If your health care provider advises you not to exercise, you need to listen to them. If you are unable to exercise, it’s not the end of the world. You can still deliver a healthy baby and can worry about taking off those extra pounds after your baby is born and you are on the mend. The following is a list of common illnesses and pregnancy conditions that may prevent a woman from engaging in exercise activities.

Heart disease
Heart disease is any medical condition that affects the normal functioning of the heart. The most common cause of heart disease is when the coronary arteries become narrow or blocked. These arteries are the ones that directly deliver blood to the heart.

Some forms of heart disease include:

-Hypertension
-Abnormal functioning of the heart valves
-Abnormal electrical rhythm of the heart
-Heart pumping function is weakened from toxins or infections

If you have heart disease and are pregnant, exercise may only aggravate your condition and make you more susceptible to serious medical conditions such as a heart attack.

Lung diseases
Lung diseases have an effect on your breathing and there are a number of disorders that affect the lungs. Some of the more common disorders include:

-Chronic lung disease: asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis
-Infections: pneumonia, influenza and tuberculosis
-Pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis
-Lung cancer

If you are suffering from a lung disease, exercising while you are pregnant can make your condition worse and put your baby in danger. Exercising may cause you to lose your breath, denying your developing baby of the precious oxygen it needs to survive.

Hypertension
Hypertension is when your blood pressure is too high. It is a condition that can be caused by different diseases. However, for pregnant women, the most common cause of hypertension is associated with a condition called preclampsia (described later in the chapter).

If you have chronic hypertension, it was a pre-existing condition you had prior to becoming pregnant. On the other hand, there is also a condition known as pregnancy-induced hypertension (HIP) which occurs only during pregnancy and completely disappears after the baby is born.

Exercise can make hypertension worse, and may be something your doctor recommends that you avoid.

Preterm Labor
Preterm labor, also known as premature labor, occurs when a pregnant woman begins to have regular contractions that cause her cervix to begin opening or thinning out before she reaches 37 weeks of pregnancy. Delivering a baby before 37 weeks is known as a preterm delivery, and the baby is considered premature.

Every pregnant woman can be at risk for preterm labor. However, expecting mothers who are at a significant risk of preterm labor include those who:

-Have had preterm labor before
-Are pregnant with multiple babies
-Are older than 35 or younger than 17
-Are African American (a study revealed that 17.4 African American babies are premature.)
-Were underweight before becoming pregnant
-Gave birth within the past 18 months
-Don't gain sufficient weight during pregnancy -Are short -Smoke, use drugs or abuse alcohol
-Have experienced vaginal bleeding beyond the first trimester.

It may still be possible to do moderate exercises depending on your condition. Your health care provider will be able to provide you with information you need to know.

Incompetent Cervix
This is a condition that occurs when the cervix (the bottom part of the uterus) is too weak to stay closed and cannot support the baby within the uterus. This condition may result in a premature birth, and in some cases, the loss of the baby due to being born too early.

Expecting mothers who are at high risk for suffering from incompetent cervix includes those who have:

-Had DES (diethylstilbestrol) exposure. DES is a hormone that was primarily prescribed for pregnant women in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Years later it was discovered that daughters who were born of mothers who received this hormone were more susceptible to preterm labor, infertility and cancer of the cervix and vagina.
-Hormonal influences
-Congenitally short cervix
-Cervical trauma
-Uterine anomalies
-Had a forced D&C – D&C stands for Dilation and Curettage. This is a surgery that removes the contents of the uterus and also part of the placenta if it has been retained. It usually occurs after a miscarriage or is part of an abortion.

Exercise may aggravate the condition and increase the chances of preterm labor occurring.

Placenta Abruption
This is a condition that results in the early separation of the placenta from the uterus wall. In a normal pregnancy the placenta separates from the uterus and is delivered by the mother soon after she gives birth to the baby. When placenta abruption takes place, the placenta begins to tear away from the uterus before the birth of the baby. This can cause serious complications for both the baby and mother.

Pregnant woman at a higher risk for placenta abruption are those who:

-Become pregnant at 36 or older
-Have had more than 5 children
-Are pregnant with multiple babies
-Have diabetes
-Have high blood pressure
-Have a record of previous abruptions
-Use cocaine.

Pregnant women with placenta abruption should limit their movements and have plenty of rest. Performing exercise may only aggravate the condition and make it worse.

Placenta Previa
The condition is the result of your placenta attaching unusually low in your uterus. As a result it is either next to your cervix or completely covers it. This condition is not usually present during the early stages of pregnancy, but if it appears later, it can cause bleeding. This may lead to an early delivery or other complications.

Although any expecting mother can experience placenta previa, women who are at a higher risk of having this condition are:

-Women who had Placenta Previa in a previous pregnancy
-Women pregnant with twins or more
-Women who have had a cesarean section
-Women who have had some other type of uterine surgery
-Women who have had many pregnancies
-Women who become pregnant later in life
-Women who use cocaine
-Women who smoke cigarettes

Frequent Vaginal Bleeding
If a pregnant woman experiences frequent vaginal bleeding, especially during the second and third trimester (months 4-9), she needs to be constantly monitored by her doctor to ensure that she isn’t going into preterm labor. Furthermore, frequent bleeding could also be an indication that the expecting mother is suffering from other medical conditions such as placenta previa or placenta abruption.

Multiple Babies
A woman expecting twins, triplets or more babies is at risk for preterm labor. Exercise can increase the risk of premature labor, especially during the second and third trimester. Your health care provider will tell you if and how much you can exercise.

Preeclampsia
This is a disorder that only occurs during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It affects the mother as well as her unborn child. Preeclampsia is a condition that progresses rapidly, involves protein in the urine, high blood pressure, as well as excessive swelling in hands and feet. Some symptoms of preeclampsia to watch for include sudden weight gain, swelling, changes in vision and headaches. Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition that can lead to seizures or even death during pregnancy if not controlled.

If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia you may need to limit or stop exercising altogether. Depending on the severity of you case, exercise many only make the condition worse. Your health care provider will tell you if and how much you can exercise.

Influenza
If you are ill from the flu, common cold virus, etc. you should NOT exercise under any circumstances. Get plenty of rest and allow your body to fully recover before you attempt exercising again. In addition, when you return to exercising, make sure you start off slowly and gradually work your way back up to your regular routine.

Extremely underweight or obese pregnant women
If you are exceptionally underweight or obese, you need to speak with your doctor or midwife before doing any exercises. Due to the fact that your body is already suffering from malnutrition, exercise may only escalate the problem and make it worse.

If you have any of the conditions mentioned above, talk to your doctor or midwife to find out if there is a safe exercise you can perform. There are plenty of different low-key exercises that involve stretching which can still help you strengthen and tone your muscles, as well as prepare you for child birth, without placing extra strain on your body or aggravating your medical condition.

However, you MUST talk with your health care provider first, and follow their recommendations. Don't take your life and the life of your unborn child in your hands – it’s not worth it!