Trip Answers

Question answered:20/09/07 Warning! this question is over two years old.

In 2006 the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published “Exercise in Pregnancy” [1].  The key points of the guidance are as follows:

 

“In support of guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) suggests that:

 

 - all women should be encouraged to participate in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle during their pregnancy
 - reasonable goals of aerobic conditioning in pregnancy should be to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy without trying to reach peak fitness level or train for athletic competition
 - women should choose activities that will minimise the risk of loss of balance and fetal trauma
 - women should be advised that adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcomes are not increased for exercising women
 - initiation of pelvic floor exercises in the immediate postpartum period may reduce the risk of future urinary incontinence
 - women should be advised that moderate exercise during lactation does not affect the quantity or composition of breast milk or impact on fetal growth.”

 

It concludes:

 

“A review of the evidence suggests that, in most cases, exercise is safe for both mother and fetus during pregnancy and women should therefore be encouraged to initiate or continue exercise to derive the health benefits associated with such activities.”

 

See guideline (URL below) for further details.

 

In 2003 the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada published “Exercise in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period” [2].  This includes a section on safety precautions, which reports:

 

“In addition to exercise, other components of a healthy lifestyle in pregnancy include good nutrition and abstinence from smoking, alcohol, and illicit drugs. Some sport activities carry significant risk in pregnancy and are considered contraindicated. Women should not scuba dive in pregnancy, as the fetus is not protected from decompression sickness and gas embolism. Women are cautioned about the potential for loss of balance and fetal trauma if they participate in horseback riding, downhill skiing, ice hockey, gymnastics, or cycling during pregnancy. (III-C) Under normal circumstances and with appropriate hydration, moderate exercise at altitudes up to 1800–2500 m (6000–8250 ft) does not appear to significantly alter maternal or fetal well-being. However, women should be wary of hiking in a location where they might fall. For those women who do not live at higher altitudes, and who are planning on exercising at altitudes above 2500 m, appropriate acclimatization is required. (II-2B) Women should discuss their specific sport activities with their obstetric care provider to clarify risk and make modifications, if necessary. Women should stop exercising and seek medical attention if they experience any of the symptoms listed below (III-C).

 

 - Excessive shortness of breath
 - Chest pain
 - Presyncope
 - Painful uterine contractions
 - Leakage of amniotic fluid
 - Vaginal bleeding”

 

References

1) http://www.rcog.org.uk/resources/Public/pdf/exercise_pregnancy_rcog_statement4.pdf
2) http://www.sogc.org/guidelines/public/129E-JCPG-June2003.pdf

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