Traditionally healthy women with low-risk pregnancies have been advised to participate in mild to moderate intensity, low impact exercise. This is a question we are asked regularly in the clinic, and the answer isn’t always straight forward, and should be tailored to suit each pregnant woman. So we ask our clients:

How many weeks pregnant are you?

What is your previous exercise and training history?

What types of exercise do you like?

Have you experienced morning sickness or fatigue that has necessitated a break from training?

Are you experiencing back or pelvic girdle pain?

How much time do you have to exercise?

The answers to these questions help to guide the advice. All people should aim to get 180 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. This should include a mix of cardio and strength training. What is moderate intensity exercise? We suggest The Talk Test. Can you hold a short conversation?

If you are new to exercise or had to take a break from training we suggest low impact exercise like walking, swimming, aqua aerobics, yoga or light weights. If you regularly exercise keep going with modifications, this might involve lowering your weights and paying attention to breathing and pelvic floor pressure management. The most recent research suggests that HIIT training has no adverse effects on fetal well being Wowdzia et al 2023.

If you would like specific advice, make an appointment to see one of our Physios or Exercise Physiologists. These are one of our favourite consults, helping people stay active!

Wowdzia, J.B., Hazell, T.J., Berg, E.R.V. et al. Maternal and Fetal Cardiovascular Responses to Acute High-Intensity Interval and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training Exercise During Pregnancy: A Randomized Crossover Trial. Sports Med 53, 1819–1833 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01858-5