Excercise and pregnancy
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Exercise and Pregnancy
Kinesiology
Pregnancy is the definition of change. For 40 weeks, your body supports and nurtures your growing baby as changes occur. Learning how to handle these changes is the key to continuing and enjoying exercise during pregnancy. Exercise plays a vital role in promoting good health and well being for pregnant women. Expectant mothers who maintain an exercise regimen can experience significant benefits during and after their pregnancies. They include: (1) Improved muscle and cardiovascular endurance, (2) Limited weight gain and fat retention, (3) Improved mood and energy, (4) Easier, shorter and less complicated labor, (5) Faster postpartum recovery, (6) Reduced backaches, bloating and constipation and (7) Improved posture and sleeping.
Pregnancy is a highly complex physiologic state and precautions are needed during pregnancy to ensure that the exercise program chosen will not lead or contribute to any complications.
Lungs and Breathing
The respiratory rate is naturally increased and because of this the body works hard to give enough oxygen to the developing fetus thus reducing the amount of oxygen available for exercise.
Metabolism
Exercise increases the metabolism of carbohydrates. These two factors lead to low blood sugar reactions during exercise...