Pregnant Women Urged to Do Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy

Filed in archive Information About , Post-Natal Issues , Pregnancy Fitness on October 13, 2008

The US Department of Health and Human Services issued new physical activity guidelines for Americans, and among the groups these new guidelines are aimed at are pregnant women. Basically, pregnant women are urged to engage in more physical activity during pregnancy and after delivery, as this has been shown to benefit not just the mother, but the baby as well.

Specifically, the guidelines call for women to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week during pregnancy and the postpartum period, preferably spread throughout the week. In addition to health benefits, moderate physical activity also may reduce the length of labor, evidence suggests. The guidelines call for women to avoid doing activities that involve lying on their back after the first trimester and activities with high risk of falling or abdominal trauma.

During the postpartum period, regular physical activity continues to benefit a woman's overall health, according to Pivarnik's research, by increasing her cardiorespiratory fitness and improving her mood. Physical activity after pregnancy also helps women achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and when combined with appropriate caloric restriction, promotes weight loss.

Regular excersise during the postpartum period will greatly reduce the need for a woman to file a medical negligence claim against the midwife.

You can download a full copy of the guidelines here (pdf file).