A recent study confirms what was already supposed, since it was demonstrated with the rest of adults. When pregnant women with dogs exercise more, move more, which would be beneficial for your health.
Since any gentle exercise is suitable to perform during pregnancy, move with the dog, take it for a walk, go after it ... they would be physical activities that people who have a dog as a pet do more.
According to the study published in the journal "PLoS One", if we take as a basis the recommendation of 30 minutes of daily exercise, pregnant women with dogs comply 50% more than women who do not have pets.
Given the benefits of this health practice, the researchers propose to include this form of Company walk as a strategy to improve the habits of pregnant women.
The research, carried out by experts from the University of Liverpool (United Kingdom), is entitled "Dog owners during pregnancy, activity derived from maternity and obesity: a cross-sectional study" (Dog Ownership during Pregnancy, Maternal Activity , and Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study).
As the authors of the article argue, numerous studies show that obesity or a significant weight gain during pregnancy can negatively affect both the mother and the baby. As we have often commented on the blog, it could cause risks in pregnancy (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fatigue ...), difficulties in birth or have implications in the development of future obesity of the child.
For these reasons, the experts of the British study emphasize, doctors constantly monitor the weight and advise daily exercise. Analyzing the physical activity of some 11,000 pregnant women, the authors saw that having one or more dogs helps them achieve 150 minutes of recommended exercise per week due to the existing commitment to animal care.
And although it cannot be said that the company of a dog is related to less weight during pregnancy, it does help promote exercise during this stage.
But if you don't have a dog, you don't have to think we won't exercise anymore, you just need initiative and perseverance. Of course, any aerobic exercise is recommended several days a week to all pregnant women (as long as there is no contraindication), such as yoga, pilates, swimming for pregnant women, cycling, walking ...
Although it had already been shown that having a dog increases physical activity in adults In general, this is the first study that assesses this relationship in pregnant women. The next step will be to confirm, saving the distances, that pregnant women who already have a child also exercise more.
