Researchers in North America have studied hundreds of active pregnant women and their newborns, and found that "for most pregnant women, exercise has numerous physical, mental and emotional benefits". Unfortunately, over the last century, active women have been warned to cut back on or stop their exercise completely. In fact, the first exercise and pregnancy guidelines issued years ago tended to treat pregnancy as if it were a sickness. Someof these cautions came from long-standing societal beliefs, and some arose from a few animal studies linking intense exercise with fetal malformations. However, in 2003, the British Journal of Sport Medicine reported on new guidelines for the promotion of exercise duringpregnancy, stating: "Pregnancy is recognized as a unique time for behaviour modification and is no longer considered a condition for confinement."

A safe exercise program is based on your prepregnancy level of fitness and whether or not your doctor or midwife determines that your pregnancy is high risk. If you've been active on a regular basis prior to pregnancy, then you can maintain that activity level, as long as your pregnancy has been deemed low risk. If you have not been working out regularly, then it's recommended that exercise be deferred until the second trimester. You should certainly be encouraged to continue your daily activity, such as walks, gardening or stair climbing, but starting a regular exercise program should begin gradually - and not until the second trimester. Your regular workouts should then be tapered back in the third trimester.

Always monitor your intensity level and heart rate throughout your workouts, and drink plenty of water before, during and after you exercise to make sure you don't overheat. And always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Remember: regular activity throughout your pregnancy may mean an easier delivery when baby decides to come. And who wouldn't want that?

Drink plenty of water before, during and after you exercise.

Dr. Julia M.K. Alleyne, MD
Medical Director,
Sport Medicine,
Sunnybrook & Women's
College Health Sciences Centre.