2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (2): 308-314

Guidelines for exercise during pregnancy in developed countries and revelation for the Healthy China Action

Kan Jie   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: A recent study on the relationship between regular exercise and maternal and newborn health variables found that regular exercise during pregnancy is negatively correlated with overweight fetuses, body mass of pregnant women at an older age, and pelvic pain. Observational studies on exercise during pregnancy have shown that its benefits include reduced gestational diabetes, cesarean section and surgical vaginal delivery, and postpartum recovery time.
OBJECTIVE: To emphatically analyze the developmental history and characteristics of the guidelines for exercise during pregnancy in the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain and to provide references for promoting the establishment and implementation of China’s exercise guidelines for pregnancy based on actual conditions.
METHODS: CNKI, PubMed, ResearchGate and other databases were searched for relevant literatures using the following search terms: “pregnancy; exercise; guidelines; Healthy China; maternal and child health” for combined search. Finally, included literatures were categorized, analyzed and summarized.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After experiencing three stages of development and evolution in the 20th century and before, the early 21st century and after 2010, the guidelines for exercise during pregnancy in developed countries focus on physiological and anatomical changes during pregnancy and insist on the principle of disease prevention, take into consideration the situation multi-dimensionally, multi-levelly and multi-dimensionally, and use the method of evidence-based medicine to strengthen the guidelines scientifically, authoritatively, continually, roundly, accurately and timely. The revelations for the Healthy China Action are that: departments of government, health and sports should cooperate to develop and implement the guidelines for exercise during pregnancy for improving public awareness of exercise during pregnancy; from the view of the evidence-based medicine, information platform should be built to share, preach and train exercise prescription including pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and after delivery; develop the guidelines for exercise during pregnancy of varying health levels, exercise performance and ages, adding “avoiding sedentary behavior” and “increasing physical activity” as an important component of maternal and child health promotion action.

Key words:pregnancy, exercise, guideline, Healthy China, maternal and child health