Building and maintaining a regular exercise routine in pregnancy is something that I recommend to all of my pregnant patients – both for the physical and mental health benefits to mom, and for improved pregnancy and birth outcomes for fetus – even for patients who did not exercise before pregnancy. For my pregnant patients who are at high-risk of hypertension in pregnancy, this is something I encourage even more strongly.
A recent meta-analysis from Nanjing Medical University looked at the impacts of exercise on the blood pressure of women in both healthy and high-risk pregnancies. Both groups benefitted from reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with the biggest benefits in the high-risk group, with a 7.33mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure. Physical exercise interventions during pregnancy reduced the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia by 39 and 41%, respectively, which is a significant reduction.
While the studies did not identify the optimal length, intensity, or type of exercise, moderate walking alone was shown to be effective in reducing blood pressure.
Yet another good reason to promote regular exercise during pregnancy!
I hope you have found this helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions!
If you are hungry for more evidence-based information for your fertility or pregnancy journey, visit www.myhealthypregnancyplan.com for free webinars and complete programs.
And if you are a care-provider looking for evidence-based resources for your fertility or pregnancy patients, please get in touch with us at support@myhealthypregnancyplan.com, or visit www.myhealthypregnancyplan.com/ce-courses-for-naturopathic-doctors.
In health,
Dr Jocelyn Land-Murphy, ND
Terra Life
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References:
Zhu, Z. Et al. (2022). Effects of physical exercise on blood pressure during pregnancy. BMC Public health, 22(1733).