Once pregnant, many women tend to decrease their activity levels. Research states that barriers to exercise reported by pregnant women include lack of motivation, perceived lack of time due to family and work demands, desire to postpone weight loss until after delivery and pain with movement.Many pregnant women are either not advised of the benefits of exercise or choose not to participate in activity.
Research shows that aerobic exercise, progressive resistive strengthening, stretching exercises and yoga can be deemed safe to do during pregnancy. Maternal benefits for women who exercise during pregnancy includes
• Improved cardiovascular function
• Decreased risk for gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia
• Decreased risk of complicated labour
• Improved strength
• Improved sense of well-being
• Decrease depression and anxiety
• Reduce risk that may result from caesarean delivery such as uterine infection, surgical wound complications, cardiopulmonary and thromboembolic conditions and longer hospital stays
• Moderate exercise may reduce lower back pain and lower extremity edema.
Benefits of exercise to the Fetus includes
• Improve viability to the placenta
• Decrease resting fetal heart rate
• Increase amniotic fluid level
• Provide protection against preeclampsia
Furthermore, although exercises has its benefits, some precautions needs to be observed. Below are a few warning signs that may lead to terminate exercise during pregnancy.
• vaginal bleeding
• dizziness
• headaches
• chest pains
• preterm labour
• nausea and vomiting
• calf pain, swelling or redness
• decreased fetal movement
• amniotic fluid leakage
