it is not a time to step
up fitness or performance. Most
women want to exercise to maintain
fitness, help with weight
management, or combat fatigue and
stress. As a fitness professional,
the goal is to assist the woman in
maintaining her fitness level while
minimizing the risks to the fetus. As
the woman’s body changes, so must
the exercise regimen. The FITT
prescription is generally safe during
pregnancy (see Table 3). Walking,
stretching, most yoga, and other
low-impact activities are safe for
women who have never exercised
before. Have them gradually build
up their regimen to ensure there
is no negative impact from the increased
activity. Generally, the only
activity that is advised against during
pregnancy is scuba diving. Within
reason and depending on maternal
fitness and altitude adaptation,
women can even exercise at altitudes
up to 2500 m. Maximal weight
lifting elevates blood pressure and
should be avoided during pregnancy,
although moderate intensity lifting
can be performed safely. Any high-risk
or contact/collision sports can
result in abdominal trauma and
subsequent fetal injury. All women
must use common sense when
considering these activities. No health
professional could ever recommend
an activity that might result in
fetal death.
In summary, exercise can be
safe and enjoyable during pregnancy.
It can increase maternal well-being and
self-esteem. There is an ever-increasing
body of literature in support of
exercise during pregnancy. For most
women, the benefits far outweigh
any theoretic risks, and the risks are
small when proper guidelines and
precautions are followed. Always make
sure a pregnant woman is seeing her
health-care provider regularly. As a
woman’s body changes throughout
the pregnancy, she needs to be
willing to adjust her exercise regimen
to ensure continued safety while
exercising.