January 21, 2025, 3:31 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
In Roman times, it was believed that Spartan women who were physically active during pregnancy produced fitter offspring. The assumption that physical activity and exertion during pregnancy are unhealthy for the expectant mother and the unborn child is a relatively new view that only became established in the Western world around 1900. However, trainer and FITBOOK author Alina Bock explains that this view is not correct and how positive regular physical activity is during pregnancy.
The effects of exercise during pregnancy are often underestimated. This is why many women are mistakenly afraid of exercise and physical activity during this time. However, regular physical activity can not only increase well-being but also have positive effects on the health of mother and child.
Overview
Positive Effects on a Pregnant Woman’s Body
Exercise during pregnancy is associated with many positive effects for the expectant mother, which in turn is good for the baby’s development.
Promotes Glucose Metabolism
Regular physical activity leads to an improvement in glucose metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity, which in turn reduces the risk of gestational diabetes.
A study published in April 2017 in the “Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology” confirms this.1 In the study, 300 pregnant women with an elevated BMI who were in their tenth week of pregnancy were selected and divided into a control and exercise group. Up to the 37th week of pregnancy, the women in the exercise group completed at least 30 minutes of training on a bicycle three times a week. At 22 percent, gestational diabetes occurred significantly less frequently in the pregnant women in the exercise group than in the control group (40.6 percent). A significantly lower weight gain and reduced insulin resistance values during pregnancy were also observed.
Supports Ligament Strength and Sense of Balance
Certain hormones such as estrogen and relaxin, which the body releases more of during pregnancy, naturally cause the pregnant woman’s tissues to loosen. Among other things, this leads to a reduction in ligament strength, which increases the risk of twisting an ankle. Strength training can support ligament strength and promote a pregnant woman’s sense of balance. Exercises with an unstable set-up are particularly suitable for this.
Reduces the Risk of Thrombosis
However, it is not only the ligaments that can become more unstable. The veins also become more elastic and wider during pregnancy to allow for increased blood flow. This and the change in the composition of the blood can lead to an increased risk of thrombosis. Regular physical activity can promote blood flow and significantly reduce the risk of thrombosis.
Relieves Back Pain
Additionally, strength training can improve a pregnant woman’s posture and alleviate pregnancy-related back pain. In particular, the weight of the baby and the size of the belly can cause a pregnant woman to fall into a “typical” unfavorable posture. She stretches her stomach out forward and pulls her back into a hollow back. Strength training of the buttocks, back, and deep core muscles strengthens the muscles and can prevent postural damage and subsequent back pain.
Strengthens the Pelvic Floor
Furthermore, training the deep abdominal muscles strengthens the expectant mother’s pelvic floor. This leads to better control of the pelvic floor and a significantly reduced risk of incontinence during pregnancy and after the birth. It is also assumed that a trained pelvic floor and the ability to consciously relax the pelvic floor supports the expulsion phase of childbirth.
Can Have a Positive Effect on Childbirth
There is also evidence that exercise during pregnancy has a positive effect on childbirth. A study from 2021 examined the effects of a Pilates exercise program on childbirth with the help of 110 pregnant women. The women were randomly divided into a control group and an exercise group. The women in the exercise group (gestational weeks 26 to 28) performed a specific Pilates exercise program over eight weeks. The results of the study showed that Pilates exercises during pregnancy significantly reduced the intensity of labor, the duration of the active phase, and the second stage of labor and increased the mother’s satisfaction with the birth.2
Positive Effects for a Pregnant Woman’s Psyche
In addition to the positive effects on the pregnant woman’s physique, we must not forget the positive effects on the psyche. Physical activity has an antidepressant effect on the body. This is due to the release of endorphins during and after physical exercise. However, it is not only the automatic release of endorphins that has a positive effect on the mood of pregnant women. Exercise in the form of cardio, strength training, or other sports can lead to the promotion of a positive body image and, subsequently, to an improvement in self-esteem. This may also be due to reduced weight gain during pregnancy. Not to be underestimated is the improved ability to sleep as a result of regular physical activity, which can also lead to an improved mood and recovery.
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Benefits for the Baby
Exercise during pregnancy by the expectant mother can positively affect both the delivery and the baby’s health.
Effect on Birth Weight
Physical activity during pregnancy, in the absence of obesity or diabetes mellitus, reduces the risk of the baby developing obesity later in life. This is because the baby develops fewer fat cells in the womb.
A study conducted in Wales in 2014 using questionnaires of 466 pregnant women investigated the effects of low daily activity levels and obesity on birth and the baby’s birth weight.3 The study showed that mothers with low levels of physical activity were more likely to have an instrumental delivery (using forceps, vacuum, elective and emergency cesarean section) than mothers with higher levels of physical activity. In addition, women with higher levels of physical activity were less likely to require induction of labor. Women who were rarely physically active during pregnancy were also more likely to have a macrosomic baby (birth weight over 4000 grams). They also required a longer hospital stay after delivery than physically active women.
Possible Effects on the Brain, Behavior, and Stress Resistance
In addition, babies born to women who exercise during pregnancy show improved stress resistance and advanced neurobehavioral (brain, nerve, and behavioral) maturation.