To Your Health
October, 2024 (Vol. 18, Issue 10) |
|
|
Baby Deserves It
By Editorial Staff
There are many reasons why expectant mothers can find it challenging to stay active: morning sickness, back pain, discomfort moving / changing positions, and more, depending on the trimester. But there's one great reason to do everything you can to exercise during pregnancy: your child.
Chest tightness, coughing, the need to take medication – asthma can make your child's life far less enjoyable than it deserves to be. Physical activity by an expectant mother appears to help reduce the risk their child will develop asthma, with new findings appearing in the research journal
Medicine.
Among nearly 1,000 mother-child pairs tracked from pregnancy until the child turned 7 years old, children whose mothers exercised three or more times per week while expectant were significantly less likely to develop asthma; approximately half the risk compared to children whose mothers exercised less while pregnant.
According to the study, "The most common exercise forms reported were walking (34%), jogging (32%), muscle strengthening (29%), and group exercise classes or working out at home (22%). Other repeatedly reported sports included running (10%), swimming, aqua jogging or aqua gym (8%), dancing (5%), and riding (4%)."
Doctors recommend physical activity during pregnancy for women's health as well, of course – which means it's a win-win for mother and baby! If you're expecting, talk to your health care team about the best way to ensure a healthy delivery.
