Physical Activity During the Perinatal Period: A Fact Sheet for Clinicians

Regular physical activity is important for health maintenance across the lifespan and is particularly important during the perinatal period (1 year before conception to 1 year after childbirth). During the perinatal period, physical activity promotes favorable physical and mental health outcomes for the mother and positive developmental and metabolic health outcomes for the fetus. However, the prevalence of meeting physical activity guidelines during the perinatal period is low. In this review, we outline national physical activity guidelines and address benefits and risks of physical activity for 3 stages of the perinatal period: (1) women trying to become pregnant, (2) pregnant women, and (3) women in the postpartum period for one year following delivery. Guidelines recommend women in all 3 perinatal stages incorporate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity into their week. Women trying to become pregnant and women in the postpartum period (starting 6-8 weeks post-delivery) should also incorporate vigorous-intensity physical activity (with 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity equivalent to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity) and at least 2 muscle-strengthening sessions weekly. To conclude, we provide a framework for clinicians to effectively prescribe physical activity and increase physical activity accessibility for women throughout the perinatal period.