A new study in the March 2010 issue of Preventive Magazine shows a majority of pregnant American women are not in shape. Three out of four pregnant women do not get their 30 minutes of recommended daily activity.
There are several resources available to pregnant women to guide them in their exercise program without endangering the baby’s life.
Brisk walking, light jogging, yoga, swimming, Pilates are a few examples of activities that pregnant women can adopt.
It was recently reported that women who remain active during pregnancy stimulate the cognitive development of their future child.
It also seems that women are more active during the first trimester of pregnancy than during the last trimester. Women often worry about harming their unborn child.
Another fact revealed in the latest survey: 15.3% of respondents reported watching more than five hours of television per day.
Kelly Evenson, Ph.D., is a research associate professor of epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and author of the new study. She says, "Physical activity during pregnancy has a number of health benefits. It may help prevent gestational diabetes, support healthy gestational weight gain and improve mental health."