Exercise in pregnancy, a good idea for mother and baby
Staying fit is a mission that people must fulfill in their day to day. But there are times when you can doubt whether it is appropriate to practice or not exercise, such as a stage as delicate as pregnancy. Can a woman who is gestating a new life perform some kind of physical activity?
Not only can it, but it must. A recent study by the Physical-Sports Activity research group in Specific Populations, belonging to the Polytechnic University of Madrid, has found evidence that moderate physical exercise has important benefits for the mother and for the fetus. A new step that sheds light on the sport-gestation relationship, which has "more shadows than lights" as Rubén Barakat, a member of this research group, explains.
Improvements in several levels
According to Professor Bakarat, in recent years there have been several investigations focused on how exercise can help or benefit the mother and the child. However, there is still a long way to go in this regard. To try to put some light in this regard, the International Olympic Committee works together with the Polytechnic University of Madrid in this field.
The intention of this research is to demonstrate with moderate exercise is safe for the mother and try to find possible benefits of these practices for the mother. The first results presented in this work confirm the hypothesis that gentle sports activity in pregnancy has positive results for both women and the fetus.
A few benefits that appear in different levels. The researchers found improvements at the metabolic, cardiovascular and even psychic or emotional levels. Those responsible for the study point to this last benefit as very important because it prevents the onset of postpartum depression that affects the process of child rearing, who undoubtedly is the first beneficiary in this aspect.
Benefits of sport in pregnancy
As this research indicates, it is moderate exercise that brings benefits to the mother. The woman's condition prevents her from performing high-performance activities. In these cases it is recommended as pilates, swimming or going for a walk. It is always advisable to discuss the decision to do some sport with the gynecologist to rule out this possibility in case there is any risk.
In the case of putting on sports, these are some of the benefits that the mother receives when exercising during pregnancy:
- Calms the discomfort derived from the growth of the baby. While the baby is gaining weight, the back of the woman supports these extra kilos and the sport helps to tone this area of the body and strengthen the musculature.
- Helps the mother rest better after exercise.
- Lessens the chances of depression during pregnancy or postpartum
- Help control weight during pregnancy and reduce the problems arising from extra kilos in pregnancy.
- Reduces the risk of suffering from diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or premature birth due to obesity or excessive weight gain during that stage.
Damián Montero
