Many women will seek guidance from their healthcare providers on physical activity throughout pregnancy.

While there are many things pregnant women are advised not to do, for most women, exercise should be encouraged and will benefit physical and mental health (see figure 1 further down the page).

In fact, not exercising in the first trimester increases the risk of pregnancy complications.¹

The perinatal period represents a unique opportunity for health promotion, where frequent contact with health services is complemented by strong motivating factors for parents to re-examine lifestyle choices in the interest of the mother and child’s wellbeing.