Exercise during pregnancy: babies with a healthier heart
Doing sport or not during pregnancy: that is the question. Until recently it was thought that exercise during pregnancy was detrimental to the health of the woman and the fetus, but it has been demonstrated that women who exercise have better blood circulation and more oxygen in the body. This practice, in addition, favors the development of the baby's heart.
It is proven that the practice of exercise during pregnancy benefits the health of the pregnant woman, as well as the preparation and recovery after childbirth. Even so, less than half of pregnant women practice sports on a regular basis and adapted to their needs.
Babies with a healthier heart = exercise in pregnancy
A relevant study published by the researchers of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences maintains that exercising during pregnancy is not only good for the mother, but also for the fetusbecause it strengthens your heart.
That a baby has a stronger heart translates, among other things, into a less suffering during childbirth, reduction of tachycardia and better health.
Although the exact cause for which the fetus receives the benefits of maternal exercise is still unknown, the aforementioned study suggests that hormones secreted after sport (endorphins), would transfer the placenta during physical activity, favoring the development of the Baby's heart
5 benefits of exercising if you are pregnant
Some of the most frequent exercises performed by pregnant women are those called low impact, such as pilates or swimming.
Performing a physical activity during pregnancy has many benefits on the health of the fetus and the mother, but not all sports are adequate during those 9 months. Before starting to perform a sport it is important to know the starting point and the physical state of the mother. "TOBefore venturing out to exercises during pregnancy, be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional for it. This will be responsible for designing the most appropriate therapeutic exercises for each mother, "says Flor María Trujillo, obstetrician and osteopath physiotherapist.
Among the main benefits of performing a sports activity, the expert emphasizes that this practice helps:
1. Relieve the discomforts that result from the baby's growth. As the baby gains weight, the woman's back is forced to support those extra kilos and the specific sport helps to take care of her back and strengthen the muscles of the whole body.
2. Help the mother rest better
3. Reduces the risk of gestational or postpartum depression
4. Help control weight during pregnancy
5. Reduce the risk of suffering from diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or premature delivery due to obesity or excessive weight gain during that stage.
"At this point it is very important not to become obsessed, our body is going to change and it is logical to gain weight, we have to accept it whenever it is in moderation, today we see in social networks how there are mothers who are obsessed with not getting fat during those months Pregorexia is anorexia during pregnancy and this disorder arises from the need to not gain weight during pregnancy, for this, the expectant mother sets in motion extreme diets and exaggerated exercise, which has a very negative effect on health of mother and baby, "says Trujillo.
On the other hand, performing sports during the 9 months prior to the arrival of a baby contributes to "decrease not only the pains but also to strengthen and generate greater elasticity of the abdomen and pelvis area, and therefore the body is better prepared at the time of delivery, "says Dr. Trujillo.
The obstetrician physiotherapist and midwife will help you to know which postures of dilation are correct, in addition to the correct placement of the pelvis for the time of delivery.
The benefits of sports supervised by a specialist during pregnancy are extensive and tested and also affect the future baby, but should not end once it has given birth. Exercising after childbirth favors the subsequent recovery of the physical form of the mother, but we must be careful with the type of exercise that is performed and when to return to practice it.
Dr. Flor María Trujillo.Diploma in Physiotherapy, C. Osteopathic and expert in the care for and for women.
