Importance of sport in pregnancy

Many pregnant women doubt whether it is healthy to make an effort to do physical exercise, it is not only healthy, but it is recommended to all pregnant women. Since it provides multiple benefits for the health status of women. For example, it reduces digestive discomfort and constipation, reduces anxiety, depression and insomnia. It also helps to increase elasticity in the joints, improve blood pressure and increase psychological well-being. In addition, it helps control weight and avoid obesity, helps reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and helps you regain your figure after delivery.

What is the ideal exercise?

The most recommended sports to practice during pregnancy are those aerobic activities, such as walking, swimming, golf or cycling in a gentle way. But the most appropriate of all sports is walking, because no prior training is required and can be done at a slow pace, for 20–40 minutes, 3 times a week.

Tips and Precautions

• Have a medical examination, to assess the state of health and be able to make the appropriate recommendations as appropriate.

• Intense exercise is not recommended in hot and humid weather, nor in feverish conditions.

• Do not exercise that produces kickback, such as jumping or jerking.

• Exercise on wooden floors or with rugs to avoid bumps.

• Monitor your heart rate at peak times. You should never exceed 140 beats per minute.

• Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water.

• Women who have not practiced any exercise before becoming pregnant should start gradually. However, women who did exercise before pregnancy can continue to exercise at the same level.

• Recovery times are longer than normal and an excessive accumulation of lactic acid can be harmful, it is a toxic substance produced by the muscle when it is subjected to overexertion.

• Avoid exercises whose intensity makes it necessary to hold your breath.

• Do not exercise in the supine position after the fourth month.

Contraindications

• Do not exercise if the pregnancy is high risk.

• Stop exercising and consult an obstetrician if you have vaginal bleeding or suspect that the bag of waters has broken; if your face, hands and ankles have become suddenly inflamed; if you notice pain, warmth or swelling in the lower limbs; or if you notice little weight gain.

• Do not practice skiing, horse riding, scuba diving and mountaineering, exercise with apparatus, tennis or jogging, because it can cause discomfort and increase the probability of falls.