Sports and pregnancy

Just because a woman is pregnant doesn’t mean she has to give up her favorite sport and just be content with being a couch potato. Here’s everything pregnant women have always wanted to ask about sports and how to enjoy them.

Can I Swim?

Yes, certainly. This is one of best exercises for a pregnant woman. It mobilizes many different muscles, yet there is little strain for the woman to bear the load of that growing tummy since the water supports and partially unburdens her of that weight. Diving or jumping into the water are best avoided, however, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy. The problem with pools is that the water is chlorinated for antiseptic reasons, that is, to kill the harmful bacteria that may accumulate in the water. That’s good. But the bad side is the chlorine can also kill the bacteria in the vulvar area, upsetting the bacterial flora, thus promoting fungal infections. So if you get a vaginal itch a few days to a few weeks after swimming, you know what caused it and what it might possibly be.

On the beach, avoid jellyfish stings with a locally available anti-jellyfish lotion by Godiva. Remember to be generous with sun block to prevent free radical formation on the skin (The higher the number, the longer the protection. Look for SPF60.) that can induce skin cancer as well as to wear sunglasses to avoid free radical formation in the eyes that can cause cataracts in the future. Prevent dehydration and overheating by taking lots of fluids (coconut juice is great for replenishing electrolytes – much better than plain water).

Avoid water sports that create internal body pressure changes, such as scuba diving. Water skiing and beach volleyball are best avoided. Jet skiing may be engaged in if it is something you have been doing even prior to pregnancy, but not if you are learning it for the first time.

What About Other Sports?

One rule of thumb when it comes to activities and pregnancy is that you can usually engage in it if it was something you have been accustomed to doing prior to pregnancy. However, activities where you run the risk of falling are best to be avoided, since the force of an impact may cause the placenta to separate from the uterus, known as abruption placenta. This is a very serious condition, which will cut off the oxygen supply of the baby, causing fetal death or a dangerous loss of blood from the mother. Therefore, rock climbing, skydiving, and horseback riding are definitely to be avoided. Tennis is generally safe during pregnancy if you are not learning it for the first time. A woman should be aware that her sense of balance may change. Golf and bowling are good recreational sports, but don’t consistently pump up cardiovascular function so they don’t really strengthen the heart and lungs. What a pregnant woman needs to remember, however, is that during pregnancy, the hormone relaxin causes all the joints to loosen. Furthermore, with a growing abdomen, her axis of gravity changes such that she will need to lean back to adjust to her balance. Body-building and strength training can make muscles stronger as well as help prevent the muscle aches and pains that are commonly experienced in pregnancy. This is best done with a professional trainer to avoid muscle and joint injuries.

Points To Remember

• Vigorous exercises can raise a woman’s temperature to more than 1 to 2° F. This can be dangerous since blood is shunted from the uterus to the skin to regulate temperature back to normal.

• No swimming in hot springs or hot tubs. Avoid saunas and steam rooms.

• Wear stretchable or loose clothes that don’t strangle any part of the body with movement. Natural fabrics like cotton let the body breathe versus polyester fabrics that don’t absorb sweat.

• Use anti-slip footwear especially in wet areas. Use well-fitting, well-cushioned sneakers that will protect the loosened joints and ligaments of the body to minimize injuries.

• Never train to the point of exhaustion. Once the body sugar runs low, the body will break down fat for energy supply. The by-product of this fat metabolism is ketone formation which can cross the placenta and is not safe for the fetus.

• Whenever pain, cramping, dizziness, nausea, and headache ensue, these are body signals that should never be ignored and should be signs that it is time to stop and rest.

• Gradually reduce the level of exercise in the third trimester. Walking is the best exercise at this stage of pregnancy, which does the least harm.

As in many other things during pregnancy, it is better to be safe than sorry.

(Dr. Rebecca B. Singson holds clinics at Rm. 381, Makati Medical Center with tel. no. 892-7879; and Rms. 202-203, Asian Hospital and Medical Center with tel. nos. 771-9204 and 771-9206. E-mail at obmd@surfshop.net.ph.)