Exercise during pregnancy: What effects does exercise or physical activity have on a woman and baby?
Exercise is generally considered to be a healthy activity, as we have already discussed in this article. However, if pregnancy-related exercise is mentioned, many people find it dangerous. It is only natural that we are more concerned about many "normal activities" during pregnancy. Add to that all sorts of information from magazines (few scientifically based ones) and the stress of these fears harms us more than any training. So how is it? What do scientific research say?
Positive effects (not only) for mothers:
Exercise during pregnancy brings many health benefits for the mother and at the same time for the baby during pregnancy, but also after childbirth. Many studies show that women who are active during pregnancy have a lower risk of developing preeclampsia and gestational (pregnancy) diabetes. This study, which looked at 21,000 pregnant women, showed that pregnant women with a sedentary lifestyle had a 2.3-fold higher risk of developing "gestational diabetes." Further research showed that less active women had a 3x higher risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure) and a 2.5x higher risk of fetal macrosomy (overdevelopment) than women who exercised 3 times a week during pregnancy.
Exercise during pregnancy also allows a woman to perceive her body more, pay attention to the correct posture and use movements that help reduce pain. Exercise during pregnancy also strengthens the pelvic floor muscles and improves aerobic capacity. These effects also help in childbirth as well as in postpartum recovery. Exercise during pregnancy was also associated with a lower number of births by caesarean section. In addition to these great health effects, physical activity during pregnancy also has a positive effect on mental health, as it helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Prenatal yoga is especially beneficial for reducing anxiety, stress, depression, sleep problems and back pain (which often occur in pregnant women).
But why are we afraid of exercising during pregnancy? One of the biggest reasons why women are afraid to exercise during pregnancy is the fear that they may harm their baby. However, most scientists and health professionals agree that the positive effects of exercise are far greater than the risks.
Common myths about exercise during pregnancy:
Redirection of blood flow away from the fetus
Exercise causes miscarriages
Exercise harms if the mother's heart rate is elevated above the "resting heart rate"
How does exercise affect an unborn baby?
Exercise during pregnancy brings the following health benefits to the health of the fetus / child during childhood. It is known that the blood flow to the uterus is slightly reduced during exercise. However, it is interesting and important to know that despite these changes, the amount of oxygen that reaches the fetus does not change - on the contrary, research shows the positive effects associated with increased blood flow during exercise, which brings "new" blood and nutrients to the fetus. which support fetal growth and brain development. These effects were associated with the results of studies that found that children of active mothers were born with better-developed brains than children of mothers who did not exercise during pregnancy.
These positive effects were noted even later than in the neonatal period, when these children had better linguistic development and better academic results during childhood. Positive effects for the child have also been reported in body composition, cardiovascular health and the nervous system.
As you can see, physical activity during pregnancy brings many positive effects not only for women but also for babies. However, it should be mentioned that despite these positive effects of physical activity during pregnancy, there are complications, such as genetic disorders, which a woman's activity cannot influence.
So let's summarize the effects of physical activity during pregnancy on the health of both women and children:
EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR WOMEN
Lower risk of pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, pregnancy "diabetes", fetal macrosomy)
Positive effect on physical "performance" during childbirth
Positive effect on postpartum recovery
Lower probability of giving birth by caesarean section
Positive effect on mental health (reduction of anxiety, stress, depression).
Reduction of back pain
Reducing sleep problems
HOW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AFFECTS A CHILD
Better development of the brain and nervous system
Better linguistic development and better academic results during childhood
Positive effect on the composition of the baby's body
Positive effect on cardiovascular health
There are many positive effects. However, each person is exceptional with a different medical condition, so it is always important to consult your decisions (not just about exercise) with a doctor who has detailed information about your medical condition or pregnancy. If you are asking for more specific exercises related to what movements (not) to do and what to focus on, wait for the next article.
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