| Researches about exercise and pregnancy | | | | strenuous exertion on a regular basis, were 81% |
| struggle with the pros and cons of exercise during | | | | less likely to develop gestational diabetes |
| pregnancy. For many years, physicians suggested | | | | compared with women reporting negligible or |
| moderate activity levels for pregnant women, and | | | | minimal exertion. Women reporting moderate |
| then made a drastic flip, stating that pregnant | | | | usual exertion had a 59% risk reduction compared |
| women should continue with their activities, or | | | | with women reporting negligible or weak exertion. |
| give up sedentary lifestyles in favor of regular | | | | Researches about exercise during pregnancy |
| physical exercise, stating that it would facilitate an | | | | conducted by Dr. Richard Feely, M.D. support the |
| easy labor and delivery. | | | | positive benefits of exercise during pregnancy, |
| It seems, according to current researches about | | | | noting that it may lower the risk of high blood |
| exercise during pregnancy, in some ways, both | | | | pressure or preeclampsia during pregnancy. |
| were right. | | | | Two hundred and one women with preeclampsia |
| The National Institute of Child Health and Human | | | | during pregnancy, and three hundred and |
| Development provided $150,000 in grant money | | | | eighty-three women who didnt have high blood |
| to fund a research project designed to determine | | | | pressure during pregnancy, took part in the study. |
| the accuracy of existing methods of measuring | | | | The women reported their level of recreational |
| energy expenditure in pregnant women. | | | | activity, walking, and stair climbing for the periods |
| According to exercise physiologist, James Pivarnik, | | | | prior to conception and for the first twenty |
| though there have been improvements in ability | | | | weeks of pregnancy. |
| to measure, or estimate, energy expenditure in | | | | The risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy |
| field settings, most of the research has been | | | | was reduced by about 33% in women who |
| done on people who were not pregnant, so there | | | | engaged in recreational and physical activities |
| is still much to be learned in researches about | | | | during the year before pregnancy and during early |
| exercise during pregnancy. Dr. Pivarnik postulates | | | | pregnancy. Those women who did not regularly |
| that this research will go a long way in determining | | | | exercise, but climbed stairs every day, also had a |
| the role of physical activity and energy | | | | lower risk but to a lesser extent. |
| expenditures effects on pregnancy. | | | | A recent study at Case Western Reserve |
| According to Dr. Carole B. Rudra from the | | | | University found a direct correlation in maternal |
| University of Washington, who spearheaded | | | | health and exercise during pregnancy, but also |
| recent researches about exercise during | | | | noted a definitive correlation in the health of the |
| pregnancy, provided more evidence that engaging | | | | babies of mothers who did or did not exercise as |
| in regular physical activity both before and during | | | | well. In summary, researches about exercise and |
| pregnancy, reduces the risk for gestational | | | | pregnancy support the belief that expectant |
| diabetes, which threatens the health of both | | | | mothers should continue suitable forms of |
| mother and baby, and directly correlates to the | | | | exercise throughout pregnancy, provided there |
| risk of the mother developing diabetes later in life. | | | | are no prohibitive medical conditions to prevent it. |
| Women in the study, who reported very | | | | |