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Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy ?
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Dr Joseph Sgroi is an obstetrician, gynaecologist, infertility and IVF specialist and a spokesperson for the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Listen to Dr Joseph Sgroi Talking Lifestyle interview with Ed Phillips on the topic of exercising during pregnancy below. -
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Dr Joseph Sgroi
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Dr Joseph Sgroi is an Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and IVF/Fertility Specialist at Epworth Freemasons and Melbourne IVF. He provides the highest level of care to patients … View Profile
Is exercising during pregnancy safe?
Exercise is very beneficial for women during pregnancy and is perfectly safe. It's been reported in 2016 that as many as 75% of women in Australia with a healthy pregnancy don't do enough exercise.
What are the health benefits of exercise during pregnancy?
Doing some daily exercise won’t harm you or your baby and may help prevent pregnancy complications and conditions such as pre-eclampsia. It may even assist helping to have a shorter labour and increase the chance of a natural birth. From an emotional perspective, being active can help reduce and prevent depression and anxiety. It can also assist reducing pregnancy pain such as a backache, pelvic girdle pain as well as fatigue.
I wasn’t exercising before pregnancy. Should I start during pregnancy?
If you get the go-ahead from your GP, midwife or obstetrician, it’s perfectly safe to commence some gentle or moderate exercise, gradually working up to 30 minutes every day, if you feel comfortable with it.
Many women who have not exercised before tend to wait until the second trimester when fatigue and morning sickness improve or have alleviated; however, it’s entirely safe to commencing at all stages during pregnancy as long as there are no specific problems or medical complications during pregnancy.
What are some appropriate exercises to do during pregnancy?
The best type of exercise during pregnancy:
• raises your heart rate
• increases core strength
• focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor
• prepares your muscles for labour and birth
Some beneficial activities may include walking, swimming, pilates, and yoga. Whichever exercise activity you choose, it's important to stay hydrated and not push your body beyond your limits.
What exercises should I avoid?
Sports and contact that may cause you to fall or can throw you off-balance, such as horseriding, skiing, ballet, waterskiing or skating (such as ice skating), should be avoided. Contact or collision sports, such as football, rugby should be avoided during pregnancy.
How frequently should I be exercising?
Try to aim for a total of at least 30 minutes of gentle or moderate intensity activity per day. Focussing on doing three 10 minute sessions in a day is just as good as one 30-minute session if you can't fit an entire exercise session in at once.
Exercise doesn't have to be structured or formal to have a positive effect. Any activity that you can fit into your everyday life, such as walking, taking the stairs at work or even doing housework counts towards being active during pregnancy
Is there a point where I should stop or slow down?
It's important to choose an exercise or activity that won't cause you to push your body too hard. Listen to your body, and ensure to stop for a drink of water or take a rest if you feel tired. Take the time to warm up slowly and stretching before exercising is essential with cooling down properly afterward. It’s imperative to rely on how you feel, rather than monitoring your heart rate.
