Excessive exercise 'bad during pregnancy'

While gentle exercise is still encouraged during pregnancy, women have been warned to avoid working out excessively in the light of new research. A study of 85,000 pregnant women found that too much exercise can increase stress on the body leading to raised blood pressure. The research, carried out by Danish and Norwegian scientists and published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG), found that intensive exercise in the early stages of pregnancy could increase the risk of developing pre-eclampsia.

Researchers found that jogging for more than one hour and 15 minutes a week more than doubled the risk of pre-eclampsia, while pregnant women who exercised for between four and a half and seven hours a week were 65 per cent more likely to develop the condition and those who did more than seven hours a week were 78 per cent more likely to have pre-eclampsia.

Professor Philip Steer, editor-in-chief of BJOG, said that while general fitness is a good thing, pregnant women should avoid exercising to peak fitness levels.

"This new research is useful as it provides us with an indication of how much exercise pregnant women should take," he said.

"As with everything in life, too much of a good thing can be bad for you, and moderation in all things remains a good policy."