Introduction
Every stage of life, including pregnancy, benefits from regular physical activity. It might be a key element in keeping women from developing depressive disorders after giving birth. Additionally, exercising during pregnancy is safe and beneficial for most women. Some alterations and safety measures to exercise routines may be required due to specific anatomical and physiological changes and fetal considerations.
Guidelines for Physical Activity
Regular exercise continues to benefit a woman’s overall health over a typical postpartum time. Studies have shown that women’s mood and cardiorespiratory fitness improve when they engage in moderate-intensity physical activity in the weeks and months after giving birth to a child. The official guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health have been updated over the past years. Consequently, they confirm earlier advice to engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). Spread out this activity over the course of the entire week. The guidelines suggest that women who were physically active before becoming pregnant or who regularly engaged in vigorous physical exercise continue doing so during pregnancy and postpartum.
Precautions and Considerations
However, a few alterations must be made for pregnancy exercises that the exercise professional must apply for safety. Suppose the new client’s condition is after the first trimester of pregnancy. In that case, the woman should not perform workouts that require her to lie on her back since this position can block blood flow to the uterus and fetus (Committee on Obstetric Practice, 2020). Additionally, professionals should keep women from engaging in contact with crash sports and dangerous pursuits like horseback riding, downhill skiing, and other sports involving falling or other abdominal injuries. Additionally, professionals must control heat exposure and prolonged activity that should be undertaken in a thermoneutral setting or under-regulated environmental circumstances.
Conclusion
Therefore, when there is no fitness restriction, pregnancy outcomes improve, and there is no evidence that exercise causes harm. Exercise and physical activity during pregnancy helps women stay physically fit and may help them avoid gaining too much weight throughout the pregnancy. Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and cesarean delivery risk may all be decreased by physical activity.
References
Committee on Obstetric Practice. (2020). Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 135(4). 178-188.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical activity guidelines for Americans, (2nd ed.). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.