Stretching Helps Avoid Preeclampsia

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

04 Jun 2008 03:05 AM

A new study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research found that stretching may actually be better for women who were physically inactive before their pregnancy in avoiding preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is hypertension induced by pregnancy and it's one of the leading causes of fetal and maternal illness in the world. If left untreated, the condition can lead to death.

Pre-Natal Fitness

Walking is often promoted as the best form of exercise to protect a pregnant woman from developing preeclampsia. But the study details that women who were not active beforehand and experienced preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy would be better off with stretching regularly.

The study was conducted from November 2001 to July of 2006. The study utilized women who led a sedentary lifestyle as well as experienced preeclampsia before. They randomly assigned women to walking groups or stretching groups beginning the 18th week of their pregnancies.

The walking group exercised 5 times week for 40 minutes a session. The stretching group followed a slow, non-aerobic muscle movement video 5 times a week for 40 minutes a session. The duration and frequency of the exercise was decreased as the pregnancies progressed.

At the end of the pregnancies, researchers found that 15 percent of the women in the walking group developed preeclampsia, but less than 5 percent of the stretching group did. The risk was equal in both groups, but the frequency was increased in the walking group versus the stretching.

Walking is not harmful during pregnancy, but for women at a higher risk for preeclampsia, then stretching may be a better exercise to help protect against the condition. As always, a woman should consult with her physician prior to beginning any exercise program.

Did you walk or stretch during your pregnancy?

For more great articles on pregnancy, what to expect and how to cope, check out our Pregnancy blog.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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