Long gone are the days when pregnant women were expected to rest and eat for two. Research shows that, among other benefits, a fit and active
pregnancy leads to a healthier heart -- for
both mom and baby. A recent study had 10 pregnant women engage in varying levels of physical activity. Both the mother's and baby's responses were monitored. Fetuses whose mothers exercised had significantly lowered heart rates. The heart health benefits were evident at all tested stages of gestation.
If you're pregnant, check with your OB/GYN before beginning an exercise routine. But for most pregnant women low-impact activity is recommended. Walking, yoga, and swimming are great choices for physical activity -- they're low impact, get your heart rate up, and are relatively safe activities.
BabyCenter has more ideas for activity during pregnancy.
Revolution Health has a new interactive tool, momScore, that ranks states based on the accessibility and quality of maternal health care. To determine the score, a team of health experts compared state-to-state criteria including:
If you're a New Jersey resident and thinking of having a baby, you may like to know that part of standard prenatal care in that state will soon include HIV testing.
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