Can exercising while pregnant make mom and baby healthier?
2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Prenatal exercise reduces depression by 67%—more than most antidepressants in pregnancy.
Most assume medication or therapy are the only effective tools for prenatal depression, but this shows a simple, free, non-pharmaceutical intervention outperforms many clinical treatments in effect size.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week—mix walking, swimming, or cycling with light resistance training like squats or resistance bands.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Prenatal exercise reduces depression by 67%—more than most antidepressants in pregnancy.
Most assume medication or therapy are the only effective tools for prenatal depression, but this shows a simple, free, non-pharmaceutical intervention outperforms many clinical treatments in effect size.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week—mix walking, swimming, or cycling with light resistance training like squats or resistance bands.
Publication
Journal
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2018
Authors
M. Mottola, Margie H. Davenport, Stephanie-May Ruchat, Gregory A. L. Davies, V. Poitras, C. Gray, A. Jaramillo Garcia, N. Barrowman, K. Adamo, M. Duggan, R. Barakat, P. Chilibeck, K. Fleming, Milena Forte, Jillian Korolnek, T. Nagpal, L. Slater, D. Stirling, Lori Zehr
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Claims (4)
If a woman keeps exercising at the same level she did before getting pregnant, she’s less likely to run into pregnancy-related health problems than if she cuts back on exercise.
Working out with weights while pregnant doesn't harm the mom or the baby — it's safe.
If a pregnant woman gets at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, she’s less likely to develop gestational diabetes, high blood pressure during pregnancy, or pre-eclampsia.
Working out while pregnant doesn't make it more likely for a mom to lose the baby, have the baby too early, or have a baby with low weight — it's generally safe for most pregnant women.