Berlin- Many expectant mothers develop physical problems that can restrict their daily activities considerably. Their blood pressure dips regularly. Back pain increases almost daily. "In such cases exercise is an effective way to reduce discomfort and counteract common pregnancy-related problems early on," said Sabine Meier, a a 44-year-old midwife from the German town of Viersen.
"A pregnancy, and particularly labour, puts a big strain on the body," she said, adding that women who exercised regularly had more strength and endurance to cope with pregnancy's burdens.
Joachim Dudenhausen, director of the obstetrics clinic at Berlin's Charite hospital, agreed. "Exercising during pregnancy is very beneficial because it strengthens muscles, increases lung capacity and enhances overall well-being," he noted.
Exercise alleviates pregnancy-related complaints such as tension in the neck and shoulders, and problems in the area of the lower spine. Women who are physically fit usually recover from childbirth more quickly than those who are not.
Despite the benefits of exercising, few pregnant women do. In a recent survey of expectant mothers by the German Sport University in Cologne, 76 per cent of the respondents said that they had cut down on their physical activities, either slightly or to a high degree. Although a large majority of the women said they were aware that exercising was beneficial, just 15 per cent reported staying in shape in a sport club or exercise studio.
"Because of the physical changes at the start of a pregnancy, a lot of women don't really feel up to it," Meier said. The women stop exercising even if they used to visit a fitness studio regularly. However, Meier noted, "Their discomfort usually diminishes in several weeks, after which pregnant women could resume exercising."
However many women are unsure if they should work out while pregnant, and if so, in what way.
"Generally speaking, any pregnant woman can exercise so long as her belly doesn't get in the way," Dudenhausen remarked.
The only contraindications involve health risks. Women with a heightened risk of a miscarriage or preterm labour, who suffer from vaginal bleeding or an acute infection, or who are pregnant with more than one child should refrain from exercise until consulting their physician since exercise could overburden their body.
Many pregnant women can continue doing the kind of exercise they did before. Dudenhausen and Meier agreed that running (also over long distances), hiking, cycling, calisthenics, and yoga were good choices. "Swimming of all sorts is excellent because water supports the weight of the belly and hence relieves the back," Dudenhausen added.
But expectant mothers should avoid weight training, horseback riding and fast-paced ball games like squash," he said. The risk of injury is too high in tennis, Dudenhausen explained, and weightlifting drew too much blood away from the lower body to supply the arms and back.
One alternative is walking, pointed out Petra Leibenger, a physiotherapist from the Bavarian town of Eggenfelden. During a walk, she said, "the joints and dorsal vertebrae that are under extra strain during pregnancy are not burdened much, circulation improves, and almost all of the muscle groups are worked at the same time." She said that walking was ideal for expectant mothers because it toned pelvic-floor muscles, helping women avoid incontinence.
A 36-year-old mother of two, Leibenger knows what she is talking about. Like many women, she had serious problems with incontinence after her pregnancies. That is the reason she developed Tigerobics, a walking programme geared especially to pregnant women, several years ago.
"The great thing about walking is that you can get up and go anytime. Because of fatigue during pregnancy, it's sometimes hard to keep to the schedule of an exercise class," she said.
Pregnant women who exercise should watch their stamina, however. "From a medical point of view, exercise is possible even on the day they give birth," Dudenhausen said. "But every woman, of course, must consider what she's still capable of, and gradually reduce her regimen if need be."
The "talk test" can help determine how much is enough. If the woman, while exercising, cannot speak without feeling out of breath, then she is overdoing it.
