Women athletes are becoming involved in a larger range of sports venues, many of which require aggressive training programs and intense sports performances. Pregnant athletes need to compensate for hormonal and nutritional changes and take into consideration the growing fetus. In most cases, athletic women can continue workouts as long as their training routines are altered and progress is monitored to protect the unborn infant.

Of course, if you are involved in sports when becoming pregnant, you should regularly visit and discuss your fitness training goals with your OB. They will be able to give you professional advice on how to make adjustments to your workout routine as well as what to avoid for both your health and the baby’s.

Following are three major health concerns which can cause harm to a growing fetus and should be considered by the pregnant athlete.

Oxygen Deficiency

When you workout, your muscles and organs require a greater amount of oxygen-rich blood. This valuable oxygen is also required by the growing fetus and, if overly depleted, can cause a deficiency.

If you are already involved in a regular exercise program then the fetus will adapt more adequately to the stresses of the workouts than would a fetus that is suddenly thrust into a new sports training program. However, you should realize that various exercise types, intensities and durations can affect the amount of oxygen and, therefore, the heart rate of a fetus. Extreme exercise sessions, or those performed irregularly, can cause oxygen deficiencies which are known to cause birth defects.

Once the baby becomes developed enough to feel its movements, you should carefully monitor these during workouts because oxygen deficiency causes an infant to stop moving. Keeping a log of baby movements can help you determine which workouts are affecting the infant more and you can adjust them accordingly.

Hyperthermia

An athlete’s body temperature is elevated during high intensity exercises. Although women involved in fitness training know how to adjust to such extreme temperature changes and are better equipped to dissipate body heat, the growing infant cannot control their environment. Therefore, the fetus must be kept in mind when performing high intensity workouts so that overheating doesn’t harm the fetus.
The most risk for fetus overheating is in the first trimester. This is due to the infant not yet being developed enough to regulate its own temperature. Therefore, avoid long and strenuous periods of exercise during this period of your pregnancy, especially in extremely warm temperatures. Monitor your internal body temperature after completing workouts and do not allow it to climb over 102°F.

Injuries

Sports injuries are one of the most obvious concerns for a pregnant athlete. Abdominal trauma can easily occur during both practice and competitive play. Risk for such injuries is even more pronounced in contact sports (soccer, hockey, mixed martial arts, etc) and those which have a high potential for falling (skiing, gymnastics, horseback riding, etc). If you are a pregnant athlete involved in such sports, you may need to completely avoid play and just concentrate on maintaining fitness through training until the baby is born. However, low-impact sports such as golf, dance, swimming, etc can usually be continued without problem.

Becoming pregnant as an athlete doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop all fitness training, practice and play. Just be sure to talk with your OB, adjust your workout program to compensate and monitor all your activity closely and both you and your baby will be healthier for the experience.