Pregnancy and Exercise

Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological, biomechanical and hormonal changes in the body. As chiropractors, we are uniquely positioned to support musculoskeletal health and functional movement changes during this journey. However, another key supporting role is exercise and safe movement, while considering the current exercise guidelines and safety considerations.
Movement matters during pregnancy and research shows that physical activity during pregnancy provides multiple benefits including:

• Reduced risk of some complications: regular exercise reduces the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (Davenport et al 2018).
• Weight management: helps limit excessive gestational weight gain with no association in reduction in birthweight for the newborn. (Nascimento et al., 2012).
• Reduced musculoskeletal pain: exercise decreases low back pain and pelvic girdle pain, two common complaints during pregnancy (Owe et al., 2016).
• Improved psychological wellbeing: physical activity can aid to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The World Health Organisation (2020) guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week for substantial health benefits during pregnancy. It is also recommended to incorporate a variety of aerobic and muscle strengthening activities. Use the “talk test” to monitor intensity: women should be able to talk but not sing during activity. Women who, before pregnancy, habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, or who were physically active, can continue these activities during pregnancy and post-partum periods. It is also recommended that any movement including light intensity provides health benefits over time spent sedentary.
It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about how your pregnancy and exercise regimen can be safe and effective for you as it should always be individualised.
References:

• Davenport MH, Ruchat S, Poitras VJ (2018) Prenatal exercise for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2018; 52:1367-1375.
• Nascimento SL, Surita FG, Cecatti JG.(2012) Physical exercise during pregnancy: a systematic review. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Dec;24(6): 387-94.
• Owe KM, Bjelland EK, Stuge B, Orsini N, Eberhard-Gran M, Vangen S (2016). Exercise level before pregnancy and engaging in high-impact sports reduce the risk of pelvic girdle pain: a population-based cohort study of 39184 women. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Jul;50(13):817-22.
• World Health Organisation (2020) WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: WHO.