Pregnancy and the Endurance Athlete

Abstract

Exercise is encouraged as a part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. During pregnancy, exercise remains a pivotal component of a healthy lifestyle that promotes maternal and fetal well-being. The frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise will differ based on a woman’s prepregnancy level of activity and should be detailed in an exercise prescription. Several activities and sports are absolute or relative contraindications during pregnancy. Once appropriate activities have been identified, the presence of any contraindicated maternal medical conditions or obstetric complications should be screened for by the obstetric provider at the initiation of prenatal care and throughout the remainder of pregnancy—if any such conditions develop, the prudence of continuing exercise should be reexamined. For highly active or elite athletes, exercise prescriptions also serve to set up boundaries so they do not overexert themselves and place physiologic constraints on uterine artery/placental blood flow which can compromise fetal well-being. Exercise, especially during the first and second trimester, has been associated with shorter duration of labor, lower fetal distress, and overall improvement in maternal and fetal well-being. All physicians who routinely perform prenatal care should encourage patients to perform an appropriate amount of exercise during their pregnancy in the absence of contraindicated maternal medical problems or obstetric complications.