ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – It was once thought to be risky, but new research is showing exercise during pregnancy offers big benefits for mom and baby.
Exercise is good for anyone. But, staying active when you’re pregnant may be especially important.
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Doctors used to think exercise during pregnancy was linked to pre-term birth, but a recent study shows it’s not. In fact, being active offered big benefits. Researchers looked at more than two thousand women and found exercise was linked to a lower risk of gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as fewer C-sections. About 74 percent of women who exercised had a vaginal delivery, while 68 percent who didn’t had a C-section.
Jenn Lea, a Performance Coach at the Human Performance Institute said, “If you think about moms and their busy life, squeezing in anything is better than nothing at all.”
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The CDC says healthy women should get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week during and after their pregnancy. But you can divide it up into ten minutes at a time.
The important thing is to keep moving. It’s good for you and your baby!
If you exercised vigorously before your pregnancy, you can continue to do so, but talk to your doctor first. You might need to modify your intensity as your pregnancy progresses. And certain activities may be off limits, such as those that put you at risk for falling or those that require you to lie flat on your back.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.