Physical activity


  • Staying active is healthy and safe for most pregnant women.
  • Exercise helps build your energy and stamina for childbirth.
  • Try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most days.

Warning signs when to stop exercising and call your health provider

If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop exercising and call your health provider right away.
  • Bleeding from your vagina
  • Difficult or labored breathing before you exercise
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Chest pains
  • Muscle weakness
  • Calf pain or swelling
  • Preterm labor 
  • Decreased movement of the fetus
  • Leakage of fluid from your vagina

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Obstetrics & Gynecology, volume 99, number 1, January 2002, pages 171-173.


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