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Some top athletes say they are unsure about training during pregnancy. They exercise well over 150 minutes a week, often at a high intensity, leading some to question whether the advice applies to them.
For example, a study of 42 elite runners during pregnancy found that while their training volume decreased from the first trimester to the third trimester, it was still two to four times higher than current guidelines.
Another study showed that high-intensity interval training (heart rate reaching more than 90% of maximum heart rate) was well tolerated by medically screened mothers and fetuses, both in the short and long term.
More research is needed to provide better guidance on exercise frequency, intensity, and duration for pregnant athletes, as current guidelines may be relatively conservative for elite athletes.
Other considerations
In past Olympics, mother-athlete advocates have highlighted the difficult decisions athletes must make when training during pregnancy.
For example, some athletes struggled with societal pressure to choose between pregnancy and being an athlete—a choice male athletes never have to make. Athletes also expressed concerns about pregnancy planning, fertility, pregnancy disclosure, discrimination, safety during training, and financial support.
A subsequent study of coaches and healthcare professionals working with pregnant and postpartum athletes revealed similar issues, including a lack of reproductive research in female athletes, the need for evidence-based education and training, open communication to support athlete-centered care, and better primary support and policy changes to support pregnant or postpartum athletes.
With the right support, athletes can continue to train with medical support during pregnancy and excel postpartum. However, as with pregnancy and postpartum care, there is still room for improvement in athlete care and support.
More high-quality evidence is needed to provide evidence-based guidance for elite sport participation and training during pregnancy and return to sport after childbirth, and to improve sport policy. This in turn will promote sport persistence.
Jenna Schulz is a physical therapist and postdoctoral researcher at the Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic at Western University. Jane Thornton is a sports medicine physician at Western University and a former Canadian Olympic rower. Michelle F Mottola is a professor of kinesiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. First appearance In conversation.
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