Depression in pregnancy: fight it with exercise
Depression is one of the pathologies that most concerns in our society, hence the experts warn about the importance of early diagnosis.More than 200 international professionals have met in the 42nd Edition of the International Women's Health Symposium of the Dexeus Foundation to address the issue of depression in pregnancy.
The Dexeus Foundation, which is primarily responsible for the dissemination of various studies related to obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine, in relation to the meeting on Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2.0.has studied the relationship of depression before, during or after pregnancy with the health of the child.
Dr. Gracia Lasheras, Head of the Psychiatry and Psychology Department of the Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, explains that a depression "can bring negative consequences for both the mother and the fetus" regardless of when it occurs. One of these derived difficulties may be Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, better known as ADHD, which is a chronic neurobiological disorder that requires treatment.
How to prevent depression in pregnancy
On the one hand, it is important to have a doctor or specialist who, in the words of Lasheras, "must be correctly trained and updated to detect the alarm signals and perform the necessary tests on the patients". But on the other hand, the role of the future mother is also essential. What can she do to reduce (and even avoid) the negative consequences of depression or anxiety resulting from pregnancy? The answer is simple: enough physical exercise!
It is clear that, during pregnancy, the woman's routines change. Their eating habits are modified according to the guidelines that the obstetrician or gynecologist is giving and this must be added that the body experiences many new sensations that are responsible for fatigue, fatigue and the famous cravings. But, as in many other situations, everything is more bearable if we know the needs of our body. Therefore, in this 42nd edition a new section has been introduced to address the importance of the well-being of pregnant women. The protagonists have been physical activity and nutrition.
A ration of endorphins against depression!
When we exercise our body generates endorphins, known as "hormones of happiness", so preventing exercise with depression and anxiety seems the most effective way. It is true that you can not keep up with the pace you had before pregnancy, but some practices such as Pilates, performed in moderation can be helpful, without forgetting the Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor and prevent future urinary incontinence .
Sport keeps glucose at bay and depression disappears
But with physical exercise we not only put a stop to pathologies such as depression. Gestational diabetes is one of the most common types of diabetes today. This has to do with the blood sugar levels of the pregnant woman, something that, at the same time, is related to physical exercise. So much so that there are many studies that show that the impact of gestational diabetes (if it occurs) is less thanks to the practice of sports because the more sports we do the less insulin we need.
Insulin is the one that regulates glucose, which is produced inside our body by the intake of carbohydrates. How do you regulate it? Send a message to our cells to absorb the excess glucose from our blood and convert it into energy. The cells that work most in this process are the muscles. But if we do not do enough exercise these will be full of fat. We have to burn it to make room for glucose. This is how we keep in shape, we feel better and we prevent diabetes.
Playing sports our cells work and we feel more comfortable with ourselves. If we add to this that we burn calories and generate endorphins, we conclude that sport is the best preventive measure. If you are pregnant, you should take into account advice such as those of Marta Puigdomènech, who from MAMfit warns that "physical activity must always be adapted to each woman and strength exercises must be combined with cardiovascular work whenever it is about sports without impact Like walking".
Marisol Nuevo Espín
