Recommendations for Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy

Background Regular physical activity during and after pregnancy has beneficial effects for mother and child. German recommendations for physical activity during pregnancy are still missing. Methods We searched PubMed (MedLine) for guidelines published between January 2010 and September 2015 on physical activity during and after pregnancy. Results A systematic literature research identified 29 articles. Recommendations in the context of specific diseases (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, obesity, hypertension, PCO, incontinence) or intervention programs were excluded. Only 2 articles met the criteria. 2 separate articles summarizing all international recommendations for physical activity during and after pregnancy were included. Conclusion In order for mother and child to benefit from physical activity, pregnant women without contraindications should be encouraged to participate in regular physical activity or to remain active. Healthy pregnant and postpartum women should exercise for at least 150 min per week (analogically 20-30 min per day on most or all days of the week) in moderate to vigorous aerobic intensity.