Is ‘helpful advice’ putting you off your pregnancy workouts?

Is ‘helpful advice’ putting you off your pregnancy workouts?
May 30, 2018 Nicola
Senior Midwifery Lecturer Dr Jenny Hendley to share her research into why women should exercise during pregnancy

 We invited Senior Midwifery Lecturer Dr Jenny Hendley to share her research into why women exercise during pregnancy and the factors that influence their activity levels. Her PhD exploring women’s decisions to exercise in pregnancy revealed some interesting dilemmas facing pregnant women who choose to stay active.

pregnancy exercise on a fitball

What the experts say

Current research firmly establishes a whole raft of benefits for pregnant women including alleviating many of the common complaints of pregnancy, such as tiredness, backache and oedema; helping to reduce maternal weight gain and providing a positive impact on mental health. Regular exercise in pregnancy also reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia, can treat or prevent gestational diabetes and has been suggested to shorten the length of labour, reduce birth complications and enhance postnatal recovery.
The benefits of exercising in pregnancy are widely accepted.  A recent review of current research in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2017 says:
‘There is no intervention in pregnancy as impressive in its significant impact on women and babies’ health as regular exercise.’
It’s not just mum that benefits baby does too. Exercise helps to create an optimal environment for babies’ developing mind, body and brain resulting in a healthier heart, enhanced brain development and a reduced risk of obesity and its associated diseases as your baby grows up.

In contrast to this growing body of research in favour of exercise during pregnancy there is no scientific evidence to suggest that moderate intensity exercise in healthy pregnant women has any negative effects.

Current guidelines from the Department of Health encourage women to adapt, rather than stop their activities throughout their pregnancy.  They recommend that:
‘pregnant women who are already active should be encouraged to maintain their physical activity levels……… and all healthy pregnant women should aim to build up to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity spread throughout the week’

fit pregnancy exercise

So what did Dr Hendley’s research reveal?

Despite the expert evidence and health guidelines it seems overwhelming that many women are still encouraged to prioritise rest over exercise. While the advice is very much based more on social and cultural expectations than sound evidence, both health professionals and lay advisors err on the side of ‘taking it easy’.  It seems pregnancy attracts increased public scrutiny and unsolicited advice from lay people taking on the role of ‘the pregnancy police’.
Pregnant women are often held to a higher standard than other people, based on the idea that women should be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of their unborn child.
For most women, the maternal desire to do the best for their baby is the driving force behind the choices they make and there is a natural inclination for Mums-to-be to follow health advice if they believe it will benefit their baby.  And for many the advice means erring on the side of caution and scaling their exercise routine right back ‘just in case’.  Sound familiar?
Ironically, this ideology exposes women to far greater risk, with growing  concern regarding the negative health consequences of inactivity amongst pregnant women.
Precautionary advice to ‘take it easy’ pays scant regard for the good sense and instinct of the mother herself.
Prescriptive health advice is based on the idea that the general public will not understand the evidence so there is a need to dilute or adapt it into recommendations. This is further compounded by the fear of litigation which makes many policy makers and care providers cautious about recommending exercise.
Dr Jenny Hendley concludes: ‘The best interests of the mother and her unborn child are at the heart of maternity policy and practice.  Health and fitness professionals should be assured that, above all, women themselves have their unborn children’s best interests at heart, and ultimately support and trust them to make the right decisions.’
FittaMamma adds:  ‘Listen to your body and remember the talk test: if you are exercising so hard you can’t continue to chat, ease up and slow down. But exercise during pregnancy is good for both of you, don’t let others put you off doing something that has so many benefits for you and your baby.’

Want to read more? Below are some links to the research highlighted in this article:
Review of research on exercise in pregnancy
Department of Health Physical activity in pregnancy guidelines