Benefits of Exercise Pre and Postpartum

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Medicine

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Apr 3, 2024

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Benefits of Exercise Pre and Postpartum Emmanuel Resendez Marymount University HPR-201-A: Introduction to Health and Exercise Science Dr. Mike Nordvall December 6, 2023

Introduction When people discuss the benefits of exercise, the benefits outweigh the risks if done properly. Some of the benefits include building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Exercise also helps control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce fat. Lastly, it can prevent the development of high blood pressure and reduce it for those with hypertension (ACSM, 2022). To obtain these results, the exercise does not have to be exceedingly intense, as a brisk 30 minute walk a day will suffice to accomplish this. If it is done in great excess it can lead to injuries, menstrual abnormalities, and bone weakening. One common myth that the general populace believes is that pregnant women should abstain from exercising. It is believed that women that exercise can cause harm to themselves and the baby, when in fact, it does the opposite. Expecting mothers are no exception to the rule: the benefits outweigh the risk if done properly. Some of the symptoms of pregnancy include gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, excess weight gain and weight retention in the postpartum period, postpartum depression, and many others (Brown et al., 2022). With exercise, these are greatly reduced or do not even show during the duration of a pregnancy. This review highlights the role of exercise during and after pregnancy, examining both its benefits and risks. With the collected data, it brings forth information that is imperative for a balanced approach to physical activity for expectant and postpartum women.

Benefits of Exercise Pre and Postpartum Exercise During Pregnancy 1. Cardiovascular Health When a woman becomes pregnant, she undergoes a profound alteration in her cardiovascular system. The first change that happens is a rise in heart rate, both at rest and during submaximal workouts. The resting heart rate increases 8 beats a minute by the eighth week and can reach an increase of 16 beats a minute by the end of the pregnancy. The reasoning behind this is still not yet clearly identified. There are many other cardiovascular changes that happen as well during the entirety of the pregnancy. It is shown that even though pregnancy increases stroke volume and heart rate, women that continue to do aerobic exercise training during pregnancy have lower resting heart rates and higher stroke volume compared to those that are sedentary (Melzer et al., 2010). 2. Gestational Diabetes Prevention Gestational diabetes is typically diagnosed during the second or third trimester of pregnancy and can reach up to 14% of the population across the world. Because pregnancy causes major biochemical changes in the female body, there can be a decrease in insulin sensitivity which is offset by an increase in insulin production. Through proper diet and exercise, the use of insulin can be avoided and only requires 20-30% insulin. Women that are obese are 2.14-3.56 times more likely to develop gestational diabetes than those that are at a healthy weight. It is important to treat this pregnancy complication because women with gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of developing type II diabetes after pregnancy ( Laredo-Aguilera, 2022 ). 3. Preparation for Labor and Delivery

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