• image.alt
  • With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief

    Roger W. Harms, M.D.

    read biography

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. View sample

Question

Exercise during pregnancy: Is heart rate a concern?

I exercise frequently and also teach water aerobics. Now that I'm pregnant, I've been told that I shouldn't let my heart rate go over 140 beats per minute (bpm). What happens to me or my baby if my heart rate exceeds 140 bpm?

Answer

from Roger W. Harms, M.D.

If you exercised regularly before your pregnancy, you shouldn't be too concerned about exercise during pregnancy.

In 1983, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) originally set a guideline of no more than 140 beats per minute during exercise as a recommendation for most pregnant women. This was based on limited research that suggested higher heart rates during pregnancy may slow the growth of your baby in the womb. But further research found this only occurred in women who exercised too much and didn't consume enough calories. So exercise alone wasn't the primary problem.

ACOG now recommends 30 minutes of exercise a day for pregnant women, but doesn't make a heart rate recommendation. Doctors now recognize that every woman has a different fitness level and no recommendation could account for those differences.

When you exercise, ACOG recommends that you should be able to carry on a conversation comfortably during your workout. If you're already physically fit, you may be able to make only a few changes to your workout to accommodate your pregnancy. You should talk to your doctor before continuing your current exercise routine.

Next question
Pregnancy constipation: Are stool softeners safe?

AN01560

Aug. 2, 2007

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger