Benefits of Exercise for Pregnancy

Does that mean exercise should be a part of human pregnancies? Evidence suggests the answer is yes. The first benefit is a practical one, having to do with labor. Many women report that giving birth is both the most exhilarating experience of their lives and the most painful. But women who exercise regularly have a much easier time giving birth than obese women. For fit women, the second stage of labor—that painful phase where you have to do a lot of pushing—lasts an average of 27 minutes. Physically unfit women had to push for almost an hour, some far longer. Not surprisingly, fit women perceived this stage as being far less painful. And, because the pushing phase was so much shorter, their babies were less likely to experience brain damage from oxygen deprivation. If you are afraid of labor, you owe it yourself to become as fit as possible going into it. And the reasons are argued purely from the Serengeti.

[...]

What is the proper balance? Four words: moderate, regular aerobic exercise. For most women, that means keeping your heart rate below 70 percent of its maximal rate (which is 220 beats per minute minus your age), then slowing things down as the due date approaches. But you should exercise. As long as you don’t have obstetric or other medical complications, the American College of Obstetricians recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day.

Women who are fit have a shorter second stage labor compared to women who are obese, resulting in less stress and oxygen deprivation for the infant.