnancy weight-gain, improved mood, shorter labour, decreased musculoskeletal discomfort as well as reduced incidence of muscle cramps, lower limb oedema, gestational diabetes and hypertension. A reduction in operative delivery has also been noted. Fetal benefits include increased stress tolerance, lower rate of prematurity, lower fat mass and advanced neurobehavioural maturation1.
How much should I do?
Current recommendations for exercise during pregnancy suggest that pregnant women may engage in ≥ 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all days of the week. Moderate physical activity is defined as intensity equivalent to a brisk walk at around approximately 5-7km/h. Women who have been sedentary before pregnancy should begin with 15 minutes of continuous exercise three times per week. This should then be increased gradually to 30 minutes four times per week as tolerated*. It is important to acknowledge that the aim of exercising during pregnancy is to maintain good condition rather than reaching peak fitness. Limit exercise for 45 minutes and make sure you consume adequate calories (1). It is important to always err on the side of caution and listen to your body.
What exercises should I avoid/ be careful with?
High impact/ bouncy exercises • including jumping, running or high-impact aerobics
Heavy strength training
Exercises that include prolonged lying on your back after 16 weeks
Scuba diving
Exercise in hot, humid conditions
Exercises that cause increased stress on your pelvic floor, abdominals, back and pelvis including:
Sit-ups
Wide-based stepping actions or squats/lunges
Single leg exercises
Complex moves, sudden changes in direction or twisting
When should I not commence exercise during pregnancy?
Exercise during pregnancy should not be undertaken if you have the following conditions. If in doubt, consult a medical professional.
Heart disease
Lung disease
Cervical insufficiency
Persistent bleeding
Placenta previa
Preterm labour
Ruptured membranes
Preeclampsia
What should I do if I am unsure what types of exercise to engage in?
If at any stage you are unsure of what types of exercises are safe or appropriate, ask your physiotherapist or health professional. Attending a physiotherapist-designed, pregnancy-specific exercise class means that you would be guided through safe, appropriate exercises.
What types of exercises/classes are the safest to do?
Pilates
Aquatic exercises
Low-impact exercises
Yoga
Stationary cycling •
Fitball
Walking
Exercise you have already been doing may be
ok for some or most of your pregnancy, although you may need to modify the intensity or duration
When should I stop an exercise?
If you are well and have none of the above conditions then you can exercise throughout your pregnancy. If you experience any of the following symptoms during exercise, stop immediately and notify your doctor:
Vaginal bleeding
Dizziness or feeling faint
Shortness of breath
Feeling extremely hot
Chest pain
Contractions or preterm labour
Calf pain, redness or swelling
Headache
Muscle weakness
Decreased fetal movement
1 Melzer, K., Schutz, Y., Boulvain, M. & Kayser, B (2010) Physical Activity and Pregnancy: Cardiovascular Adaptations, Recommendations and Pregnancy Outcomes, Sports Medicine 40(6): 493-507.2Artal, R. & Sherman, C. (1999) Exercise during pregnancy: safe and beneficial for most. Physical Sports Medicine 27: 51-58.
*These guidelines are derived from the American College of Sports Medicine Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (ACSM-CDC) and have been set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) and the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP).