Exercise During Pregnancy And Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is also known to increase the risk of caesarean delivery in expecting mothers, due to the larger birth weights of infants born to these mothers. The rate of cesarean sections in the United States is at an all time high, as professor Martin discussed in lecture. Best outcomes estimate that an average of 5-10% of births should result in c-sections, yet as a country we are between double and triple that rate (Martin, 2015, Lecture #1). Recent studies have shown that exercise can lower the risk of having cesarean sections. In a study titled Exercise during pregnancy and gestational diabetes-related adverse effects: a randomized controlled trial, researchers took it upon themselves to examine the effects of exercise on†¦show more content†¦Macrosomia can also result in a serious complication known as shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia is a case of obstructed labor where the infant cannot pass through the vagina at the shoulder. Should dystocia is a serious condition and if unresolved can result in fetal injury and rarely, death (Ladewig et al., 2014). Evidence is arising supporting exercise and its relationship with macrosomia. One particular study found a 58% decrease in the odds of having a baby with macrosomia, after undergoing exercise intervention. This particular exercise intervention consisted of moderate intensity resistance and aerobic exercises three times a week (Barakat et al., 2013). When the life and health of the baby is it risk it is crucial that mothers do all that they can to reduce the risk of any harm on the baby. As most people know, giving birth can be extremely painful. During the first stage of labor, pain is caused by dilation of the mother cervix, stretching of the lower uterine segment, and pressure on structures surrounding the uterus. The second stage of labor is characterized by a lack of oxygen to the tissues in the uterus, distension of the vagina, while pain during the third stage of labor is caused b y uterine contractions, and dilation of the cervix as the mother expels the placenta (Ladewig et al., 2014). Overall, giving birth requires expending an enormous amount of energy and is exhausting on the body and mind with its association with