Exercise is healthy in all stages of life, and it is also healthy during pregnancy. If the mother practices moderate physical activity, this has a beneficial impact on a physical and psychological level for both her and the baby.
Among other things, it helps to alleviate the typical discomfort of pregnancy and prepare the body for labor, also promoting later recovery.
In addition, we now know from a recent study that light and moderate intensity exercise improves the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the placenta in pregnancy .
Despite numerous studies highlighting the benefits of exercise in pregnancy, scientists wanted to investigate whether exercise could somehow affect placental function, causing oxidative stress.
To do this, placental tissue was analyzed within one hour after delivery of a sample of 29 healthy mothers of full-term babies. Of the total, 21 women had performed a mild or moderate exercise routine from mid-gestation (16-20 weeks) until delivery. The remaining eight did not exercise.
In conclusion, they found that light and moderate intensity exercise increases angiogenesis , but does not increase placental oxidative stress in healthy pregnancies, reinforcing support for routine exercise as part of standard care in pregnant women.
Angiogenesis is the physiological process that involves the formation of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vessels formed in the early stage of vasculogenesis. This mechanism favors the supply of blood to the placenta, which translates into a better flow of oxygen and nutrients to the baby .
What exercises to do in pregnancy
Women who have been exercising can continue to exercise if they have normal (safe) pregnancies. It is preferable that the exercise is done regularly (at least three times a week) and that it is light or moderate, such as:
- Walking : Walking in pregnancy brings multiple benefits and is an activity that can be done from the first to the last moment before delivery. In addition, it helps to relieve typical discomforts such as swelling of the legs and feet, constipation and hemorrhoids.
- Bicycle : Riding a bicycle during pregnancy is an activity that relaxes, tones, distracts, avoids excess weight (both for mother and baby), improves circulation, which causes so many problems during pregnancy.
- Swimming : exercising in water during pregnancy is very beneficial, as this means that the bodies that are submerged in it greatly reduce their physical weight and reduce the risk of injury.
- Yoga : practicing yoga during pregnancy improves body posture and helps prevent back pain and disorders such as hemorrhoids and vomiting, helps reduce the pressure and weight of pregnancy, helps eliminate the feeling of fatigue, nervous tension and ensures greater oxygenation to the fetus.
- Pilates : The Pilates method has many benefits for pregnant women. Improves blood circulation and muscle toning, as well as body posture.
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