Not every pregnancy takes place in ideal conditions: many expectant mothers have to go shopping, carry heavy bags, take an older child in their arms and undergo other physical activities. However, not everyone knows how dangerous it is to lift weights during pregnancy, and what the risk of carrying heavy objects.
Even if the pregnant woman is feeling well, and there is no particular reason for concern for her health and the condition of the fetus, it is still necessary to limit the lifting of weights, especially in late pregnancy.
What happens when you lift weights?
The fact that the body is experiencing a load from lifting heavy objects increases intra-abdominal pressure in a pregnant woman. At the same time, due to disturbed blood circulation, the organs of the lower abdomen, in particular, the uterus and the muscles of the pelvic floor, are especially affected.
If you carry weights in your hands for some time, the spine contracts, the movement of the diaphragm slows down, and ventilation of the lungs deteriorates. Therefore, it also becomes difficult for a pregnant woman, and therefore her unborn child, to breathe. All these factors adversely affect the well-being of a woman and can have negative consequences for the fetus, therefore, it is strictly forbidden to lift weights during pregnancy.
How much weight can pregnant women lift?
Usually, the permissible mass of objects to be moved should not exceed 5 kg, only then lifting weights will not cause significant harm. Depending on the characteristics of the constitution of the pregnant woman, her state of health, the duration of pregnancy, the characteristics of her course and other similar factors, it is possible to more accurately determine the permissible weight of weights that can be lifted without fear of consequences.
If a pregnant woman is in the "risk group", it is categorically contraindicated to lift any objects weighing more than 2 kg. This applies to women who:
- have diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys and other organs;
- are under threat of termination of pregnancy;
- previously gave birth ahead of schedule;
- had vaginal bleeding during pregnancy;
- have a diagnosis of "placenta previa" or preeclampsia;
- carry a fetus that is delayed in intrauterine development.
Consequences of heavy lifting
If you do not take precautions and lift weights during pregnancy, pain may appear in any part of the body, more often in the lower back, arms, legs, neck and lower abdomen, as well as shortness of breath, dizziness and weakness, nausea, swelling of the extremities, heart palpitations, destabilization of the pulse … The most dangerous thing that can result from heavy lifting, from a medical point of view, is vaginal bleeding, difficulty walking due to stitching or pulling pains in the legs, prolonged immobility of the fetus, contractions that have begun and premature birth, miscarriage. Any physical activity has one more disadvantage that harms pregnancy, it is the feeling of fatigue that has arisen, which is difficult to eliminate.
