Pregnant? Don't forget to exercise
It wasn't all that long ago that the moment a woman learned she
was pregnant, exercise was out and pampering and rest were in.
It was imperative, the thinking went, that the mom-to-be do nothing to risk her
baby's development.
Today, doctors say not only is it OK to exercise, but women should stay active as
a way to ensure a smoother, healthier pregnancy and delivery, while possibly reducing
the risk of gestational diabetes.
Dr. Mary Jo O'Sullivan, a gynecologist and professor emeritus at the University
of Miami in Florida , said that in the past, "women were catered to when they became
pregnant," because it was assumed physical activity would harm the fetus.
But recent research has found that fetal heart rate and birth weight don't suffer
when a healthy woman exercises moderately. Nor does exercise harm the placenta,
the organ that grows on the wall of the uterus and supplies blood and nutrients
to the baby, O'Sullivan said.
"In a basically healthy woman, a moderate exercise program does not seem to have
a significant impact on the pregnancy as far as the fetus is concerned," she said.
Karen Fehr, division chairwoman of health and exercise science at Paradise Valley
Community College in Phoenix, added, "Exercising helps women to have the energy
levels and endurance to maintain strength during the changes in the body due to
pregnancy."
What's more, exercise can help reduce some of the typical pregnancy discomforts,
such as backache, constipation, fatigue, bloating and swelling. And it boosts a
woman's mood, energy level and self-image, while improving her posture and sleep,
according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Fehr added, however, that exercise has to be tailored to a pregnant woman. For instance,
pregnant women shouldn't exercise on their backs because the baby's weight can press
too much on the lungs and arteries. Also, exercises have to account for changes
in balance and body mechanics because of the extra weight of the stomach and lower
center of gravity. Also important is proper exercise technique, she added.
During pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin is released into the body to relax the
uterus to make room for the growing fetus. But this hormone also relaxes all the
other connective tissue in the body, like the ligaments and tendons that surround
the joints.
"These hormones can cause joint laxity," Fehr said, so women need to be careful
when putting stress on their joints.
Three years ago, in response to questions about exercise during pregnancy, the American
College of Obstetrics and Gynecology issued a set of guidelines to help women and
doctors.
In general, said O'Sullivan, who helped prepare the guidelines, swimming and walking
are recommended, as well as aerobic activity at half the level of pre-pregnancy.
Not recommended, according to the guidelines, are contact sports or activities that
carry a risk of falling, both of which could cause harm to a fetus. These include
sports such as soccer and basketball, rigorous racket sports, and activities such
as downhill skiing or horseback riding, she said.
The guidelines also list physical conditions that preclude any exercise, like high-risk
pregnancies, second or third trimester bleeding and heart disease, and conditions
that call for caution in exercising, like severe anemia, poorly controlled high
blood pressure or type 1 diabetes, obesity, or a previously sedentary lifestyle.
O'Sullivan said that, despite the booming interest in exercise among women, very
few actually exercise during pregnancy.
"This is a very rough estimate, but no more than 15 percent of pregnant women are
exercising," she said, "and those who do are in a higher socioeconomic group, who
are generally thin, and who are exercising pre-pregnancy."