Being physically active while pregnant may help women gain a little bit less weight, according to a new review of recent research. Pooling the results of 12 studies, researchers in Munich, Germany, found that women who exercised while pregnant gained an average of 1.3 fewer pounds than women who didn't.
That alone is probably not much of an incentive for women who are considering exercising while pregnant, but there are other reasons to do it, said Dr. Michael Kramer of McGill University in Montreal who reviewed the findings for Reuters Health.
Research shows that exercise can have positive effects on mood and insulin sensitivity in people overall, and appears to have no negative effects on women during pregnancy, noted Kramer, who is also scientific director of the Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Exercise can also help women maintain their pre-pregnancy conditioning.
Women who gain too much weight in pregnancy are at risk of a number of problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and labour complications.
A recent study also found that women who gained more weight during pregnancy gave birth to heavier babies, who in turn are themselves more likely to become obese adults. They also may be more prone to cancer, allergies, and asthma.