Pregnancy and sport
Over the past 30 years, the rate of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension and macrosomia of the newborn (excessive size and weight of the baby) has increased dramatically.
Physical activity is a solution to decrease these complications and should be considered as a first line therapy.
The minimum recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.
And currently less than 15% of pregnant women follow these recommendations!
It is therefore imperative that women, but also those around them, get informed and change their mentality regarding the practice of sports when pregnant.
Physical activity during pregnancy has many benefits for both mother and baby. However, sports should not be practiced if the pregnant woman has any of the contraindications listed below.
Miscarriage and sports
Physical activity does not cause miscarriage, premature death, premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight babies or increase the risk of prematurity. Studies have shown that there is no additional risk of miscarriage with physical activity, even when the sport is done in the first trimester.
However, some sports are at risk of falls (horseback riding, climbing, etc.), so the activity must be adapted.
A study ( Madsen's) in 2007 showed that the risk of spontaneous miscarriage, before 18 weeks of amenorrhea, was multiplied by 3.7 when the pregnant woman practiced more than 7 hours per week of physical activity (especially high impact sports).
Numerous other studies, such as that of Clapp in 1989, have shown that physical activity of between 50 and 85% of the maximum heart rate at the beginning of pregnancy or before conception did not increase the risk of miscarriage.
Benefits for the pregnant woman:
The practice of sport in pregnant women leads to a decrease in the risk of :
- Gestational diabetes
A 2006 study by Clapp showed that physical activity reduces the risk of diabetes by 60% in normal weight, overweight and obese women. In this study, physical activity consisted of low-intensity endurance exercise.
- Gestational hypertension
- Urinary incontinence
- Excessive weight gain
- Depression
It was Poudevigne in 2006 who observed, thanks to his study, that physical activity :
- improves self-esteem
- alleviates mood disorders
- practiced during the third trimester, decreases the risk of postpartum depression
- Lumbopelvic pain
- Pre-eclampsia
A study by Dempsey and colleagues was conducted in 2003 on 201 preeclamptic women and 383 normotensive women. The findings of the study were as follows:
- Regular physical activity from the beginning of pregnancy reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia by 35%, compared to women who do not engage in physical activity.
- Physical activity reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia by 24% for moderate intensity activity and by 54% for intense activity such as jogging.
- Physical activity one year before pregnancy reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia by up to 30%.
- Prematurity
Studies by Domingues and Barakat in 2008 showed that physical activity during pregnancy does not affect gestational age and thus does not cause miscarriage. They also observed that leisure-time physical activities of more than 90 minutes per week seemed to protect against prematurity.
- Delivery with instruments (forceps, suction cups)
- Cesarean section
Contraindications to the practice of sport, pregnant :
Absolute contraindications:
If one or more of these reasons are present, the practice of an activity is contraindicated:
- Membrane rupture,
- Premature work,
- Unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding,
- Placenta praevia,
- Pre-eclampsia,
- Shortened cervix or uterine cerclage,
- Intrauterine growth disorder,
- Multiple pregnancies greater than 3,
- Uncontrolled type I diabetes,
- Uncontrolled hypertension,
- Uncontrolled thyroid disease,
- Other serious cardiovascular, respiratory or systemic diseases. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor for advice.
Relative contraindications:
The contraindications to the practice of the activity, that is to say the cases where the practice of the sport is not prohibited but must be adapted or stopped according to the case, are the following. In these cases, it is necessary to consult your obstetrician before practicing physical activity. :
- Recurrent pregnancy loss (multiple miscarriages),
- Gestational hypertension,
- Premature birth in a previous pregnancy,
- Mild/moderate cardiovascular or respiratory disease,
- Anemia,
- Malnutrition,
- Eating disorder,
- Twin pregnancies (beyond the 28th week of pregnancy).
Physical activity recommendations for pregnant women:
- All women without contraindications should be physically active throughout pregnancy.
- The minimum recommended physical activity is 150 minutes per week.
- Daily physical activity is highly recommended and as a minimum, it is recommended to do 3 times a week.
- Various physical activities are recommended. Yoga and/or gentle stretching is highly recommended.
Physical activities to avoid
It is recommended to avoid:
- Practicing sports in too much heat, especially if the humidity level is high,
- Activities at altitude if you don't live there,
- Scuba diving,
- Contact sports,
- Sports with risk of falling,
- The practice of competition, except under the supervision of a gynecologist.
Reasons to stop physical activity:
If you experience any of these signs, please stop physical activity immediately and consult your physician:
- Severe chest pain,
- Regular and painful uterine contractions,
- Vaginal bleeding,
- Persistent loss of fluid from the vagina that may indicate a rupture of the membranes,
- Persistent dizziness.
Marie Messager
Osteopath D.O
2 rue Alexis de Tocqueville
78000 Versailles
