Here's the first article featuring Dr Kim's responses to some of your questions in the SheCycles clinic. She'll be answering the other questions in the clinic over the next week or two inbetween training as a Pro Elite mountain bike racer, working as a Doc and moving to Inverness.
London_Lady asks:
London Lady
|
Just out of interest, my sister is 12 weeks pregnant and has been told to stop cycling. I suggested that light road riding would be ok and possibly gentle fire-road riding. What do you think? How far into the pregnancy can she keep riding?
SheCycles resident Dr Kim says:
Congratulations to your sister!
Unfortunately, many women are advised not to exercise during pregnancy. This is probably due to the legal aspects of modern medicine, as well as the fact that there are limited research studies available to prove or disprove many of the theoretical risks. Most women can exercise during pregnancy and many continue to cycle during pregnancy, including Olympic MTB gold medallist, Paola Pezzo. In fact, some studies have found a greater sense of well-being and shorter labour in physically well-conditioned women. And it's easier to keep exercising during pregnancy if you regularly exercised before you became pregnant. However, a few rules exist…
There are many changes that occur during pregnancy, each of which has implications on exercise.
Body Changes
One of the most obvious changes in pregnancy is the alteration of the woman's body. As pregnancy progresses a shift of the centre of gravity occurs, which may cause problems with balance, so gymnastics is out! As are any activities that have a high risk of a fall, so no technical North Shore either! Cycling outdoors does carry a risk of falling, whereas indoor cycling does not, but it is up to you to decide what is an acceptable level of risk.
Most women also describe greater discomfort with exercise in the later stages of pregnancy, largely related to tension of the pelvic ligaments during weight-bearing exercise, so you may find running uncomfortable.
Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy are thought to induce a greater laxity in joints, to allow the pelvis to accommodate delivery. This effect can cause laxity in other joints and so there is a theoretical risk of injury due to joint laxity (such as twisted ankle) although an increased injury rate has not been demonstrated.
Temperature Regulation
vYour metabolism increases during both exercise and pregnancy, generating more heat. Theoretically, when exercising during pregnancy, if there was a very high rise in temperature it may cause damage to an unborn baby, especially during the first trimester. However, studies have shown that maternal body temperature decreases during the first trimester through to 37 weeks gestation in order to compensate. As a precaution, you should not exercise in hot and humid conditions and may want to use a fan to keep cool when training indoors. Swimming is great for regulating your temperature while exercising.
Energy
Normally, pregnancy increases your food requirements by 300 calories per day, even without exercise. So, if you are exercising during pregnancy you should make sure you eat a well-balanced diet and eat more than the prescribed extra 300 calories per day. Exercise has not been shown to impair the normal weight gain required during pregnancy.
Performance
Don't expect to train as hard as you used to! Pregnancy is associated with a progressive decline of performance as pregnancy advances, topping out at 50% of pre-pregnancy performance levels by 6 months of gestation. Weight bearing exercises, like running, are affected more than non-weight bearing activities, such as cycling or swimming.
Labour
There are theoretical concerns about premature labour in women who exercise late in pregnancy. Exercise is known to increase circulating levels of the hormones, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Noradrenaline has been shown to increase the strength and frequency of contractions, whereas adrenaline has an inhibiting effect. Some women experience contractions while exercising during late pregnancy and it is not known whether this is related to the change of these hormone levels. However, no increase in premature labour has been shown in women exercising late in pregnancy and exercise may also make pregnancy more comfortable.
Contraindications to Exercising During Pregnancy
As a cautionary note, there are a few conditions that mean you should avoid exercise during pregnancy. The table shows absolute contraindications, which are conditions with which you must not exercise and relative contraindications, which are conditions with which you may exercise with caution. If you have any of these conditions you must see you doctor before exercising during pregnancy.
Absolute Contraindications
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension
- Premature rupture of membranes
- Pre-term labour
- Incompetent cervix
- Persistent 2nd or 3rd trimester bleeding
- Placenta previa
Relative Contraindications
- Chronic hypertension
- Thyroid function abnormality
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
Top Tips
Most women can safely exercise during pregnancy, but check with your doctor you do not have a medical condition that means you should not.
- Do not exercise in hot and humid conditions
- Consider using a fan to keep yourself cool when training indoors
- Exercise intensity and duration should be kept within a level that does not cause pain, shortness of breath or excessive fatigue.
- Eat a healthy diet and at least an extra 300 calories per day
- Keep well hydrated
- Avoid exercises lying flat on your back during the later stages of pregnancy
- Avoid exercises requiring balance or with sudden changes of movement
- Avoid exercises with a high risk of falling
- Walking, cycling and swimming are excellent activities during pregnancy
- Stop if you have contractions while exercising
DISCLAIMER: Advice and information is provided via SheCycles.com Clinic on a free of charge basis as a supportive service to women in sport. It should not replace the use of your General Practitioner for medical problems.
Bex Hopkins
