Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2021; 117(1): 160-180
Position Statement on Exercise During Pregnancy and the Post-Partum Period – 2021
Milena dos Santos Barros Campos, Susimeire Buglia, Cléa Simone Sabino de Souza Colombo
, Rica Dodo Delmar Buchler
, Adriana Soares Xavier de Brito, Carolina Christianini Mizzaci
, Roberta Helena Fernandes Feitosa, Danielle Batista Leite, Carlos Alberto Cordeiro Hossri
, Lorena Christine Araújo de Albuquerque, Odilon Gariglio Alvarenga de Freitas
, Gabriel Blacher Grossman
, Luiz Eduardo Mastrocola
1. Introduction
The Department of Ergometry, Exercise, Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation (DERC), through its commission on Health and Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women and in association with the Sports Cardiology Study Group (GECESP) and the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Metabolic Study Group (GERCPM), has prepared this position paper in accordance with Brazilian Society of Cardiology norms to guide health professionals regarding the prescription of physical exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as to strengthen the relationship between specialists in related areas (especially clinicians, cardiologists and obstetricians), including exercise management in pregnant athletes and pregnant women with comorbidities. At the end of this document, details about exercising during the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will be addressed.
Exercise has proven benefits for maternal and fetal health, although women, especially those with comorbidities, often curtail physical activity or remain sedentary during pregnancy due to fear of clinical and obstetric complications. Thus, it should be made clear that exercise has a number of advantages for pregnant women, such as improved functional capacity, reduced fatigue, lower risk of depression, excessive weight gain prevention, and better control of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders (eg, preeclampsia, hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes mellitus). Preeclampsia, hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes mellitus are now considered emerging or sex-specific risk factors and are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
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