Exercise during Pregnancy Steriani Elavsky, M.S. University

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Exercise during Pregnancy

• Steriani Elavsky, M.S.
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

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Facts about Exercise during Pregnancy

• Important in promoting health and well-being for
  pregnant women
• Women who exercise during pregnancy have reduced
  weight gain, more rapid weight loss after
  pregnancy, improved mood and improved sleep
  patterns
• Some studies have also shown faster labors and
  less need for induction with pitocin in women who
  exercise regularly during pregnancy
• Some studies show that women who regularly
  exercise are less likely to require epidural
  analgesia and have fewer operative births
• Pregnancy is a highly complex physiologic state
  however, and precautions are needed during
  pregnancy to ensure that exercise program does
  not contribute to complications

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Conisderations for Exercise during Pregnancy

• Lungs and Breathing- respiratory rate is
  naturally increased
• - pregnancy can cause decreased endurance and a
  sense of breathlessness
• Musculoskeletal - because of the enlarging womb,
  the lower back develops more curvature and the
  center of gravity for the body shifts
• - can cause changes in your sense of balance and
  requires adjustments in posture to prevent injury
  
• - joints of pelvis loosed up because body
  releases a hormone called relaxin to make room
  for the birth of the child

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Conisderations for Exercise during Pregnancy
cont.

• Metabolism- during pregnancy body uses
  carbohydrates more quickly
• - exercise also increases the metabolism of
  carbohydrates (hypoglycemia?)
• Cardiovascular- body increases its blood volume
  by 40 in pregnancy and heart rate increases by
  about 15 bpm to allow nutrients and oxygen to be
  transported to the fetus more efficiently
• - with the growth of the womb, the flow of blood
  in the body can be disrupted and lightheadedness
  can occur

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EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON PREGNANCY

• Cardiovascular- shift of oxygen away from the
  uterus during strenuous exercise
• Neurotransmitter Release- brain releases more
  norepinephrine during exercise which increases
  smooth muscle contraction and can cause increased
  uterine activity in the form of painless
  contractions
• - women who have risks for preterm labor should
  be on mild exercise programs
• Elevated Body Temperature- exercise causes an
  increase in core body temperature
• - some studies have shown that high fevers
  during the first three months of pregnancy can
  affect the fetus's development
• - what about fit women?
• - importance of adequate fluid intake during
  exercise

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COMPLICATIONS THAT MAY AFFECT EXERCISE ABILITY

• ANEMIA
• CONTRACTIONS
• LOW BACK PAIN/SCIATICA

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CONTRAINDICATIONS TO EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY

• TOXEMIA/HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
• PLACENTA PREVIA/VAGINAL BLEEDING
• PRETERM LABOR OR HISTORY OF PRETERM LABOR
• INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RETARDATION(IUGR is poor
  growth of the baby)
• TWIN PREGNANCY
• HEART DISEASE

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Case Study I

• 25 year-old female 8th week of pregnancy
• Weight 54 kg Height 162 cm
• Exercise history runner (25 miles/week)
• PAR-Q no to all questions
• No family history of CAD, diabetes
• No medications
• Personal goal minimize weight gain maintain
  physical condition

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Case Study I

• Risk factor analysis
• -
• -
• -
• Pre-program assessment
• -
• -

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Case Study I

• Exercise prescription
• Mode
• Frequency
• Intensity
• Duration

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Case Study II

• 30 year-old female third trimester
• Weight 80 kg Height 160 cm
• Exercise history sedentary
• Family history of CAD, diabetes (mother CABG at
  55 yrs and type II diabetic for 5 years)
• FBG 120 mg/dl Chol 219 mg/dl HDL 35
  mg/dl LDL 140 mg/dl
• Complains of lower back pain and joint pain gets
  tired easily
• No medications vitamins (Fe folic acid E C)

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Case Study II

• Risk factor analysis
• -
• -
• -
• Pre-program assessment
• -
• -

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Case Study II

• Exercise prescription
• Mode
• Frequency
• Intensity
• Duration

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Sources

• ACSM (www.acsm.org)
• ACOG (http//www.acog.org/)
• http//lifematters.com/medicalinfo.html
• http//www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/womenhlt/
  exerpreg.html