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