Pre-Eclamsia May Be Side Effect of Too Much Exercise, Study Shows

An article in the Los Angeles Times, "Exercise and pre-eclampsia: Are pregnant women at risk?" relays new information with respect to a Danish study that was published in the "British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" that exercise is causing pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. What is pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia is the medical condition hypertension which is defined as high-blood pressure (readings of 140/90 or greater) in women who are in their 20th week of pregnancy all the way to birth. In addition, post-birth eclampsia can occur between six and eight weeks. It can be fatal.

Other symptoms of pre-eclampsia often include swelling of the hands and feet (pitting edema) and protein in the urine. (Proteinuria)

Historically conventional wisdom has said that a moderate exercise program for pregnant women is a good idea. In fact a recent report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests about 30 minutes of exercise per day up to a maximum of 150 minutes per week during pregnancy and after birth as well.

The report out of Denmark was based on a study which included 85,139 pregnant women. What the results showed was that women who essentially followed the aforementioned suggestions at moderate to high level intensity developed pre-eclampsia while those who remained dormant or exercised at a low level typically did not have a problem.

I know from personal experience something about pre-eclampsia. For example, women who get pregnant for the first time around 30 are more likely to have it in any event and, in fact, it is most likely to occur in the first pregnancy. Further, often treatment is to remain lying on the expectant mother's left side because lying on one's left side reduces blood pressure.

My wife was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia early in her pregnancy with our first son and had to remain in bed on her left side four months. During that time she had to eat food that was low in sugar, fat and sodium. Further, we had to purchase test strips to check her urine on a daily basis for protein.

Of course she did not exercise and had she who knows what might have occurred. As it was, when our son was born her blood pressure was bouncing around near 200/100.

I've tried to consider an intelligent way to distill this information. What is right and what is wrong?

It seems to me that what we're seeing here is that a pregnant woman needs professional supervision during her pregnancy. It is presumed that obstetricians will keep up with the latest information.

References:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/12/exercise-and-pr.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre_eclampsia