Pregnancy Planning (cont.)
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
Recommendations from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology say that pregnant women who have an uncomplicated pregnancy should participate in at least 30 minutes of
moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. A few exceptions are noted: ice hockey, kickboxing, soccer, and horseback riding probably should be avoided because they are activities with higher risk of trauma to the abdomen. Also, scuba diving poses a risk of decompression sickness ("the bends") to the fetus and should be avoided.
Elevated temperatures can have adverse effects on the development of the fetus. Therefore, hot tubs and sauna baths should be avoided when trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
Can I travel by air during pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines say that air travel is safe for most pregnant women up to 36 weeks gestation, as long as there are no obstetric or maternal complications already diagnosed. Examples of special situations would be women with hypertension, poorly-controlled diabetes, or sickle cell disease, or women diagnosed with increased risk of premature labor. Support stockings during flight, and intermittent walking to move the legs around are recommended to minimize the chance of
blood clots in the legs during prolonged flights.
Can I have intercourse during pregnancy?
Intercourse during pregnancy is safe for most women. Special situations in
which women might be advised to avoid intercourse include prior preterm labor,
multiple miscarriages, infection, bleeding, amniotic fluid leak, and a condition
called placenta previa or low placenta. (A placenta previa is when the placenta
is implanted near the outlet of the uterus, so that at the time of delivery the
placenta precedes the baby. Placenta previa can cause painless bleeding in the
last trimester of pregnancy, and may be a reason for a C-section.)
All women are advised to avoid sexual intercourse that could put them at risk to exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.
Next: How soon after stopping birth control can I become
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