Exercise Prescription for Stages of Pregnancy and Postpartum Period (original) (raw)
Related papers
2018
Extensive scientific evidence has shown that prenatal physical activity is a prerequisite for the proper course of pregnancy, fetal development, labour and delivery, and the postpartum period. In 2015, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a breakthrough statement that inactivity in pregnancy is risky behaviour. The aim of this paper is to provide answers to the questions concerning who and how should prescribe and conduct exercise programs for pregnant women. Close cooperation between the woman, her obstetric care provider and exercise specialists is necessary to promote exercise in pregnancy. Obstetricians should carefully evaluate women with medical or obstetric complications before starting the exercises. They should also provide women with general information about the benefits of prenatal exercise and the risks of physical inactivity. On the other hand, the design and implementation of the exercise program are tasks for exercise professionals, prefe...
Exercise during pregnancy: a practical approach
Current sports medicine reports, 2003
Attitudes toward exercise during pregnancy have changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Recent studies show that, in most cases, exercise is safe for both the mother and fetus during pregnancy, and support the recommendation to initiate or continue exercise in most pregnancies. This report discusses the rationale behind the changes, and offers educational tools that may be employed to initiate behavioral change. We also propose exercise prescriptions for pregnant women who are sedentary, physically active, and competitive athletes. Armed with this information, the practitioner will be better equipped to counsel patients and incorporate a discussion on physical activity into prenatal visits.
Exercise during pregnancy. A narrative review asking: what do we know?
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015
Although there is no consensus with respect to whether exercise is beneficial during pregnancy, most studies report it to pose no risk to either the mother or the fetus, and many suggest it to be beneficial to both. This review, which examines the evidence available in this respect, also reveals the many differences in study design followed, the type of exercise undertaken and the variables measured, which make it difficult to compare results and perform meta-analyses. Advances in our understanding of the effects of exercise during pregnancy might best be made by undertaking randomised clinical trials with standardised protocols. However, most of the studies examining the relationship between exercise and pregnancy report no complications on maternal or fetal well-being. This is also in line with recent review studies advising that the pregnant population without obstetric contraindications should be encouraged to exercise during pregnancy. Therefore, the results of the present review stimulate those responsible for the healthcare of the pregnant woman to recommend moderate exercise throughout pregnancy without risk to maternal and fetal health.
ACTIVE PREGNANCY: Workshop on Promotion of Physical Activity in Pregnancy for Exercise Professionals
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
A one-day workshop on promotion of physical activity in pregnancy for exercise professionals was delivered during 2021, to 137 participants. The main aim of this workshop was to motivate and prepare exercise professionals for promoting physical activity and implementing prenatal exercise programs, in their respective private or public fitness centers or other physical activity settings. Methods: The contents of the workshop were focused on six topics based on the "Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Specialist" educational standards by EuropeActive and the "Exercise and Physical Activity during Pregnancy and Postpartum" textbook published by Springer. Participants provided feedback on the effectiveness and satisfaction with the workshop. Results: Overall evaluations from the feedback forms showed that majority of the participants agreed that the workshop achieved its objectives with a major recommendation as to the organization of more short duration workshops, the inclusion of practical sessions, and the separation of the contents addressing the postpartum period. Discussion: The workshop on promotion of physical activity in pregnancy for exercise professionals was successfully organized and the participants are looking forward for future ones.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Physical activity during pregnancy is a public health issue. In the view of reproducibility and the successful implementation of exercise interventions, reporting the quality of such study design must be ensured. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a physical exercise program promoting fitness and health during pregnancy. A qualitative methodological study was carried out. For the description of the exercise program, the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was used. For the validation of the program, the revised guideline of the Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in Health Care (CReDECI2) was followed and went through three stages of development, piloting, and evaluation. The customizable exercise program was designed and validated by exercise and health specialists based on evidence-based, international recommendations and supported by different educational tools to be implemented by qualified exercise prof...
Current Women s Health Reviews, 2015
Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy has a positive effect on the psychophysical condition of the pregnant woman, pregnancy and fetal development, parturition and the postpartum period. However, its level in pregnant women is insufficient in most countries. For an exercise program to be effective it must take into account four training components: intensity, frequency, duration and its content - through a proper selection of the type of exercises and their technique. In this work we aimed to answer the question what information on the contents of prenatal exercises is provided in the current guidelines for exercise during pregnancy in different countries. Methods and Results: We have analyzed 11 documents, that were the official position of national obstetrics, gynecology, or sports medicine institutions from 7 countries. The guidelines provide little information on the contents of prenatal exercise and on the adaptation of sports activities to pregnancy. Conclusio...
