Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Exercises Nenefit or a FAD!

Exercise can help preventing relevant pregnancy related disorders, such as gestational diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain, hypertensive disorders, urinary incontinence, foetal macrosomia, lumbopelvic pain, anxiety and prenatal depression. Exercise is not related with an increased risk of maternal or perinatal adverse outcomes. Compliance with current guidelines is sufficient to achieve the main benefits, and exercise type and intensity should be based on woman’s previous fitness level.

Regarding exercise type, there are certain activities that were found to be safe in pregnancy, such as walking, stationary cycling, aerobic dancing, resistance exercises (using light weights, body weight, elastic bands), stretching exercises, swimming and water aerobics. Moreover, a variety of aerobic and resistance exercises should be performed for greater benefits. Specific PFMT exercises should also be performed to prevent Urinary Incontinence. Contact activities and sports with increased risk of trauma should be avoided. Exercise in the supine position should be addressed carefully, avoiding long periods of training, especially after the first trimester. Additionally, all women should also be informed of the warning signs that should motivate them to stop: vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, regular uterine contractions, amniotic fluid leakage, persistent excessive shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, severe chest pain, muscle weakness, calf pain or swelling.

Absolute Contraindications to exercise are: ruptured membranes, premature labour, unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding, placenta praevia after 28 weeks’ gestation, PE, incompetent cervix, intrauterine growth restriction, high-order multiple pregnancy (e.g. triplets), uncontrolled type I diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled thyroid disease and other serious cardiovascular, respiratory or systemic disorders.