pregnancy

While exercise is often said to be safe to do while pregnant, with so much information out there, it can be hard to figure out just how much exercise you should do – and if there are certain exercises to avoid. Exercise is good for the mother and her baby, but given all the changes that happen to the body during pregnancy, it is advisable to take it a bit easier when exercising. One of these changes is how our cardiovascular system functions. Because the baby needs a constant supply of oxygen to develop – and because of how quickly it grows – the mother will experience a 45-50% increase in blood volume to carry this much-needed oxygen to the baby. The mother’s heart rate also increases to ensure the baby gets enough oxygen. This could put an extra strain on the woman’s heart and lungs w...

Pregnancy is stressful, to say the least, but COVID-19 brings new challenges to parents of newborns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified pregnant women as a vulnerable population. If infected, they are more likely to be hospitalized and require ventilation and their risk of preterm birth goes up. Economists predict that the U.S. may have at least 500,000 fewer births because of the pandemic. Deciding not to become pregnant during a pandemic is understandable, particularly in the U.S., as it is one of five countries worldwide and the only country classified as high-income by the World Bank, that does not mandate paid maternity leave for non-federally employed workers. As scholars who study prenatal and postnatal stress, maternal nutrition and the brain developmen...

Tag: pregnancy

What To Consider While Exercising During Pregnancy

Pregnancy during a pandemic: The stress of COVID-19 on pregnant women and new mothers is showing