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Whether you already exercise regularly or hope that exercising during pregnancy will help reduce excessive weight gain, you will most likely be concerned about the safety of exercise during pregnancy.

Common sense suggests that certain activities should be avoided during pregnancy because of their high-risk nature. High-speed impact to the abdomen of a pregnant woman can cause rupture of the uterus, separation of the placenta from the uterus wall, and sometimes death to the mother and/or fetus. Activities such as water-skiing, skydiving, sport parachuting,
in the amount of oxygen that the animal fetus carried in its blood.

Recent human studies have shown that a slowing of the fetal heart rate, called bradycardia, may indeed occur during vigorous exertion. The studies further showed that if a woman kept her heart rate under 140 beats per minute during exercise, bradycardia episodes were rarely observed. We do not know the significance of bradycardia, but it would seem wise to recommend that pregnant women limit their vigorous physical activities to those resulting in a heart rate of 140 beats or less per minute. We recommend exercises that promote flexibility and create a feeling of accomplishment and well-being. Walking, swimming, low impact aerobics,
repetition nautilus training, bicycle riding, and rowing are excellent ways of meeting these goals.

The value of aerobic exercise comes from sustained activity that increases the heart rate to at
least 120 beats per minute for at least 20 minutes. Exercise should also include a proper warm-up and cool- down. Warming up with static stretches will prepare the muscles and joints for the activity and lessen the likelihood of strain or injury. A cool-down period that includes mild activity and static stretches will help decrease your heart rate and leave you
feeling refreshed and energized.

When exercising, pay attention to your body. If you feel overly fatigued after exercise, decrease the intensity of the next exercise session. Always remember to drink plenty of water to replace the body fluids lost through perspiration.

Fortunately, you can choose from a large number of activities that allow you to remain fit during your pregnancy without jeopardizing your or your fetus’s health.
2/5/07
hang gliding, motorcycle climbing, gymnastics require excellent
balance and carry the risk of sudden, severe impact. For this reason, these activities should not be part of an exercise regimen during pregnancy.
If pregnancy does not preclude exercising, then what can you do to gauge an acceptable level of activity during pregnancy? Until recently, no one had studied the effects of exercise on pregnant women and their fetuses. Some animal studies suggest that vigorous exertion could cause a decrease in the amount of oxygen that the animal fetus carried in its blood.

Recent human studies have shown that a slowing of the fetal heart rate, called bradycardia, may indeed occur during vigorous exertion. The studies further showed that if a woman kept her heart rate under 140 beats per minute during exercise, bradycardia episodes were rarely observed. We do not know the significance of bradycardia, but it would seem wise to recommend that pregnant women limit their vigorous physical activities to those resulting in a heart rate of 140 beats or less per minute. We recommend exercises that promote flexibility and create a feeling of accomplishment and well-being. Walking, swimming, low impact aerobics,
repetition nautilus training, bicycle riding, and rowing are excellent ways of meeting these goals.

The value of aerobic exercise comes from sustained activity that increases the heart rate to at
least 120 beats per minute for at least 20 minutes. Exercise should also include a proper warm-up and cool- down. Warming up with static stretches will prepare the muscles and joints for the activity and lessen the likelihood of strain or injury. A cool-down period that includes mild activity and static stretches will help decrease your heart rate and leave you
feeling refreshed and energized.

When exercising, pay attention to your body. If you feel overly fatigued after exercise, decrease the intensity of the next exercise session. Always remember to drink plenty of water to replace the body fluids lost through perspiration.
Fortunately, you can choose from a large number of activities that allow you to remain fit during your pregnancy without jeopardizing your or your fetus’s health.