Exercise During Pregnancy: Staying Active as Your Body Changes

Written By Tamar Gagnidze

By Tamar Gagnidze, Personal Trainer and ProNatal Performance Training Specialist

Pregnancy can change how you feel from one day to the next. A workout that felt comfortable last week may need adjusting today.

For most people with uncomplicated pregnancies, exercise can remain part of a healthy routine. The starting point is a conversation with your OB-GYN or doctor about your health and any activity restrictions.

What does the research tell us?

A 2026 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine combined 19 trials involving 6,213 pregnant participants.

Compared with usual care, supervised exercise programs lowered the risk of:

  • Diabetes that develops during pregnancy

  • High blood pressure that develops during pregnancy

  • Weight gain above recommended pregnancy ranges

  • Very high birth weight, known as macrosomia

The evidence is encouraging, but exercise cannot guarantee a complication-free pregnancy. These results also do not identify one ideal workout for everyone.

What can staying active look like?

For uncomplicated pregnancies, professional guidance recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, adjusted to individual needs. This can be spread across shorter sessions.

Moderate activity means your breathing becomes faster, but you can still hold a conversation. Brisk walking is one example. If you are new to exercise, begin gradually with guidance from your care team. Appropriate strength exercises can also be part of your routine.

There is no need to turn every session into a test of how much you can do.

Let your workouts change with you

As pregnancy progresses, your balance, energy and comfort may change. Your training should respond to those changes.

In my coaching, this can mean using support during an exercise, adjusting the weight, changing a position or taking longer breaks. The decision depends on your experience, symptoms and medical guidance.

My focus is helping you build and maintain useful strength for everyday life while finding movement that feels manageable.

Some days, that may be a strength session. Other days, it may be a stretching, shorter walk or rest.

There is no single perfect prenatal program

Research shows overall results across thousands of participants. It cannot tell you exactly which exercises to choose, how much weight to lift or how quickly to progress.

Some people enter pregnancy with years of training experience. Others are starting for the first time. Your comfort, energy and exercise needs may also change throughout pregnancy.

Your prenatal program should consider your training history, how you feel, your goals and your doctor’s guidancm- not just which trimester you are in.

A good program gives you room to adjust. Changing an exercise, lowering the weight or taking more rest can be part of training well.

The goal is to support your health, maintain strength for everyday life and help you feel confident moving as your body changes.

Know when to ask for help

Discuss your exercise plans with your doctor and follow any individual restrictions. Stop exercising if you develop concerning symptoms and seek medical advice. See the CDC’s pregnancy warning signs for symptoms that need immediate care.

Sources and further reading

This article provides general education and does not replace medical advice. Discuss exercise with your obstetrician or midwife and follow any individual restrictions.

Tamar Gagnidze