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Physical exercise is
recommended during pregnancy?
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Fitness and
active recreation are an important part
of the lifestyle of many women. For
pregnant women without medical or
obstetric complications, a moderate
level of physical activity can maintain
cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle
during pregnancy and postpartum. The
American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologist makes the following
recommendations on exercise for pregnant
women who have no risk factors of an
adverse maternal or perinatal outcome:
• The regular exercise is preferable to sporadic
• Exercises that do not involve lifting weights minimize the risk of
injury.
• Avoid exercise lying down face up after the first trimester.
• Not exercise until you reach exhaustion.
• Avoid exercise that involves a potential for any abdominal trauma
however slight.
• Adjust caloric intake to meet the demands of both the exercise and
pregnancy.
• Ensure adequate hydration and wearing clothes appropriate to increase
heat dissipation
Start up the pre-pregnancy exercise
routine so common after childbirth.
While all these signs are important, the
most important recommendations is that
all women must fully suspend the
exercise until after delivery. If there
is a previous preterm birth,
contraindicated exercises in the next
pregnancy.
Other contraindications to exercise
during pregnancy include:
• Pregnancy induced hypertension
• Premature rupture of membranes
• Presence Incompetent cervix or cerclage
• Persistent bleeding during the second or third trimester
• Intrauterine growth retardation.
