Staying active during your pregnancy is good for you for so many reasons. If you’re healthy and exercised before you became pregnant, it is usually safe to continue your activities. Check with your health care provider during your first prenatal visit to make sure. You may be asked to fill out Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy. 

Recommendations for physical activity in pregnancy: 

• All pregnant people should be physically active throughout pregnancy unless they have specific health concerns or pregnancy complications. 
• Each week, try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise to get health benefits. It is best to be active every day. But try for at least three days per week to get your 150 minutes in. 
• For more health benefits, do:
  • Aerobic exercise to get your heart pumping 
  • Strength training to prevent lower back pain and build stamina for labour and delivery. 
  • Yoga and gentle stretching help you breathe and relax which can help you adjust to the demands of pregnancy, labour, birth and parenthood. 
  • Kegel exercises help to strengthen your muscles that support your bladder, uterus and bowels. When you strengthen these muscles, you learn how to relax and tighten them. This helps with pushing during labour and delivery. Talk to your health care provider or a physical therapist for information on how to do Kegels. 

Stop physical activity immediately and talk to your healthcare provider if you have:  

• excessive shortness of breath that does not go away with rest 
• regular and painful uterine contractions 
• vaginal bleeding 
• persistent loss of fluid from the vagina 
• dizziness or faintness that does not go away with rest 
• severe chest pain 

Activities to avoid during pregnancy 

Some activities are not recommended or require extra consideration during pregnancy as they may put you and your baby at risk of injury. These include: 

• activities that require quick stops or changes in direction 
• physical contact sports 
• exercising when it is very hot, especially if the humidity is high 
• scuba diving 
• physical activity at high elevation  

Is exercise safe for everyone? 

If you were active before your pregnancy, there is no reason you cannot remain active. Every pregnant person should still consult with their healthcare provider before beginning an exercise program.   

If you have or had any of the below, talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. 

• Previous pregnancy losses (miscarriages) 
• High blood pressure in pregnancy 
• Premature delivery 
• Mild/moderate heart or respiratory disease 
• Symptoms from anemia 
• Undernourished  
• Eating disorders 
• Are expecting twins and are more than 28 weeks pregnant 

When exercise is unsafe 

During your regular prenatal appointments, your health care provider will do regular testing and screening. If one of these conditions develop, your health care provider will discuss your plan of care. 

If you have one of the below, do not exercise. 

• Your water breaks early and/or you go into labour before 37 weeks of pregnancy 
• Vaginal bleeding 
• Placenta previa (when the placenta completely or partially covers the cervix) after 28 weeks of pregnancy 
• Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure 
• Weak cervix 
• Fetus is measuring small  
• Expecting three or more babies
• Uncontrolled type I diabetes, high blood pressure or thyroid disease 
• Other serious cardiovascular, respiratory, or systemic disorder 
• Other significant medical conditions 

Reference: 

Canadian Guidelines for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy (2019) 

Resource:  

Publications – Western University