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WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S | Family Maternity Center | Pregnancy Resource Center | Pregnancy Library | Exercise | Is exercise safe during pregnancy?
Is exercise safe during pregnancy?
Perhaps the question should be, is it safe to not exercise? The benefits of staying fit at this time in your life are many. According to the March of Dimes, study after study has shown that moderate and even vigorous exercise poses no threat to a fetus, as long as you have no serious medical problems and an uncomplicated pregnancy.
In addition to all the usual benefits of exercise (including lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, and possibly some forms of cancer), exercise provides special benefits to pregnant women, including:- Increased self-esteem and reduced depression and anxiety
- Help with gaining weight at a steady, reasonable pace
- Less discomfort from varicose veins, constipation, backache, and fatigue
- Higher energy levels
- Better sleep
- Quicker weight loss after the birth
- Shorter recovery time after birth
- Calmer, less fussy babies
Does this mean it's a good time to start training for a marathon? Hardly. Women who have not exercised regularly are advised to start slowly, after checking with their doctor. Even 30 minutes of moderately strenuous activity, from gardening and housework to walking or cycling, every day or most days can give you many of the health benefits of a structured exercise program.
Listen to your body
Let your endurance and your abilities guide you. Always stop when you get fatigued. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends you stop your workout and call your doctor immediately if you experience:- Increased shortness of breath
- Dizziness or faintness
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Chest pain or tightness
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain
- Trouble walking
- Uterine contractions after stopping exercise that last for more than 30 minutes
- Vaginal bleeding
- Fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina
- Decreased fetal activity
- Visual disturbances
- Numbness in any part of your body
When is exercise not recommended?
Your doctor may advise against exercise during pregnancy if you have chronic hypertension or active thyroid, cardiac, vascular, or pulmonary disease, or if you have any of the following conditions during pregnancy:- Pregnancy-induced hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Pre-term labor or rupture of membranes, during this pregnancy or a previous one
- Incompetent cervix
- Persistent bleeding in the second or third trimester
- Intrauterine growth retardation
- Twins (or more!)
Date last reviewed: October 2002.
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