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Author Spotlight: Enhancing the Offspring Health in Rats with Maternal Exercise During Pregnancy
Published on: April 5, 2024
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Exercise in Pregnancy: A Clinical Review
Sally K Hinman1, Kristy B Smith2, David M Quillen2
1Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida shinman@ufl.edu.
Sports Health
|October 27, 2015
Summary
Regular exercise during pregnancy is safe and offers benefits like reduced Cesarean rates and better weight management. While not proven to prevent gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, continued physical activity is encouraged for healthy pregnancies.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Sports Medicine
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Healthcare providers should counsel pregnant individuals on exercise benefits and risks.
- Most pregnant women do not meet exercise recommendations.
- Physically active women increasingly seek to continue exercise during pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the safety and benefits of exercise during pregnancy.
- To evaluate the evidence for exercise in preventing pregnancy complications.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search of the Web of Science database was conducted.
- Search terms included 'exercise pregnancy', 'strenuous exercise pregnancy', and 'vigorous exercise pregnancy'.
- The review focused on articles and reviews available through 2014.
Main Results:
- Exercise is safe for mother and fetus with appropriate risk assessment.
- Benefits include lower Cesarean rates, controlled maternal/fetal weight gain, and gestational diabetes management.
- Evidence does not reliably support exercise for preventing gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or perinatal depression.
Conclusions:
- Moderate- to high-intensity exercise is safe and beneficial in normal pregnancies.
- Research has not consistently shown exercise prevents gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or perinatal depression.
- Exercise should be encouraged based on a woman's pre-pregnancy activity level.
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