Running while pregnant

This question hasn't come up often but I just read this piece of information in Runner's World (December 06) and it might be interesting to some of us:

"Q. Can I race during pregnancy?
A. Participating in a race while you're pregnant is fine, as long as you don't push the pace. (Save the pushing for labor.) The baby usually receives about 20 percent of your blood flow, but during hard efforts that drops to about five percent, which is not good for the fetus. Strenuous running can also lead to overheating. So play it safe and keep your pace conversational. I stopped racing at 15 weeks with both my pregnancies but enjoyed casual events until delivery. If you experience any leaking fluid, bleeding, or pain, or notice decreased fetal movement, stop running and see your doctor before resuming. And of course, keep your obstetrician advised about your running through pregnancy.
- Kari Anne Bertrand, M.D., is a 2:47 marathoner and a California-based OB-GYN who has worked with many pregnant runners."

This was along the lines of what my OB had told me. I didn't do much running during my pg as I got pg coming off a double foot surgery--3 solid months of no running or even fitness walking. Even with that, I was able to jog/walk until the last week. On a treadmill I'd walk 5 then jog 2 minutes for 45 minutes or so. I got a lot of comments at the gym.

A few months ago here, Paula Radcliffe ran a 10K in 43 minutes - while 6 months pregnant. It caused a bit of media attention, with some people saying surely that's a bad thing to do. I read an article pointing out that her speed/time, while impressive to us mere mortals, is about 50% effort for an athlete like Paula. The author said heat levels were a major factor to monitor, but that on average 50% or so effort of what you'd previously been doing was fine.

Quote:

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She said that running while pregnant was no problem: “I don’t really notice it being harder, in fact I make myself run slower than I can to ensure the baby has everything it needs, like enough oxygen. I wear a heart-rate monitor and only run at a pace at which I can comfortably talk, which I would never do if I was racing.”

She described her performance as a fast jog: “It was a really fun day, about taking part, not racing.”

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I'd be delighted if I could run that time ANYTIME :D

I just read a really good book recently called "Runners World guide to Running and Pregnancy" by Chris Lundgren. It is the first book on exercise while pregnant that actually considers the women who view exercise as more than a brisk walk or aqua aerobics class. I can't remember if there is anything in it specifically regarding racing but it does talk about varying your effort and intensity depending on how your pg progresses which would be relevant to racing. Personally I think racing would be fine as long as you are training and know how to limit your effort appropriately in a race situation (ie. Paula Radcliffe). I am 7months pg and considering entering a 2km ocean swim in 2 weeks - which some people would say is stupid but I know what to expect and have been regularly swimming that far in my training.

Although physiologically I agree with everything that has been said above, (keep the heart rate low, body temp low etc and the fetus will be fine) in terms of biophysics I don't agree with running or any other high impact activity after 6 months.

I have seen the effects of excessive physical stress in late pregnancy on the mother. Sometime in the 6th month the body starts releasing hormones that cause your ligaments to become more elastic and stretchy (also known as ligamentous laxity). This is necessary to allow the fetus to pass through the birth canal. What has not been addressed here, (but may have been addressed in the original article - I didn't read it), is that ligamentous laxity leads to decreased joint stability. This in turn leaves the joints more prone to injury with impact activities like running. This is not a problem for the fetus, it's a problem for mom. I commonly see biomechanical dysfunctions of the pelvis related to late pregnancy running. These are painful conditions that significantly impact function and while most are temporary, some can be long term.

So, my recommendation is go ahead and exercise, riding and swimming are great, low impact. But be very careful with running, especially if you are the kind of person that is already pretty flexible.

How exactly do pregnancy tests work? My period is extremely irregular... sometimes i miss a whole month, sometimes it's late by a week, etc. Would a pregnancy test still work? How early can it detect a pregnancy using the test? I might need to buy one, but my parents CANT find out, and i really cant buy one in the store. Is there a way to get past that embarrassment? like should i go with a friend or something?