Is It Safe To Run While Pregnant?

Amber Miller ran the Chicago Marathon while pregnant at 39 weeks; immediately after completing the race, she gave birth. Despite backlash against her seemingly inappropriate and reckless behavior, it turns out that expectant mothers aren’t doing anything wrong by running, Medical Daily reports.

U.S. Olympian Alysia Montano has become the most recent one to prove that. Montano ran an 800-meter dash at the USATF championship in California at 34 weeks pregnant. “The truth is, it’s good for the mom and the baby.” The 28-year-old finished last in her heat, but she was proud to have finished the race with a belly.

Don’t necessarily go out and run intense marathons while pregnant if your body isn’t used to workouts at that level — but being idle isn’t exactly the best alternative. The only thing I worry about if it’s direct trauma to the belly or any falling.

The thought of a pregnant woman running can cause cringes — is it really okay for the baby to be shaken up like that? In fact, running is safe for pregnant women — during the first, second and third trimester — if you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy. You should not run if you have complications like elevated blood pressure or, in some cases, multiple gestation, that would cause an obstetrician to advise no high-impact exercise.

It’s important, however, to be wary of a few things: overheating, especially in the first trimester, and falling — particularly in the second and third trimesters.

All of the same reasons you normally exercise — heart health, stress reduction, weight maintenance, lower blood pressure — are reasons to run during pregnancy. Additionally, women who exercise while pregnant have lower rates of diabetes and preeclampsia, and they are less likely to gain an unhealthy (and potentially dangerous) amount of weight.

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