Weight training is safe for pregnant women – allowing them to use it to maintain fitness, research has found.
Many doctors do not encourage weight lifting for pregnant women due to increased levels of a hormone called relaxin, which loosens connective tissue and can cause joint strain under pressure.
Dr Patrick O’Connor of the University of Georgia, USA, and his team investigated the potential risk from low-to-moderate intensity weight training. They recruited 32 pregnant women and monitored the amount of weight they lifted, changes in blood pressure, and any side-effects.
Over the course of 12 weeks, the women underwent 618 exercise sessions, targeting muscles involved in back pain and function. The weights used increased by an average of 36 per cent.
No musculoskeletal injuries occurred. There were 13 "potentially problematic symptoms" involving headache, pelvic pain and dizziness. Dr O’Connor explains that some pelvic pain is expected alongside back pain in pregnancy.
Dizziness reduced over the 12 weeks, as breathing techniques improved. There was no change at all in blood pressure. The research is published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
Dr O’Connor said: "Doctors often have been unwilling to prescribe weightlifting, in part, because there was little evidence that it is safe and effective. I think that the appropriate conclusion of this study is that the adoption of a supervised, low-to-moderate intensity weight-lifting exercise program can be safe for women with a low-risk pregnancy."
He added: "The data shows women can increase their strength even though they are pregnant and have never done weight-training before. The one thing you have to be a little careful about is dizziness."
Dr O’Connor’s next project will investigate whether weight training can help pregnancy-related back pain.
O’Connor, P. J. et al. Safety and Efficacy of Supervised Strength Training Adopted in Pregnancy. the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Vol. 8, March 2011, pp. 309-20.
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