What exercise is recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy?

From the Guidelines

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for about 150 minutes per week is recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy. This can include safe options such as walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and modified yoga or Pilates 1. Low-impact activities are ideal as they minimize the risk of falls or abdominal trauma. Strength training with light weights is also beneficial but avoid heavy lifting or exercises that require lying flat on your back after the first trimester.

Some key considerations for exercise during the first trimester of pregnancy include:

• Accumulating at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week to achieve clinically meaningful reductions in pregnancy complications 1
• Incorporating a variety of aerobic and resistance training activities to achieve greater benefits 1
• Avoiding physical activity during excessive heat, especially with high humidity, and staying hydrated by drinking water before, during, and after physical activity 1
• Avoiding activities that involve physical contact, pose a high risk of falling, or might limit oxygenation, such as activities at high altitude 1

It's essential to listen to your body and stop if you experience dizziness, shortness of breath, vaginal bleeding, or abdominal pain. Regular exercise during early pregnancy helps manage weight gain, improves mood, reduces back pain, and may decrease the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing an exercise program during pregnancy, especially if you have any complications or medical conditions.

From the Research

Exercise Recommendations

• The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week for pregnant women in the absence of medical or obstetric complications 2.
• Recent research suggests that increasing physical activity energy expenditure to a minimum of 16 metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours per week, or preferably 28 MET hours per week, and increasing exercise intensity to ≥60% of heart rate reserve during pregnancy, reduces the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and perhaps hypertensive disorders of pregnancy 2, 3.
• Exercise type and intensity should be based on the woman's previous fitness level, medical history, and characteristics of the ongoing pregnancy 4.

Benefits of Exercise

• Regular physical exercise during pregnancy is associated with numerous benefits, including preventing gestational diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain, hypertensive disorders, urinary incontinence, fetal macrosomia, lumbopelvic pain, anxiety, and prenatal depression 4.
• Exercise can help reduce the risk of cesarean birth, operative vaginal delivery, and postpartum recovery time 5.
• Physical activity can also be an essential factor in the prevention of depressive disorders in women in the postpartum period 5.

Safety and Risks

• Exercise in pregnancy is safe for both mother and fetus, contributing to preventing pregnancy-related disorders 4.
• Physical activity and exercise in pregnancy are associated with minimal risks, although some modification to exercise routines may be necessary because of normal anatomic and physiologic changes and fetal requirements 5.
• Women who habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or who were physically active before pregnancy can continue these activities during pregnancy and the postpartum period 5.

Women's Views and Experiences

• UK women may be unaware of the recommended levels of physical activity in pregnancy and may fail to meet recommendations through exercise 6.
• Women are concerned that exercise contributes to miscarriage, although there is no evidence of risk 6.
• Tiredness, aches and pains, morning sickness, and worry about miscarriage are common reasons for women to avoid exercise during pregnancy 6.