What to Avoid in Your Pregnancy Fitness Routine According to Experts

Pregnancy is an exciting time full of changes and anticipation. Maintaining your fitness routine during these months can be incredibly beneficial — helping boost mood, improve sleep, and prepare the body for childbirth. However, not all fitness activities are safe or recommended. Experts warn that certain exercises and habits during pregnancy can lead to complications or harm for mother and baby.

If you're expecting and committed to staying active, it’s crucial to understand exactly what to avoid to keep your prenatal workouts both safe and effective. This article dives into key expert recommendations on pregnancy fitness pitfalls, with detailed explanations and practical advice.

Why Being Cautious Matters: The Risks at Stake

Your body adapts dramatically during pregnancy. Hormones like relaxin increase joint laxity, weight distribution shifts, and cardiovascular capacity changes. Due to these physiological alterations, what was once a simple squat or jog might now pose risk for overexertion, injury, or falls.

For example, research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology highlights the increased risk of falls among pregnant women, which can lead to placental abruption or preterm labor. Furthermore, excessive intensity or strain can contribute to maternal hypertension, fetal stress, or other complications.

Therefore, the goal is to keep moving—safely and sustainably—avoiding activities that raise these risks.

Avoid High-Impact and High-Risk Exercises

1. High-Impact and Contact Sports

Activities such as basketball, soccer, skiing, or martial arts pose a significant risk for abdominal trauma due to their contact or vigorous nature. Dr. Jessica Shepherd, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, advises, “Any sport with a strong possibility of falling or collision should be avoided as it could harm both the mother and fetus.”

Even non-contact high-impact workouts like intense running or plyometrics should be reconsidered, especially as your pregnancy progresses. The added joint laxity also raises injury risk.

2. Exercises Involving Lying Flat on Your Back After First Trimester

Another often overlooked caution is workouts done in the supine position post the first trimester. The weight of the growing uterus compresses the vena cava—a major vein—potentially reducing blood flow to your baby and causing maternal dizziness. The Mayo Clinic advises avoiding exercises like supine crunches or leg raises beyond 20 weeks gestation.

3. Avoid Holding Breath or Straining

The Valsalva maneuver—holding your breath and straining—should be avoided as it spikes intra-abdominal pressure and blood pressure, reducing oxygen supply to the fetus. This commonly happens during heavy weightlifting without proper breathing.

Experts recommend using lighter weights and focusing on controlled breathing.

4. Hot Yoga or Exercising in Excessive Heat

Pregnancy raises your baseline body temperature and risk of overheating, which can potentially lead to neural tube defects in early pregnancy or dehydration later on.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises against hot yoga or any exercise that causes you to overheat. Instead, opt for well-ventilated spaces and moderate intensity.

Activities to Modify or Approach With Caution

1. Balance Intensive Exercises

Due to shifting centers of gravity, balance-challenging workouts like certain yoga poses or standing on unstable surfaces carry fall risk. Instead, prenatal yoga with modifications and stability supports is recommended.

2. Intense Core Training

Deep abdominal exercises that strain the linea alba might worsen diastasis recti, a common condition where abdominal muscles separate.

Consult with a prenatal physical therapist to learn safe core regimens.

3. Exhaustive or Prolonged Workouts

Extended endurance activities or those pushing past exhaustion can cause complications like low blood sugar, dehydration, or dizziness.

Pregnancy fitness expert Cynthia St. Pierre suggests limiting sessions to 30 minutes and including regular hydration and breaks.

Signs to Watch For: When to Stop and Seek Help

Even with a safe routine, watch for warning signs like vaginal bleeding, contractions, chest pain, severe headaches, dizziness, or decreased fetal movement during or after exercise.

If these symptoms occur, stop exercising immediately and consult your healthcare provider.

Safe Exercise Alternatives and Expert Recommendations

Instead of cutting out fitness entirely, here are expert-backed activities recommended for most healthy pregnancies:

• Walking: Low-impact, gentle on joints, and easily modifiable intensity.
• Swimming: Supports body weight, reduces overheating, and relieves swelling.
• Prenatal Yoga: Focuses on gentle stretching, breathing, and relaxation with safe modifications.
• Strength Training with Light Weights: Builds muscle endurance and supports posture. Avoid heavy lifting and always focus on controlled breathing.

Dr. James Clapp, a pioneer in prenatal exercise research, emphasizes, “Moderate exercise during pregnancy benefits fetal health and maternal well-being when appropriately adapted to the pregnancy stage.”

Conclusion: Prioritize Safety and Listen to Your Body

Pregnancy is a time to balance maintaining fitness and respecting your changing body. Avoiding high-impact, high-risk exercises, steering clear of overheating, and modifying routines based on expert guidance will help ensure you benefit from physical activity without compromising safety.

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or continuing any fitness regimen during pregnancy. Working with prenatal fitness professionals can also equip you with personalized strategies to stay active confidently.

By understanding what to avoid and how to adapt exercises, you can empower yourself to enjoy a healthy, active pregnancy that supports both you and your baby’s wellbeing.

References

1. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804: Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2020.
2. Clapp, J. F. The changing metabolic needs of pregnant women. Sports Medicine, 2003.
3. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology on pregnancy falls and outcomes, 2018.
4. Mayo Clinic guidelines on exercise during pregnancy.