Battling Misconceptions about Exercise During Pregnancy

I just read an interesting study on women’s beliefs about physical activity during pregnancy and their behaviors. Studies like this one continue to reinforce my belief that women are under informed when it comes to the benefits of exercise during pregnancy. This study found that 78% percent of those surveyed, believe that women can exercise during pregnancy. This means that 22%, nearly one quarter of those studied, believe that it is unwise for a pregnant woman to exercise. We know that ACOG recommends that all pregnant woman should exercise unless otherwise advised by their medical provider. A full 1/3 of those surveyed believe that if a woman did not exercise prior to pregnancy they should not begin a program during their pregnancy. Again, ACOG says that it is safe for women to begin an exercise program during pregnancy. I have to wonder if these statistics are bolstered by the fact that only 23.5% of those surveyed indicated that they had received physical activity advice from their health care professional.

There were a few very bright spots that came out of this survey as well. A full 94% believed that regular exercise while pregnant could help to increase energy as well as help improve labor and delivery. Most of the women, 75%, also believed that regular physical activity could help to improve the babies health. I find these three statistics to be very encouraging. Women are started to get the message about the importance of regular exercise during pregnancy and the benefits it can provide to them as well as their babies. Sadly, the difference between what we know we should do and what we do can be very wide. Of those who responded to the survey, only 27% exercised during their first and second trimesters. This needs to improve. We need to get more healthcare providers talking to their patients about exercise both prior to conception and throughout pregnancy.