Physical exercise in pregnancy: benefits, risks and prescription
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
Objectives Regular physical exercise during pregnancy is associated with numerous benefits. In general women are not adequately advised on this matter and along with their concerns regarding the potential risks, it contributes to the abandonment or refusal to start exercising during pregnancy. Content The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive literature review, gathering the strongest evidence about the risks and benefits and the prescription of physical exercise. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE including articles considered to have the highest level of scientific evidence. Fifty-seven articles, including 32 meta-analysis, 9 systematic reviews and 16 randomized controlled trials were included in the final review. Summary Exercise can help preventing relevant pregnancy related disorders, such as gestational diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain, hypertensive disorders, urinary incontinence, fetal macrosomia, lumbopelvic pain, anxiety and prenatal depres...
Physical Activity Patterns and Factors Related to Exercise during Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Study
PLOS ONE, 2015
Objective To assess the physical activity levels of pregnant women and to examine the characteristics associated with the practice of exercise and the activities of daily living during pregnancy. Methods For this cross-sectional study, 1,279 women were recruited within 72 hours postpartum. They were interviewed about their socio-demographic data and obstetric history and were administered self-report questionnaires about exercise and daily physical activities during pregnancy. Data on the current pregnancy, labor, delivery, and newborn outcomes were collected from participants' medical records. To analyze factors related to the practice of exercise, we used the student t-test, X², and odds ratio (OR), with a corresponding 95% confident interval (CI), followed by a multiple logistic regression. The significance level was 5%. Results Compared to the pre-pregnancy period, the prevalence of physical activity among participants was lower throughout pregnancy (20.1%) (p = 0.01). Half of the women interrupted practicing physical exercise due to pregnancy. The lowest prevalence of exercise was observed in the first (13.6%) and third trimesters (13.4%). Less than half of women received exercise guidance during prenatal care meetings (47.4%). Walking was the most commonly reported exercise, followed by water aerobics. Factors positively associated with exercise practice were higher educational level (OR= 1.82; CI 95% 1.28-2.60), primiparity (OR=1.49; CI 95% 1.07-2.07), exercising before pregnancy (OR= 6.45; CI 95% 4.64-8.96), and exercise guidance during prenatal care (OR=2.54; CI 95% 1.80-3.57). Mildly intense exercise and domestic activities were most frequently reported among pregnant women. There were no differences in maternal and perinatal outcomes between active and sedentary pregnant women.
Exercise in pregnancy and the postpartum period
Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstétrique et gynécologie du Canada : JOGC, 2003
To design Canadian guidelines advising obstetric care providers of the maternal, fetal, and neonatal implications of aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises in pregnancy. Knowledge of the impact of exercise on maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity, and of the maternal measures of fitness. MEDLINE search from 1966 to 2002 for English-language articles related to studies of maternal aerobic and strength conditioning in a previously sedentary population, maternal aerobic and strength conditioning in a previously active population, impact of aerobic and strength conditioning on early and late pregnancy outcomes, and impact of aerobic and strength conditioning on neonatal outcomes, as well as for review articles and meta-analyses related to exercise in pregnancy. The evidence collected was reviewed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC Clinical Practice Obstetrics Committee) with representation from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and quan...
Exercising During Pregnancy: researched-based recommendations
Recreation
Exercise offers many benefits to both mother and baby before, during and after pregnancy. It is becoming increasingly accepted that the expectant mother's level of physical health during pregnancy (Morris and Johnson, 2005) will influence their recovery post-partum. Recent research also supports this hypothesis and official guidelines encourage mothers experiencing low-risk, normal pregnancies, to take part in daily exercise-albeit with modifications to their otherwise regular routine as the foetus grows (AGOG 2015, Clapp, 2006) as the pregnancy progresses. More than ever before, the emphasis of musculoskeletal health is in moving pain free and continuing exercise to late on in the term of pregnancy to prevent, reduce and manage discomfort. Many expectant women developsometimes temporary-so-called upper and lower crossed syndromes (UCS and LCS)characteristic to the LCS is lumbar lordosis, which contributes to the very high prevalence (<50%) of low back pain in pregnant women (Wang et al, 2004). Balance may be affected by the changes of the body's centre of gravity (COG), predisposing pregnant women to an increased risk of falling. Another musculoskeletal change during pregnancy is increased ligamentous joint laxity-thought to be secondary to the influence of the increased levels of oestrogen and relaxin. Theoretically, this would pr edispose pregnant women to increased incidence of strains and sprains (Artal and O'Toole, 2003), lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain (Gutke et al, 2008, Maclennan et al., 1986). In each and every case, the use of corrective and preventative functional exercises are needed that mimic activities of daily living (ADL) in conjunction with activating the pelvic floor muscles. It is imperative that the pelvic floor regains its strength soon after birth to avoid post-pregnancy complications such as incontinence. Postural changes can also be required to encourage one's posture to return to its pre-pregnancy state and to thus avoid chronic musculoskeletal problems.