A GUIDE TO HEALTHY PREGNANCY MANAGING AILMENTS AND FINDING SOLUTIONS

A_Guide_to_Healthy_Pregnancy

EXERCISE, SPORTS, AND TRAVEL DURING PREGNANCY: SAFETY GUIDELINES

Önder Tosun

Zeynep Kamil Women and Children Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, İstanbul, Türkiye

Tosun Ö. Exercise and Sport in Pregnancy, Travelling (Safe Options and Benefits, Precautions and Advice). Çetin A, ed. A Guide to Healthy Pregnancy: Managing Ailments and Finding Solutions. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2025. p.195-200.

ABSTRACT

Physical activity is recommended and safe during pregnancy. Exercise should be encouraged unless there are obstetric or medical complications or contraindications. Observational studies on pregnant women engaging in exercise have shown reductions in gestational diabetes, cesarean births, operative vaginal deliveries, postpartum recovery time, and the incidence of postpartum depression. A typical exercise session begins with warm-up and stretching (5-10 minutes), followed by the exercise program (30 minutes per session, at least 150 minutes per week), and ends with a cool-down period (5-10 minutes). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that pregnant women engage in regular, moderate-intensity physical activity unless contraindicated. Women considering pregnancy or in early pregnancy should avoid non-essential travel to areas identified as unsafe by the WHO. For most pregnant women, long-distance travel is safe; however, short flights may be a safer alternative to long car, bus, or train rides. The highest risk for pregnancy-related complications during travel occurs in the first and third trimesters; pregnant travelers should consider identifying a healthcare facility at their destination.

Keywords: Pregnancy; Travel; Exercise; Sports; Suggestions

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