1. Physical activity during pregnancy

2. The importance of physical activity during pregnancy
Physical activity is beneficial for both the unborn child and the mother
Increase the likelihood of a long-term, healthy lifestyle
It is important to drink plenty of water and pay close attention to your body and how you feel

3. Pregnancy changes how your body responds to exercise
There are 5 main areas that you may notice changes, which are:
Breathing: body requires more oxygen, your belly presses on your lungs, shortness of breath
Heart rate: harder and faster
Body temperature: sweat at a lower body temperature
Balance: more unbalanced
Joints: the hormones released during pregnancy can make your joints more relaxed

4. Here are some fun and safe exercises that are great during pregnancy

5. Video: great core workout for pregnant moms

6. The myths about exercising during pregnancy
Low birth weights
Not enough blood getting to the fetus
Neural tube defects
It will hurt the unborn child
However none of these myths have any evidence to back them up

7. Recommendations for physical activity during pregnancy
The most current guidelines recommend moderate (30 or more minutes of exercise per day at least 5 days a week), low impact, aerobic exercise at least three times per week
Mild to moderate - not physically active before pregnancy
Brisk walking, bicycling, vacuuming, gardening, or any activity that causes small increases in breathing or heart rate
Moderate to high - physically active before pregnancy
Incorporating vigorous exercise and light weight training (jogging, running, lifting light weights, etc.)

8. Benefits to exercising during pregnancy - mother
Decrease the risk of preeclampsia by lowering blood pressure
Reducing gestational weight gain
Improving placenta growth and blood flow to the area
Reducing swelling
Reducing the likelihood of operative delivery
Reducing the risk of gestational diabetes
Improving overall mood
Reducing pregnancy discomforts (back pain, leg/ankle/foot swelling, etc.)
May also have a role in preventing chronic diseases such as type II diabetes and hypertension

9. Gestational diabetes Mellitus (gdm)
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a type of diabetes obtained during pregnancy. Studies show that 40% of mothers who are diagnosed with GDM are diagnosed with type II diabetes within 4 years.
Being physically active during pregnancy - 48% reduction in the diagnosis of GDM
If the women were active before and during pregnancy - 60% reduction in the diagnosis of GDM
The more one exercised and the more vigorous the exercise, the greater the reduction of risk of GDM

10. Gestational weight gain (gwg)
Gestational Weigh Gain (GWG) refers to the amount of weight that the mother has gained during pregnancy.
Increased GWG and weight retention increases the cases of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension
Most women with an increased GWG give birth to an over weight infant. Therefore, pre- pregnancy overweight and obesity may be passed on from the mother to her offspring.

11. Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia refers to hypertension (an increase in blood pressure) during pregnancy.
Preeclampsia is the second leading cause of death during pregnancy and delivery
Preeclampsia can cause many complications during the course of pregnancy, including preterm delivery
Women who exercise at least 25 times per month have a 33% to 35% decrease in risk of preeclampsia

12. Reduced risk of caesarean delivery
Exercising during pregnancy reduces the risk of caesarean delivery and reduces complications during the procedure, such as:
Infections of the uterus
Surgical wound complications
Heart and lung conditions
Stroke
Longer hospital stays
Higher readmission rates

13. Reduced risk of depression and anxiety
Exercise, whether during pregnancy or not, reduces the risk of depression and anxiety by increasing self-esteem and perceptions of self-worth.
Pregnant women who exercised during their pregnancy reported that the best benefit was their improved mood and increased self-esteem

14. Benefits to exercising during pregnancy - fetus
Women who exercise during pregnancy are benefiting, not only themselves but their unborn child as well. The most significant benefits to the fetus are:
A healthy birth weight
Reduced risk of being born preterm/premature

15. Birth weight
Exercise during pregnancy leads to healthy birth weight by reducing the risk of delivering an overweight child without increasing the risk of delivering an underweight child
Reduces the risk of delivering an overweight child by 30%
It is plausible that this normalization of birth weight may translate into improved child health outcomes

16. Reduced risk of being born preterm/premature
Exercise during pregnancy can decrease the risk of preterm delivery by improving placentation and increasing blood flow to the fetus
Women who engaged in vigorous activity during the first trimester had significantly less chance of giving birth to preterm infants. This effect was even greater when women continued to exercise vigorously into the second and third trimester.

17. Unsafe physical activities during pregnancy
Check with your health care provider when choosing physical activities during pregnancy. It is generally recommended to avoid:
Anything that may cause injury or put you at risk for falling
Any activity that may cause you to get hit in the belly
Bouncing movements
Scuba diving
Exercising at high altitudes (more than 6000 feet)
Exercising outside on hot/humid days
Saunas, hot tubs, and steam rooms

18. Contraindications to exercise in pregnancy
However, there are some circumstances when the risk of exercise outweighs the benefits, such cases include:
Heart problems
Lung disease
Incompetent cervix
Pregnant with multiples (at risk of premature labor)
Ongoing second- or third-trimester bleeding
Placenta previa (when the placenta attaches itself at the lower areas of the uterus) after 26 weeks of gestation
Premature labor during the current pregnancy
Ruptured membranes
Preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure)

19. Contraindications to aerobic exercise in pregnancy
In the same sense, there are some exercises that should not be performed under certain circumstances. In the case of aerobics, this includes:
Severe anemia (low blood cell count)
Heart problems
Respiratory problems (Ie. chronic bronchitis)
Poorly controlled type 1 diabetes
Extreme morbid obesity
Extreme underweight (body mass index < 12)
History of extremely inactive lifestyle
Placenta previa (when the placenta has attached in the lower areas of the uterus)
Poorly controlled hypertension (high blood pressure)
Physical limitations
Poorly controlled seizure disorder
Poorly controlled hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid)
Heavy smoker

20. Signs to stop exercising in a normal pregnancy
If a normal, healthy pregnancy has been obtained but any of the following symptoms are present, exercise should be terminated immediately and you should see your doctor:
Vaginal bleeding
Ruptured membranes
Shortness of breath at rest
Dizziness
Severe headache
Chest pain
Muscle weakness
Calf pain or swelling (need to rule out thrombophlebitis – swelling of the vein due to blood clot)
Preterm labor
Decreased fetal movement
Amniotic fluid leakage

21. Video: exercise during pregnancy

22. WEBSITES THAT PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACIVITY DURING PREGNANCY

23. REFERENCES
Mudd, L. M., Owe, K. M., Mottola, M. F., & Pivarnik, J. M. (2012). Health benefits of physical activity during pregnancy: An international perspective. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 14.
Nascimento, S. L., Surita, F. G., & Cecatti, J. G. (2012). Physical exercise during pregnancy: a systematic review. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 24(6),
Wadsworth, P. (2007). The benefits of exercise in pregnancy. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 3(5),