Healthy pregnant women should get 150 hours of moderate-intensity exercise every week, recommended by the "2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans." Exercise benefits the overall health of pregnant women including cardiorespiratory fitness. Research also suggests that exercise may reduce your risk of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-induced high blood pressure that affects 8 percent of pregnancies every year. Preeclampsia usually develops after 20 week of pregnancy and is characterized by a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher. It can also be accompanied by excess protein in the urine, swelling, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The exact cause of preeclampsia is unknown but may be due to insufficient blood flow to the uteris, poor diet, immune system problems or damage to your blood vessels. If left untreated, preeclampsia can cause severe complications to you and your baby.
Diabetes
Diabetes is condition that affects the way your body uses blood glucose due to insulin resistance or lack of insulin. Diabetes can be categorized to three groups; type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas are destroyed. Type 2 diabetes happens when the cells in your body become resistant to insulin and is usually associated with being overweight or obese. Gestational diabetes can develop during pregnancy and is caused by hormones produced by your placenta which make your cells resistant to insulin. Gestational diabetes is associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies and spontaneous abortions. Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes.
Exercise and Preeclampsia
Exercise may be beneficial and reduce the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy. A study published in "Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine" reports that physically active women who exercise regularly are less likely to develop preeclampsia. Walking is typical exercise recommended for pregnancy. However, according to SeonAe Yeo, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, stretching exercise may be more effective than walking for preeclampsia, especially for women who were not active before the pregnancy. If you have preeclampsia, consult your doctor about safe exercise routines.
Exercise and Gestational Diabetes
Exercise is one of the ways you can help manage gestational diabetes, according to MayoClinic.com. In addition, exercise is also recommended in managing type 2 diabetes during pregnancy. A study published in "Clinical Diabetes" in 2005 reports that exercise is beneficial for managing gestational and type 2 diabetes because it can lower your blood glucose levels and increase your insulin sensitivity. However, always consult your doctor before you continue or begin an exercise routine if you are pregnant and have diabetes.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Chapter 4
- MayoClinic.com: Preeclampsia; April 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes; March 2011
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Stretching Exercises May Reduce Risk of Preeclampsia During Pregnancy; May 2008
- "Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine"; Possible Beneficial Effect of Exercise, by Reducing Oxidative Stress, on the Incidence of Preeclampsia; S. Yeo, et al.; December 2001
- "Clinical Diabetes"; Diabetes Management and Exercise in Pregnant Patients With Diabetes; George Harris, et al.; October 2005
