USC Health Now

Q. I recently found out that I’m pregnant and want to stay physically fit. Is it safe for me to exercise while pregnant?

A. “Many people are fearful of exercising during pregnancy, however, exercise is an important activity before, during and after pregnancy,” says Yogi Matharu, DPT, OCS, assistant professor of clinical physical therapy in Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, a division at the USC School of Dentistry. He points out that moderate exercise can help prevent pain, improve posture, prevent complications, improve balance and decrease risk of falls. It can also improve or maintain fitness, improve flexibility, make it easier for you to stay functional throughout the pregnancy and decrease risk of gestational diabetes. “In fact, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes of moderate daily exercise during pregnancy, in the absence of medical complications,” says Matharu. However, you should speak to your obstetrician before starting any exercise program to ensure that you do not have any complications that would make exercise unsafe, he cautions. Examples of risk factors are bleeding, threatened or recurrent miscarriage, history of early labor, heart disease, asthma, diabetes and hypertension.

*Check back next week for a feature on specific exercises to do during each trimester of pregnancy.*