Exercise in pregnancy: A review for nurse practitioners

Abstract

To facilitate a holistic approach to the delivery of health care to both the mother and her fetus, an appraisal of the current literature on the physiological and psychological effects of exercise on pregnant clients is presented in this paper. From a physiological standpoint, exercise‐induced changes in the maternal cardiovascular, respiratory and thermoregulatory systems, and in catecholamine production are reviewed. Research on fetal growth rate, heart rate and movement, and on duration of labor as a result of exercise is examined. Although the data are limited, psychosocial perspectives of the intrapartum and postpartum periods are considered. Concluding current recommendations and general guidelines for exercising while pregnant are discussed.