Should a woman stop exercising while she is undergoing IVF or pregnant? 

It’s a question which doctors get asked all the time, with most women keen to understand how lifestyle impacts their chance of conceiving or giving birth to a healthy baby. 

On Lunchtime Live, National Maternity Hospital Master Shane Higgins said he always encourages his patients to continue exercising after they find out they are pregnant. 

“It’s in the patient’s, in the woman’s best interest to be as fit as she possibly can be,” he said. 

“A lot of patients will stop exercising particularly in the first trimester and I can understand why.” 

Professor Higgins continued that exercise does not cause women to miscarriage. 

“However, if you’ve exercised, start bleeding and start having a miscarriage afterwards, you will inevitably blame yourself,” he said. 

“That’s just human nature.

“But exercising is good for you and particularly if you do decide to stop for the first trimester up until week 12, there’s no reason for you not to continue. 

“I had a patient come to me and she jogged in from Dún Laoghaire for an antenatal appointment.

“Sonia O’Sullivan is well known to have continued to compete on the athletics track when she was pregnant. So, it’s not doing you any harm.” 

A pregnant woman. Picture by: PA Wire/PA Images.

When asked if he would also encourage women undergoing IVF to stop exercising, Professor Higgins said his advice they should continue exercising as well. 

“Exercise can be a destressor and I think patients have an awful lot going on in their lives when it comes to an IVF journey,” he said. 

“Going out and exercising, whether it’s swimming or cycling or doing a class is of enormous benefit to them physically and mentally.” 

What type of exercise during pregnancy?

When asked whether running is too impactful during pregnancy, Professor Higgins said it depends on the patient. 

“I do often indicate to patients that as you get bigger in pregnancy and further along, it becomes more and more uncomfortable,” he said. 

“Also, you do produce an awful lot of progesterone in pregnancy but one of the effects of progesterone is to cause laxity of the ligaments that support the joints. 

“That’s why a lot of patients will complain of pelvic discomfort; if you do an awful lot of running, you might exacerbate that by virtue of that progesterone that’s there.

“If you do find you’re getting to a point in pregnancy where running is too much - [there’s] swimming, cycling or a rowing machine, they’re all fantastic.”

Main image: A woman holding her pregnant belly. Picture by: Tetra Images, LLC / Alamy.com.