Exercise during pregnancy: a calm, complete guide

Pregnancy changes almost everything about how your body feels from one week to the next, so it makes sense to wonder whether the way you move should change too. The short answer from the major guidelines is reassuring: for most pregnancies, staying active is safe, and it brings real benefits. The longer answer is about adjusting, listening, and knowing when to stop. This guide brings it all together in one place, in plain language, with every source listed at the end.

Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) describes physical activity in pregnancy as safe and desirable when there are no obstetric or medical complications, and encourages people to continue or to start safe activities.^[1] The World Health Organization recommends that everyone who is pregnant or postpartum and has no contraindication should be regularly active throughout pregnancy and after it.^[3]

A common worry, especially early on, is whether movement could harm the pregnancy. The 2019 Canadian guideline, built on a large set of systematic reviews, states that physical activity is not associated with miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, preterm birth or low birth weight.^[4] A meta-analysis focused specifically on this question reached the same conclusion: people who exercised during pregnancy did not have higher odds of miscarriage or perinatal death than those who did not.^[9]

Safe does not mean "anything goes". Your body is changing, and some activities carry risks that have nothing to do with fitness, such as falls or a blow to the abdomen. The rest of this guide walks through those adjustments.

What are the benefits of staying active while pregnant?

The WHO lists the benefits clearly: a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain, delivery complications and postpartum depression, with no increase in the risk of stillbirth, newborn complications or adverse effects on birth weight.^[3] ACOG adds that observational studies show fewer caesarean births and operative vaginal deliveries and a shorter postpartum recovery time among people who exercise during pregnancy.^[1] The NHS also mentions better sleep, mood and mental health.^[10]

Two of these benefits have been studied in particular detail. In a meta-analysis of randomised trials, exercise-only programmes lowered the odds of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia by roughly 40% each compared with no exercise.^[7] Another meta-analysis found that exercise during pregnancy lowered the odds of depression during pregnancy by 67%.^[8]

How much exercise is recommended during pregnancy?

The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity across the week, with a variety of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, and notes that gentle stretching may also help.^[3] The Canadian guideline adds that activity should be spread over a minimum of three days a week, that being active every day is encouraged, and that pelvic floor muscle training may be done daily to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence.^[4]

In practice, 150 minutes can look like:

• 30 minutes of brisk walking on five days.
• Three 20-minute walks plus two short strength sessions.
• Ten-minute pieces scattered through the day, which ACOG notes can add up just as well.^[2]

If you were active before pregnancy, you can usually carry on with familiar activities and adjust as you go.^[3] If you are new to exercise, ACOG suggests starting with as little as five minutes a day and adding five minutes each week until you reach about 30 minutes a day.^[2] The NHS advises against starting a new vigorous activity, such as running, during pregnancy.^[10]

How do you know if you're exercising at the right intensity?

Both ACOG and the Canadian guideline describe moderate intensity the same way: you can talk, but not sing.^[2][4] If you cannot keep up a conversation, the Canadian guideline advises easing off.^[4] The WHO defines moderate activity as usually a 5 or 6 on a 0 to 10 scale of perceived effort, and vigorous activity as a 7 or 8.^[3]

Feel is more useful than numbers here. The IOC expert group notes that, during pregnancy, perceived effort and heart rate don't always line up, so neither is perfect on its own.^[5] Combining the talk test with how you feel on the day is a good everyday approach. Our free pregnancy exercise intensity guide walks you through both checks.

If strength training is part of your routine, the same effort rules apply, with a few extra points about breathing and positions. They are covered in our guide to lifting weights while pregnant.

How does exercise change from trimester to trimester?

Every pregnancy is different, so treat this table as a starting point rather than a schedule. You can find your current week with our pregnancy week calculator, or estimate your dates with the due date calculator.

For the early weeks, read exercise in the first trimester. For the later months, including positions and balance, read exercise in the second and third trimester.

A few changes run through the whole pregnancy. Hormones relax the ligaments around your joints, which is why ACOG suggests avoiding jerky, bouncy movements.^[2] Your growing bump shifts your centre of gravity, which makes losing your balance more likely.^[2] And lying on your back can press on a large vein that returns blood to the heart, which may make you feel dizzy.^[2]

On that last point, guidelines differ on the timing. The WHO advises avoiding activities on your back after the first trimester,^[3] while the IOC expert group notes that symptoms are more likely after 28 weeks and suggests tilting the torso to about 45 degrees, or moving to side-lying, sitting or standing.^[6] Eggsports takes the cautious middle path: from week 16, our sessions leave out exercises lying on your back or front.

