lizard@nbires.UUCP (LisaLynn Turboff) (02/07/84)
I'm getting older. I ran into a friend yesterday that I know
from swimming. When I asked her why I hadn't seen her lately, she told
me that she was pregnant. I took a deep breath and said enthusiastically,
"congratulations!" I could see the shine in her eyes as she thanked me.
That's how I know I'm getting old -- not too long ago, I would've had to
say, "Oh, I'm so sorry."
Well, this sort of brings me to my point or at least my question.
Her doctor told her not to let her pulse rise above 110 (beats per minute).
When she complained saying how active she was, they told her to not let
it get above 120. "Makes the baby hypoxic," they said. Which means it
cuts off the air supply to the baby.
Any biology types, medical types, or maternal types out there have
an opinion? Or anybody else for that matter. I can't imagine giving up
all of my physical abilities after working so hard for them for so long,
but when I'm carrying child, I sure don't want to deny it air.
Lisa
~
{ucbvax|allegra|?|?}!nbires!lizardlynnef@teklabs.UUCP (Lynne Fitzsimmons ) (02/09/84)
Well, when I was pregnant, the doctor told me that I continue any activities
I had been doing, except skiing (I ignored that for about 2 months). Besides
skiing, I was playing racquetball and swimming. As a matter of fact, at the
pool at lunch, all one sees are hordes of pregnant women, getting their
exercise.
--
Lynne Fitzsimmons
UUCP: {cbosg, decvax, harpo, ihnp4!tektronix, ihnss, orstcs, pur-ee,
ssc-vax, ucbvax, unc, zehntel, ogcvax, reed} !teklabs!lynnef
CSNet: lynnef@tek ARPAnet: lynnef.tek@rand-relayholt@parsec.UUCP (02/23/84)
#R:nbires:-27300:parsec:45000006:000:741
parsec!holt Feb 22 17:13:00 1984
Believe it or not, I once played a raquetball match with a woman
who was >8 months pregnant. In addition, she beat me. She played right
on up until a week prior to having her child, and then started playing
again about 3-4 weeks after. It amazed me then, and it amazes me now.
This is an excellent topic. What are the generally proscribed
limits of physical activity for pregnant women, and what are the extremes
that these things can be taken too?
Dave Holt
Convex Computer Corp.
{allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs,ctvax}!parsec!holt
p.s. I was extremely uptight about playing a women so advanced in pregnancy,
and very much concerned that I not hit her with the ball. (something
which is usually an accepted risk of the game)edhall@randvax.ARPA (Ed Hall) (02/25/84)
------------------------------- I've no answer to this (other than to say that it depends upon the woman concerned), but there is one point I've read about that should probably be mentioned: the body develops an `oxygen deficit' during vigorous exercise, and deals with this lack by reducing oxygen to `less essential' areas. For example, heavy exercise after a meal can cause stomach cramps due to the shunting of blood from the digestive system and towards the muscles. Now, the pregnant uterus is a `high- priority' organ, and most heavy exercise won't affect its blood supply. But sustained, all-out exercise can cause blood to be shunted from here as well. I'm not talking about aerobics--something more like running a marathon. There is obvious survival value here; a woman's body will usually do all it can to support the fetus, but in a dire emergency will take care of itself. Does anyone have any more information on this particular subject? -Ed Hall decvax!randvax!edhall
preece@uicsl.UUCP (02/25/84)
#R:nbires:-27300:uicsl:16400043:000:334 uicsl!preece Feb 24 23:07:00 1984 The standard advice is that until the last weeks, anything you did comfortably before you were pregnant is OK. You shouldn't suddenly increase your exercise load. Some kinds of exercise are more suitable than others (racquetball seems pretty violent for that stage of pregnancy). The principal rule, though, is to stop if it hurts.
geoff@callan.UUCP (Geoff Kuenning) (03/05/84)
Excuse me if this has already been mentioned--I haven't read all of the pregnancy/exercise articles. A number of female bicycle racers have chosen to have children without giving up their sport. The most noted was Mary Jane "Miji" Reoch, who was a very winning rider in the early 70's. She actually rode her bike to the hospital after she went into labor (I presume that it wasn't done at racing speeds!). This produced a lot of flames, to which she responded (freely paraphrased), "Look, bozos, I was extremely careful and checked with my doctor first". She had a perfectly normal delivery and a perfectly normal child (although I did hear one rumor that the kid was born with a derailluer attached...) Geoff Kuenning ihnp4!sdcrdcf!trwrb!wlbr!callan!geoff