On Monday March 2, our Medical Director Dr Rhea Psereckis sat down with Ryk Goddard to have a chat about Exercise and Pregnancy on ABC Radio Hobart. Have a listen to her great segment here!

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) in pregnancy is a common condition, affecting around a quarter of women during their pregnancy. PGP in pregnancy used to be known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) and has also been described by other terms including: sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pelvic instability.

Your body will undergo many changes during pregnancy. Some will affect your ability to exercise, or require you to modify your exercise routine.

Pregnancy and giving birth are both physically demanding on the body. Building or maintaining a reasonable level of fitness will help you manage the physical and emotional demands of pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

All pregnant women who are not experiencing complications should participate in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. If you are new to exercise, start slowly and progress at your own pace. You can start with separate session of 10 minutes each, and build up to longer durations as your body and fitness allows.

Let your body be your guide. You know you’re at the right exercise intensity when you can talk normally and do not become exhausted too quickly. If you cannot talk while you are exercising you are probably going to hard. If you can sing, you will need to step it up a bit.

Can I run during pregnancy?

Whilst running during pregnancy is not considered harmful to the developing baby, there is currently no research to indicate whether running is safe for the pregnant woman or not.

The point at which running no longer feels comfortable or safe will be different for everyone, but may happen much earlier than expected, so try to stay tuned in to the signals your body tells you.