Exercise in Pregnancy: the Benefits of Reasonable Physical Exercise to Pregnant Women

Staying in shape while a woman is pregnant is important. With reasonable physical exercise, pregnant women will find their body always kept in good shape. Studies made on some expectant mothers indicate that being in good shape may even result in a shorter labor. But is it really a good idea to exercise during pregnancy?

Exercise is essential to good health; for as long as exercise is done in moderation, pregnant women will surely derive certain benefits from it. For one, moderate exercise can increase stamina, which will help expectant mothers in coping with the rigors of labor. Regular moderate exercise also makes it easier for pregnant women to return to normal physical tone after childbirth.

Most physicians normally recommend that the form of physical exercise practiced before a woman became pregnant should be continued even during pregnancy. Of course, this is on the assumption that such exercise or physical activity is reasonable or of the "low-impact" type. One of the best forms of exercise for women during pregnancy is walking. Gardening is another form that pregnant women may find beneficial. Certain muscle-building exercises, which are aimed at strengthening those muscles that will be involved in childbirth, are prescribed by some physicians; this will make the process of childbirth less taxing.

Moderation is the key when exercising during pregnancy. One of the dangers pregnant women face when exercising too hard is that blood and nutrients are diverted from the fetus. A good way to test if a pregnant woman is not working out too hard is when she is able to converse while exercising. It is also important for her to consider her physical condition prior to her becoming pregnant. This means, for example, that if she was not active before becoming pregnant, she should just engage in such low-impact activities as walking or short workouts on a treadmill. From the fifth month of pregnancy, pregnant women should refrain from engaging in any activity or sport that requires running.

It is very clear, therefore, that heavy physical work, strenuous physical activities, or high-impact sports (or those that involve a high degree of reflex coordination) should be avoided by women during pregnancy. Lifting is definitely a heavy physical work that must be avoided; so is stooping. Exercises that require lying on one's back, such as sit-ups and some aerobic positions, should be shunned. This is because such exercises can make the weight of the uterus to constrict blood flow through the vena cava, thus interfering with the return of blood to the right atrium of the heart.

Some of the sports that should be avoided during pregnancy are those that can cause expectant mothers to fall, such as skating and skiing. More dangerous ones that should definitely be avoided during this period are horseback riding and mountaineering. Underwater and high-altitude sports should be given up as these can divert too much oxygen from the fetus. Even those activities that involve hopping, such as jogging, should be skipped.

Adequate exercise, even during pregnancy, promotes blood circulation throughout the body and helps to maintain the tissues in good condition. But expectant mothers have to always remember that they should engage only in reasonable physical exercise or avoid extremes of exertion. [Read the Original Article]