Pregnancy: can you play sports when you are pregnant?

Even during pregnancy, playing sports is a good thing. Even if some sports are to be ruled out.

Exercising is good for your health. But what about pregnant women? Fear that the fetus will unhook, that this will cause a miscarriage or premature delivery: many beliefs exist about the possibility for a pregnant woman to play sports. "Pregnancy is not a pathology", immediately reminds Dr. Sophie Carpentier. According to the sports doctor, there is, therefore, no reason to stop all physical activity when you are pregnant.

The High Authority for Health also recalls that starting or continuing to play sports during this period is entirely possible. Even better, it helps to avoid certain complications, limit weight gain or reduce the intensity of pain. Of course, you have to adapt the intensity of the activity and make sure that there are no contraindications. So, what sports to practice? How frequently? And which ones should be avoided?

Brisk walking, swimming, and yoga

“We must remove all sports at risk of trauma,” insists Dr. Carpentier, also a member of the National Union of Sports Physicians (SNMS). Combat sports or those that can lead to a fall are therefore to be avoided, such as boxing, karate, climbing, rollerblading... The same is true for team sports (basketball, hockey, football...) to avoid any risk of shock.

Other practices should be banned: this is particularly the case with diving, which can lead to malformations and increase the risk of miscarriage. After the fourth month, exercises lying on your back should also be avoided because this could compress the vena cava, located in the abdomen, and therefore lead to venous insufficiency.

"We particularly recommend endurance sports," says the doctor. Brisk walking, swimming, yoga… These sports can be practiced without problem until the end. Gymnastics is also recommended, as well as the exercise bike. As for horseback riding, which is only possible for those who already have a good level, it is better to avoid it from the fifth month.

Short and regular sessions

Whether you start or continue physical activity during pregnancy, adapting to it is essential. No more two-hour workouts. “At the beginning of pregnancy, the recommended rhythm is three sessions of 30 to 40 minutes maximum per week”, explains the specialist. It is then possible, over the weeks, to increase to four or five sessions, while maintaining the same duration.

The activity should not be too strenuous. "The person must be able to continue talking during the exercise, otherwise it means that their heart rate is too high and they have to slow down," says Dr. Carpentier.

Adapting your practice, therefore, means reducing the intensity and length of the sessions. In tennis, for example, it may mean switching to a double game, which requires less energy.

Many benefits

The practice of a sport generally helps to keep the mother in a good state of health. This reduces, for example, lumbar and abdominal pain and the risk of gestational diabetes, a disorder that can appear towards the end of the second trimester and lead to excess sugar in the blood. If the latter appears, practicing a sport can even reduce its severity.

Unsurprisingly, physical activity also helps limit weight gain, which often remains unavoidable during pregnancy. In addition, certain sports have specific effects: swimming, for example, reduces the risk of edema in the legs.

Overall, emergency cesarean sections are less frequent when the mother has had regular training during pregnancy since complications are less present. And the benefits are also psychological: several studies have shown that exercise during pregnancy reduces stress, anxiety, and the risk of postpartum depression.

Make sure there are no contraindications

Before starting any activity, it is essential to consult a doctor to ensure that there are no contraindications to the practice of a sport. Indeed, in the case of high-risk pregnancy, sports activity is not recommended. This may be the case if the placenta is poorly located, in the event of cardiovascular disease, anemia, or twin pregnancy.

And even after the start of sports activities, you have to remain vigilant. If during or after exercise, the slightest symptom is detected, you should talk to your gynecologist, midwife, or doctor. “Any sign should alert,” insists Dr. Carpentier. It can be a pain, greater fatigue, bleeding, or even contractions. Reducing or even stopping the activity may then be necessary.