More and more women have discovered jogging as a workout to keep themselves physically fit. Whether they are young, middle-aged or older - they run. But is this also possible during pregnancy?
Positive effects of jogging
In general, jogging is a holistic activity that strengthens the body, mind and soul and offers numerous health benefits. Here are some of the most important effects:
Improvement of cardiovascular health: Regular running trains the heart, which leads to improved pumping performance. The heart becomes more efficient and the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes is reduced. In addition, this sporting activity can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) and increase HDL cholesterol levels (the so-called "good" cholesterol).
Strengthens the muscles and bones: If you regularly run your laps, you are doing something for your muscles. Jogging trains the leg and core muscles in particular and also promotes the stability muscles that contribute to a healthy posture. This type of sport also contributes to bone formation (bone density) and can therefore also prevent osteoporosis.
Increase endurance and stamina: Because jogging as an endurance sport trains the respiratory muscles, it increases lung capacity and therefore oxygen uptake. This noticeably improves endurance. The increase in physical performance also makes everyday activities easier.
Promotion of the body's defences: Moderate physical activity such as jogging can strengthen the immune system. As a result, susceptibility to colds and other infections decreases.
Stimulation for the metabolism: Endurance sports in particular are an effective way to get your metabolism going and keep it going. With positive consequences: It burns a lot of calories, which helps with weight loss or weight control. What's more, a boosted metabolism also increases calorie consumption during rest periods. These are all good effects in weight management.
Good stability for mental health: Jogging has been proven to reduce the level of stress hormones such as cortisol and promotes the release of endorphins (so-called "happiness hormones"). Both effects lead to improved mental well-being. The quality of sleep also improves - both falling asleep and staying asleep are easier. All of these mood-stabilising effects can also have a preventative effect against depression and alleviate or reduce anxiety.
Improved thinking ability: In fact, regular jogging even promotes blood flow to the brain. This sharpens cognitive abilities such as concentration, attention and memory. Many women also report that jogging stimulates their creativity and helps them to develop new ideas or solve problems.
So there can hardly be two opinions about the positive effects of regular running when physical, mental and psychological health are strengthened in this way. And because the joy of sporting activity should not be neglected, many women often do this sport in a group - as a communal experience, so to speak. This also has advantages, as it not only allows you to socialise and make new friends, but the group also helps you to overcome your "inner couch potato" and not simply skip training more and more often.
Does running harm the unborn child during pregnancy?
Many women who have learnt to appreciate jogging do not want to give it up during pregnancy either. Especially as it is generally known that sporting activities are of great benefit during pregnancy. For example, it prevents excessive weight gain, which is one of the risk factors for pregnancy. Gestational diabetesfor High blood pressure and Pre-eclampsia belongs.
On the other hand, many pregnant women are unsure whether running could harm the foetus. This question has been answered by a British Study group and investigated whether jogging favours premature birth or influences the child's birth weight, for example.
To reassure you: According to the study, neither is the case. This is the result cited by the Medical Journal Prof. Dr Wilhelm Bloch from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine at the German Sport University Cologne also agrees: "Running during pregnancy poses no risk to the foetus." The expert even goes one step further and believes that jogging should be included in the recommendations for the activity behaviour of pregnant women.
You should bear these points in mind when jogging during pregnancy!
Nevertheless, I would like to give a few tips to those who want to jog during pregnancy:
▶︎ Clarify before any regular sporting activity that you want to do during pregnancy, before with your midwife or doctor to see if there is anything against it from their point of view. This is particularly important if you have any pre-existing conditions or if your pregnancy is classed as high-risk.
▶︎ If you were pregnant before never before you shouldn't start running during pregnancy of all times. Instead, start with other more moderate activities such as brisk walking or swimming.
▶︎ If you were already jogging regularly before your pregnancy, you can continue running during your pregnancy - as long as it is normal and you feel well.
In the first trimester you can generally continue running as usual if you wish.
In the second trimester your stomach grows, which changes your balance. Now adjust your pace and consider running shorter distances.
In the third trimester jogging can become more difficult. Many women now switch to other activities such as walking, swimming or prenatal yoga.
▶︎ Listen to your body, reduce your jogging pace during pregnancy and run always in an area where you feel comfortable. You should be able to talk while running without getting out of breath.
▶︎ Avoid intensive or even competition-orientated runs. After all, the aim should be to stay active and not to achieve your best performance during pregnancy - your pregnant body is already doing that all by itself.
▶︎ Even women who are experienced runners should reduce their running times during pregnancy. This is especially true in the second and third trimester. 30 minutes of moderate exercise is a good guideline for many pregnant women. Also make sure to take more breaks, i.e. sufficient recovery phases during jogging.
▶︎ Good equipment is particularly important when jogging during pregnancy. For example, wear a supportive sports bra while running that holds your growing breasts well. Footwear is also important. If you don't already have them, treat yourself now to a pair of running shoes that offer your joints sufficient cushioning. After all, your joints are under more strain during pregnancy anyway. By the way: A pregnant jogger I look after told me that she also uses a special pregnancy belly band when running, which supports her belly and reduces the strain on her lower back. However, I have no experience with this.
▶︎ What is also very important: make sure you don't get dehydrated while running! This can be dangerous in all three trimesters. Therefore: always drink enough water during breaks. And it's best to eat a light meal or snack before training to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
▶︎ It also depends on the suitable running terrain:It is best to run on flat, even routes during pregnancy to avoid unexpected compensatory movements and minimise the risk of falling. Equally important: never run in hot or humid weather. Overheating would be bad for you.
▶︎ And finally, you should always pay attention to even the smallest warning signals from your body when jogging, especially during pregnancy! As soon as a warning signal occurs: stop running immediately! For example, if you notice dizziness, headaches, pain in your abdomen or pelvis, bleeding, shortness of breath, swelling, contractions or a significant reduction in your baby's movements. In such cases, it is best to seek advice from your midwife or doctor.
My conclusion: As long as there are no medical reasons against it and you take care of your body, jogging can be a good way to stay fit during pregnancy. However, it is important that you remain cautious and adapt your training to the changes in your body.
1Kuhrt K, Harmon M, Hezelgrave N, et al: Is recreational running associated with earlier delivery and lower birth weight in women who continue to run during pregnancy? An international retrospective cohort study of running habits of 1293 female runners during pregnancy. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2018; doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2017– 000296.
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