Pregnancy and Exercise

Always consult with your physician before beginning an exercise program. The basic rule of thumb is that if you are currently exercising as you become pregnant, you can resume exercise at the same level of intensity. It is not reccomended to add or increase exercise once you become pregnant.

Of course there are many things to take into consideration while developing a program during pregnancy. This is why working with a trained professional is such a great benifit. Knowing the do's and don'ts to be able to accomplish the following. In the following are some of the benefits for pregnant women who engage in properly designed prenatal exercise programs (adapted from ACSM 2000):

* Improved cardiovascular and muscular fitness
* Facilitated recovery from labor
* Faster return to prepregnancy weight, strength, and flexibility levels
* Reduced postpartum belly
* Reduced back pain during pregnancy
* More energy reserve
* Fewer obstetric interventions
* Shorter active phase of labor and less pain
* Less weight gain
* Enhanced maternal psychological well-being that may reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression often experienced during pregnancy
* Increased likelihood of adopting permanent healthy lifestyle habits.
* May also be beneficial in the primary prevention of gestational diabetes.

Some research has revealed reduced birth weight in babies whose mothers performed high-intensity exercise throughout their pregnancy. The lower birth weight was approximately 300 to 350 grams (10 to 12 ounces) and apparently resulted from a decreased amount of subcutaneousous fat in the newborn. There are no documented adverse fetal effects related to exercise-induced fetal heart rate changes.

There are more benifits like less back pain, leading to less need for drugs during delivery and shorter labor.

Exercise selection and safety are our first concern. As you can see we take our job and safety very serious and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.


Health for Life,

Justin List