A high risk pregnancy requires that you take extra precautions when selecting exercises for your fitness regimen. Yoga provides a way for many pregnant women to maintain fitness levels and reduce discomfort during pregnancy. A high risk pregnancy, considered a spectrum diagnosis, may benefit from performing light physical activity such as yoga, but you'll need to obtain your physician's consent before beginning or continuing any exercise program.
Identification
Physicians deem a pregnancy a high risk or at-risk pregnancy when higher-than-normal risk factors for the mother or fetus exist. Many factors can contribute to a high risk pregnancy including maternal age, weight and prior health conditions such as preeclampsia, AIDS and gestational diabetes, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, or NICHD. Emotional stress can negatively affect pregnancy, and the practice of yoga, which uses postures and breathing techniques to reduce overall stress levels, may benefit pregnant women, according to Bastyr Center for Natural Health.
Facts
Performing regular exercise, such as yoga, can reduce the risk of certain complications in a high risk pregnancy, the NICHD reports. Gentle yoga breathing exercises and postures, a light-impact aerobic activity, may provide health benefits for pregnant women, provided that you avoid exercises requiring exceptional balance or extreme range-of motion, reports the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP. Performing yoga during pregnancy can improve mood, decrease stress and help maintain a healthy body weight, but adhere to your doctor's specific recommendations to avoid contraindications.
Types
Safely incorporate many types of yoga, including gentle postures such as side-lying savasana or corpse pose, into your fitness regimen after your doctor's consent. Avoid Bikram or hot yoga that raises your core temperature, poses that overstretch your muscles or inverted postures. Because pregnancy creates a shift in your center of gravity, use a wall for support when performing poses requiring balance, such as the standing tree pose. Perform twisting postures only to the extent that it still feels comfortable, and avoid extremely strenuous activity during your pregnancy.
Features
A yoga practice for pregnant women may include gentle movements such as the butterfly stretch, the side-angle pose and a modified triangle pose. Try a variety of yoga postures such as garudasana or eagle pose, baddha konasana or bound angle pose and marichyasana I or marichi's pose, recommends yoga instructor Brenda Plakans. Incorporate the use of props such as chairs, yoga blocks or rolled towels to modify the postures if needed.
Benefits
Performing regular physical activity during pregnancy, such a yoga regimen, may foster a shorter labor duration and reduce the need for intervention, reports the AAFP. Yoga may also reduce symptoms of discomfort, such as backache, mood swings and fatigue, according to Diana Erbio of Pregnancy Today. Consult with your health care practitioner for exercise recommendations suitable for your pregnancy.
References
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: High-Risk Pregnancy
- Bastyr Center for Natural Health: Yoga Is Beneficial During Pregnancy
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Exercise During Pregnancy, Thomas W. Wang, Barbara S. Apgar; April 15, 1998
- Yoga Journal: Tools for Teaching Prenatal Yoga
- Pregnancy Today: Yoga During Pregnancy
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Exercise During Pregnancy
