Sulekha is five months pregnant and sometimes feels that she has been pregnant forever! She occasionally feels tired even without having exerted herself. She wants to continue to be fit and wants to exercise as much as she can. Her husband and mother-in- law don’t even want her to climb stairs because they think it will harm the pregnancy! They are wrong. Sulekha should not be sedentary. She should exercise to feel fit and healthy through her pregnancy. Regular exercise increases energy levels and is a great mood elevator.

The benefits of exercise

It is an erroneous belief that exercise can harm the pregnancy. Childbirth is among the most physically stressful challenges a woman ever faces. Becoming active and exercising at least 30 minutes on at least four to five days of the week can benefit a pregnant woman’s health. Regular activity helps keep a pregnant woman fit during pregnancy, strengthens muscles needed for labour and delivery and may improve her ability to cope with the pain of labour. It improves posture, helps reduce backaches, constipation and bloating.  Regular exercise actually makes her feel less tired and improves sleep.

In Indian women, gestational diabetes i.e. diabetes which occurs during pregnancy, is an ever present danger. Regular exercise helps in both prevention and treatment.

The changes in pregnancy

Pregnancy causes many changes in the body and some of these changes will affect a woman’s ability to exercise.

Hormones produced during pregnancy cause the ligaments that support joints, particularly the ones in the lower back, to become relaxed, making the joints more at risk for sprains. Jerky, bouncy, or high-impact exercise should be avoided to decrease the risk of injury.

The extra weight in the front of the body shifts the centre of gravity and places stress on joints and muscles, especially those in the pelvis and lower back. This can make a woman less stable, and more likely to lose balance and fall, especially in later pregnancy. The right exercises will help with balance and stability.