What exercises should you avoid while pregnant?

ACOG's list of activities to avoid includes contact sports such as ice hockey, boxing, football (soccer) and basketball; skydiving; activities that may lead to a fall, such as downhill skiing, water skiing, surfing, off-road cycling, gymnastics and horse riding; hot yoga and hot Pilates; scuba diving; and activities above 6,000 feet if you don't already live at altitude.^[2] The WHO adds avoiding activity in excessive heat, especially with high humidity, and staying hydrated before, during and after exercise.^[3]

On the other side of the list, ACOG describes walking, swimming and water workouts, stationary cycling, and modified yoga and Pilates as among the safest choices, and says experienced runners and racquet-sports players may be able to continue with their doctor's agreement.^[2]

Within any activity, some movements deserve extra care. Two common concerns are the abdominal muscles and the pelvis. Our guide to core training in pregnancy explains which ab exercises to keep, which to swap, and why diastasis is a normal part of pregnancy. If moving hurts at the front or back of your pelvis, read about pelvic girdle pain, which is common and treatable.

Is strength training safe during pregnancy?

Light to moderate weight training with free weights or machines generally has no adverse health effects during pregnancy, according to the IOC expert group.^[5] The Canadian guideline goes further: combining aerobic and resistance training improved pregnancy outcomes more than aerobic exercise alone.^[4]

The main adjustments are about breath and pressure. Holding your breath and straining, known as the Valsalva manoeuvre, sharply raises blood pressure and pressure inside the abdomen, and the IOC group recommends adjusting heavy training to avoid it.^[5][6] In Eggsports sessions, every exercise is cued with "exhale on effort; never hold your breath". The full picture, trimester by trimester, is in our strength training guide.

What about your pelvic floor?

The Canadian guideline recommends pelvic floor muscle training, such as Kegel exercises, on a daily basis to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence, and recommends instruction in the proper technique to get the full benefit.^[4] The IOC expert group suggests sets of 8 to 12 close-to-maximal contractions, three times a day, on most days.^[6]

Our pelvic floor exercise timer guides you through slow and quick squeezes, with full relaxation in between. The core training guide explains how the pelvic floor works with your deep abdominal muscles and breath.

Do you need medical clearance before exercising while pregnant?

ACOG recommends discussing exercise with your obstetric care provider during early prenatal visits, and then talking through which activities you can do safely.^[2] The Canadian guideline lists conditions where strenuous activity should be avoided, such as ruptured membranes, premature labour, unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding or pre-eclampsia, and others where you should discuss the pros and cons with your care team first.^[4]

Because risk can change as pregnancy progresses, the IOC expert group recommends regular reassessment rather than a one-time check.^[6] In the Eggsports app, we ask once whether your doctor or midwife has said exercise is okay for you. Until you confirm, sessions stay with gentle breathing, pelvic floor, deep core and spine mobility work. The full list of conditions, in plain terms, is in warning signs to stop exercising.

When should you stop exercising and call for help?

These are the warning signs ACOG lists for stopping exercise during pregnancy.^[2] They apply whether you are a seasoned athlete or a beginner.

Feeling out of breath during a hard effort is expected. Feeling unwell, too hot or uncomfortable is a reason to stop, even if it isn't on the list.^[10] Our article on warning signs and medical clearance explains each sign in plain language and what to do next.

Is it okay to rest instead of exercising while pregnant?

Guidelines give targets because targets are useful for research and for public health. Your body on a given Tuesday is a different matter. Some days a brisk walk will feel wonderful. Other days the most supportive choice will be a nap, a slow stretch, or a few minutes of steady breathing with our breathing timer.

The Canadian guideline says it plainly: there may be times when fatigue or the discomforts of pregnancy make the recommendations impossible to follow, and you are encouraged to do what you can and return to them when you are able.^[4] That is exactly how Eggsports works. A rest day earns the same egg as a workout, because listening to your body is the point, not a break from it.

If you would like to go deeper, here is everything in this guide:

• Can you lift weights while pregnant?
• Exercise in the first trimester
• Exercise in the second and third trimester
• Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy
• Core training in pregnancy
• Warning signs to stop exercising