New Physical Activity and Pregnancy Guidelines

Published on Friday, 30 June 2017 Post

The UK Chief Medical Officers have recently issued new guidance on physical activity in pregnancy, which has been developed by a collaborative group involving researchers and the design team at the NPEU. The new advice was constructed by the CMO Expert Committee for Physical Activity and Pregnancy, which included midwives, obstetricians, exercise physiologists, GPs, public health consultants, sports medicine experts, exercise professionals, nursing and research scientists. The aim was to produce evidence-based messaging for health professionals to use with the public. The infographic was developed and tested with panels of health professionals and pregnant women before consultation with more than 250 UK-based doctors and midwives.

The infographic, supported by an online FAQ document, highlights that physical activity helps to reduce hypertensive disorders, improve cardiorespiratory fitness, lower gestational weight gain and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. It recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week.

Read more on the Department of Health website.