01/24/2019
Guidelines for Exercise During Pregnancy
(Adapted from Mottola et al., 2018)
A. Guidelines
1. All women without contraindications should be physically active throughout pregnancy, including women who were previously inactive and women who are categorized as overweight or obese.
2. Pregnant women should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week to achieve health benefits and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. Moderate intensity means that the person’s heart rate should noticeably increase (approximately between 120-145 beats per minute), they can talk but not sing during the exercise.
3. Physical activity should be accumulated over a minimum of 3 days per week but being active every day is encouraged.
4. Pregnant women should incorporate a variety of aerobic and resistance training activities to achieve greater benefit. Adding yoga and/or gentle stretching may also be beneficial.
-Examples of aerobic exercises are: brisk walking, cycling, stair climbing, swimming, aerobics exercise classes
-Examples of resistance training exercises are: free weights exercises, bodyweight exercises (ex. squats, push-ups), resistance band exercises, cable exercises
5. Pelvic floor muscle training (ex. Kegel exercises) may be performed daily to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence. Instruction on proper technique is recommended to obtain optimal benefits.
6. Pregnant women who experience light-headedness, nausea, or feel unwell when they exercise flat on their bac should modify their exercise position to avoid that position.
B. Contraindications
There are two forms of contraindications: absolute and relative. Having an absolute contraindication means that the person may continue their usual activities of daily living but should not participate in more strenuous activities. Women with relative contraindications should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of moderate physical activity with their obstetric care provider before participating in exercise.
The following are absolute contraindications to exercise:
• Ruptured membranes
• Premature labour
• Unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding
• Placenta praevia after 28 weeks’ gestation
• Pre-eclampsia
• Incompetent cervix
• Intrauterine growth restriction
• High-order multiple pregnancy
• Uncontrolled type I diabetes
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Uncontrolled thyroid disease
• Other serious cardiovascular, respiratory, or systemic disorder
The following are relative contraindications to exercise:
• Recurrent pregnancy loss
• Gestational hypertension
• History of spontaneous preterm birth
• Mild/moderate cardiovascular or respiratory disease
• Symptomatic anaemia
• Malnutrition
• Eating disorder
• Twin pregnancy after the 28th week
• Other significant medical conditions
Reference
Mottola, M. F., Davenport, M. H., Ruchat, S. M., Davies, G. A., Poitras, V. J., Gray, C. E., … Zehr, L. (2018, November 1). 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy. British Journal of Sports Medicine. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100056
