Pregnancy Exercise Guidelines - Physio Approved

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Exercise is great for a pregnant body and recommended - but sometimes caution is needed and for good reason - that little bub you’re carrying places more load in many different ways on your body and we don’t want physical activity to put you or them at harm. So below, a guideline for when, what and why exercise in pregnancy is to be avoided and when it is great.

1. When SHOULDN'T I exercise?

If you have any of these conditions then exercise is not recommended unless medically cleared

General Medical:

  • Haemodynamically significant heart disease

  • Restrictive lung disease

  • Severe anaemia

Obstetric: 

  • Premature labour during current pregnancy

  • Ruptured membranes (ie. Waters broken)

  • Multiple gestation at risk for premature delivery (any twin or triplet needs letter ok ok from midwife or GP)

  • Persistent 2nd or 3rd trimester bleeding

  • Incompetent cervix/cerclage

  • Placenta praevia after week 26

  • Pregnancy induced hypertension/pre-eclampsia

Some women who would benefit from exercise should also be supervised due to certain risks:

  • Diabetes

  • Morbid obesity

  • Chronic hypertension

  • Placenta praevia (low lying placenta)

  • Pts at risk of pre-eclampsia

  • Those with BMI >26 pre-pregnancy, previously sedentary and/or have not exercised before

2. Safe Exercises

The following are safe to start or continue during pregnancy:

Walking

  • Swimming

  • Stationery cycling

  • Low impact aerobics

  • Yoga- modified (lying motionless on your back, can result in decreased venous return and hypotension in 10-20% pregnant women)

  • Pilates – modified

  • *Running or jogging

  • *Racquet sports – if rapid movements cause increased risk of falling then avoid

  • *Strength training – modified (If doing lots of heavy weights then a pelvic floor assessment is recommended

  • Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) - under guidance of a health practitioner, PFMT commenced before or during pregnancy may prevent issues like prolapse and incontinence post pregnancy

*In consultation with obstetric care provider, these may be safe for pregnant women who participated in these activities regularly before pregnancy

Warning signs to stop exercising during pregnancy: If you experience any of the following, cease exercise immediately and consult with your healthcare provider as these may be signs of an underlying or serious condition

Vaginal bleeding - Regular painful contractions/preterm labour - Dyspnoea (shortness of breath) before commencing exercise - Dizziness - Headache - Chest pain - Calf pain or swelling - Amniotic fluid leakage - Muscle weakness affecting balance

3. Exercises To Avoid

These exercises put you and baby at higher risk of injury

  • Contact sports eg. Ice hockey, boxing, soccer, basketball

  • Activities with high risk of falling eg. Horse riding, downhill skiing, water skiing, surfing, off road cycling, gymnastics

  • Scuba diving

  • Sky diving

  • Hot yoga or Hot pilates (not been tested but probably not a good idea)

  • Full hip abduction & external rotation (frog leg position), walking lunges especially with weights – due to excess load on pubic symphysis

  • Activities that put extra load on the pelvic floor eg. Jumping or bouncing

  • Important: Reduce inactive behaviour and minimise prolonged sitting. Try and break up long sitting periods as often as possible by walking to the toilet, standing and stretching or moving yourself in a way that feels comfortable