Playing It Safe
Exercise has many benefits, but use some common sense and know your limits to help keep you and your baby free from possible injuries. Changes in the body that occur during pregnancy can interfere with your ability to safely participate in some forms of physical activity. Even though there are many benefits to exercising during pregnancy, it is important to first make sure that it is safe for both you and your baby.
Pregnant women are able to participate in a wide range of recreational activities, though each activity and each individual should be evaluated for potential risks. The following are some general guidelines for pregnant women who have no additional risk factors, from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
You're encouraged to participate in thirty minutes or more of moderate exercise most days of the week, if not all days.
During the second and third trimesters, avoid exercises that place you in a supine (on the back) position. Also avoid standing and being in a motionless position for too long.
Activities with a high risk of falling or abdominal trauma may not be safe and should be avoided, including ice hockey, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, horseback riding, downhill skiing, and vigorous racquet sports.
Scuba diving should be avoided throughout the entire pregnancy because it can put your baby at risk of decompression sickness.
Exercise during pregnancy at altitudes up to 6,000 feet appears to be safe, but engaging in physical activities at higher altitudes can carry some risk.
Pregnant women have less oxygen available for aerobic activities as they did before pregnancy, so don't expect to be able to do the same intensity as you did before pregnancy.
Avoid activities or exercise that incorporate jumping or bouncing motions and sudden changes in direction because they can cause injury to joints and other areas.
Don't overexert yourself to the point of breathlessness and/or exhaustion.
Wear comfortable, cool, flexible, and supportive clothing as well as shoes. Wear a bra that fits properly and supports your breasts.
Stay cool and properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
Do not become overheated, especially in your first trimester. Don't exercise on hot and humid days.
Some women may have medical and/or obstetric problems that would absolutely keep them from exercising. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests that certain health problems are absolute contraindications to aerobic exercise during pregnancy, including the following:
Heart disease or restrictive lung disease
Incompetent cervix or ruptured membranes
Pregnancy with more than one baby
Persistent second- and/or third-trimester bleeding
Pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia
Placenta previa (in which the placenta grows low in the uterus and covers the opening of the cervix) after twenty-six weeks
Premature labor during current pregnancy
If you have any of these problems or are pregnant with more than one baby, it is imperative to speak to your doctor before exercising. Other problems that may keep you from exercising, depending on your doctor's evaluation, may include severe anemia, chronic bronchitis, poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes, extreme obesity, extreme underweight, history of sedentary lifestyle, poorly controlled hypertension, poorly controlled seizure disorder, poorly controlled hyperthyroidism, and heavy smoking.
Most of the changes that the body goes through during pregnancy will last four to six weeks after delivery. Pre-pregnancy exercise routines may be resumed gradually after this point and as soon as your doctor deems them safe.
