Women’s Health — all lessons
Anatomy and Physiology
Pelvic floor anatomyUnderstanding the menstrual cyclePhysiological changes before and after pregnancyLife-Stage and Hormonal Conditions
MenopauseOsteoporosisPCOSThyroid disordersHormonal imbalance: what exercise can and cannot doExercise guidelines: step-by-step prescriptionPrenatal Exercise
Contraindications and precautions of prenatal exercisePrenatal exercise prescriptionFirst trimester: strengthening and stretchingSecond trimester: strengthening and stretchingThird trimester: strengthening and stretchingPostnatal Exercise
Postnatal evaluation and abdominal rehabilitationBenefits of postnatal exercise for mother and childPostnatal risks and contraindicationsC-section: post-op management and precautionsPostnatal exercise prescriptionContraindications and precautions of prenatal exercise
Absolute and relative contraindications to exercise in pregnancy, warning signs to stop, and activities to avoid, based on current guidelines.
Learning objectives
- List absolute and relative contraindications
- Identify warning signs to stop exercise
- Identify activities to avoid in pregnancy
- Apply screening tools
Before this lesson
Why this matters
Most pregnant women can exercise safely, but some conditions make it unsafe.
Absolute contraindications (examples) [mottola2018]
- Ruptured membranes
- Premature labour
- Unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding
- Placenta praevia after 28 weeks
- Pre-eclampsia
- Incompetent cervix
- Intrauterine growth restriction
- High-order multiple pregnancy (e.g., triplets)
- Uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, hypertension or thyroid disease
- Other serious cardiovascular, respiratory or systemic disorders
Relative contraindications (examples)
Recurrent pregnancy loss, gestational hypertension, history of spontaneous preterm birth, mild/moderate cardiovascular or respiratory disease, symptomatic anaemia, malnutrition, eating disorder, twin pregnancy after 28 weeks.
Activities to avoid [acog2020]
Contact sports, activities with high fall risk, scuba diving, hot yoga or exercise in excessive heat, and exertion at high altitude without acclimatisation.
Screening
Use a pregnancy-specific screening tool (e.g., the CSEP Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy) and the obstetric provider’s advice.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Case study
A client at 30 weeks reports a diagnosis of placenta praevia. The trainer pauses the programme and contacts her with a request to follow her obstetrician’s guidance.
Further learning: video lessons
Video links are only marked “verified” after a human has watched them. Unverified entries open a YouTube search for that channel and topic rather than a guessed link.
Contraindications and precautions of prenatal exercise
pelvic-health physiotherapists and women’s health clinicians (search)
You will understand: contraindications and precautions of prenatal exercise
Why: Clinician-led content; verify the specific video.
Exercise guidelines explained
professional bodies (search, e.g. ACOG, CSEP, RCOG)
You will understand: current guideline recommendations
Why: Clinician-led content; verify the specific video.
Knowledge check
Knowledge check · 0/5
1. An absolute contraindication is…
2. A warning sign to stop exercise is…
3. An activity to avoid in pregnancy is…
4. A relative contraindication requires…
5. Placenta praevia after 28 weeks is…
Short-answer & application questions
- Create a prenatal screening checklist.
- Write a stop-exercise card for clients.
- List safe alternatives to contact sports.
Key takeaways
- Absolute contraindications include ruptured membranes, preterm labour, persistent unexplained bleeding, placenta praevia after 28 weeks, pre-eclampsia and uncontrolled serious conditions.
- Relative contraindications require discussion with the obstetric provider.
- Stop and seek care for warning signs such as bleeding, contractions, fluid leakage, chest pain or dizziness.
- Avoid contact sports, activities with high fall risk, scuba diving and exercise in excessive heat.
Connected topics
References
- Mottola MF, Davenport MH, Ruchat SM, et al. (2018). 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(21):1339–1346. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-100056 Guideline check pending
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2020). Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period: ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 135(4):e178–e188. Guideline check pending
Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis or treatment.