Pregnancy does not necessarily mean that you have to abandon all your happiness. There are few many things you can do whilst being pregnant. In fact you can continue your daily routine along throughout the majority of your third trimester.
However, there should be some caution that you should abide by. There are some sporting activities you should avoid during pregnancy. For instance heavyweight training, regular yoga, running or jogging, cycling, aerobics should be avoided. Would-be mothers should also keep away from body contact games like soccer, ice-hockey, and basketball. The risk of falling down and damaging your pregnancy cancels out the sporting activities like water skiing, gymnastics, and horseback riding.
The risk of injury also crosses-off the activities like scuba diving and surfing. Racquet sports like tennis and squash should also be avoided as it often demands a shift in body balance which can be risky for the child. High altitude sports like hiking and mountain climbing should also be avoided due to the chance of running out of oxygen. That also excludes the amusement rides.
21 Sports Activities to Avoid During Pregnancy
1. Heavyweight Training:
Heavyweight training puts pressure on the back and the pelvis. This increases the chances of a uterine slip. This can cause miscarriage. Putting pressure on the back is not ideal during pregnancy.
2. Traditional Yoga:
Whilst going to yoga is a good habit, regular yoga demands a lot of bends and pressure to be exerted on your belly. Abdominal exercises should be totally avoided.
3. Running:
Rigorous running exercises should be put to rest during pregnancy. Running exerts pressure on your uterus. This results in premature contraction. Hence it might trigger miscarriage.
4. Jogging:
According to the research conducted by Artal & O’toole (2003) mild jogging also can pose a risk once the pregnancy attains a certain maturity. Walking on treadmill is only advised, but that too at a controlled speed.
5. Cycling:
Cycling poses similar kind of threat as walking. It puts too much pressure on the pelvic region. This is harmful for you and your child.
6. Swimming:
Swimming demands you to hold your breath underwater. Your child will not be used to this unusual routine. Your blood will strive for the desired oxygen requirement. That will harm your child and also you. Also swimming in public pools can lead to bacterial contamination.
7. Aerobics:
The chances of falling down and injuring yourself are pretty high if you are into gymnastics. That is why it is important you quite aerobics for a year, during your pregnancy, and start practicing again after childbirth.
8. Soccer:
Soccer playing moms are cool. Tackling and dribbling and scoring goals make you strong and fit. However, that is too much of a risk for your child. Do not drag your child to a soccer ground while he/she is still in your womb. Wait for few years before that happens. Meanwhile after giving back to your child you can put your studs on and hit the ground.
9. Ice-Hockey:
The chance of getting injured is pretty high in ice-hockey. That is why it is too risky a game to play with a child in your womb. The damage can be fatal and with the slippery surface of the ice, accident can happen any time.
10. Basketball:
This highly engaging body-contact game leaves no mercy on the court. You can fall down at any point of time and the outcome can be fatal.
11. Volleyball
Playing volley during pregnancy is also a risky proposition. The movements you will be making during the game will not only trigger untimely contraction but the game also poses risk of you getting physically injured.
12. Water Skiing:
Water skiing has its element of risk associated with it. The posture which the game demands will exert pressure on your uterus. This might cause premature contraction and eventual miscarriage.
13. Horseback riding:
Horseback riding is also pretty dangerous during pregnancy. The rocky motion of the ride might put additional taxation on your womb. You cannot predict how your uterus will react to the motion. Then there is the risk of falling down. That could be fatal.
14. Amusement Rides:
Though technically not a sporting activity but nonetheless it is a strenuous physical activity. The jerky motion puts pressure on your womb and it might lead to untimely contraction. Also your baby might find it difficult to adjust to the whimsy motion of the rides.
15. Scuba Diving:
Scuba diving is a strict no-no during pregnancy. A study conducted by Held & Pollock determines that scuba diving can increase the risk of air bubbles being trapped in your bloodstream thereby putting your child at risk. Also at the same time the act of decompression might become fatal for your child.
16. Surfing:
Surfing is associated with the risk of falling down on water and getting injured. The balance keeping act might prove to be too much of a peril for you and your unborn child.
17. Tennis:
If you are a regular player then playing tennis is okay during the first trimester. However, after that period the physical activities associated with tennis becomes quite risky for your child. All the running and hitting will put pressure on your uterus. This is not at all good for your pregnancy.
18. Squash:
Squash is yet another racquet sport which you cannot indulge in during your pregnancy. The amount of running you need to do is itself a risk to you and your child. Additionally the risk of falling down and inuring yourself is always there.
19. Skipping:
Like running or jogging skipping also poses certain amount of threat to your pregnancy. Compression of the uterus will lead to premature contraction and eventual miscarriage. This is quite risky as far as your pregnancy is concerned.
20. Mountaineering or Hiking:
High altitudes will mean that your body will be deprived of the adequate amount of oxygen supply. This will harm you and your body. During pregnancy you make sure that your blood contains adequate amount of oxygen all the time in order for your baby to feed on and stay healthy.
21. Boxing, wrestling, and kick-boxing:
High intensity body contact games like boxing, wrestling and kick-boxing can be fatal for your uterus and your child. One blow, hitting the wrong spot, can end your child’s life.
Conclusion:
Pregnancy is a very delicate stage of your life. These are the list of sporting activities that you should avoid. However, there are some physical activities which you can indulge in, whilst you are pregnant. But before you start working on them do consult your doctor. Your doctor will guide you about the impacts that those exercises will have on your body.
Reference:
https://www.myvmc.com/pregnancy/exercises-to-do-and-avoid-during-pregnancy/
